With the recent release of the updated Meng 1/35 D9R Armored Bulldozer to include slat armor, Eduard has released a number of photo-etch detail sets to update the kit and add new details. This is a Meng kit so the detail is fantastic, but there can always be some room for improvement. This set includes replacements for all of the cooling slats and a few other parts.

This is a new version of many Riich Universal Carrier’s and is the Airborne Version. The Universal carrier was changed to reduce its weight to enable it to be carrier in the Hamilcar Glider. This included removal and reduction of the armor plate and removal of all unnecessary equipment.

I had built the Tamiya Universal carrier many moons ago and I thought that was a great version but this excels in every area and now I must go and buy the other version of the Universal carrier released by rich.

The kit contains

• 7 sprues molded in light grey styrene
• 1 clear sprue
• 3 Photo Etch sheets
• 32 springs
• 1 decal sheet
• 1 instruction booklet.

Construction

The kit is includes a lot of unrequired parts as these are for the standard Universal carrier.

Among several integrated sets of Model Air paints produced by Vallejo for common AFV camouflage schemes is their U.S. Olive Drab set, consisting of four color paints, an Olive Drab Primer and a clear Satin Varnish.

Opening the box reveals a vacuform tray holding six half-size (quarter ounce) bottles, each one holding slightly less than half as much paint as one of Vallejo’s standard bottles. The assumption is that the paint set would be one-stop shop, with enough paint for (at least) single project, although my experience with Vallejo paints is that this set could easily be stretched across three or four normal-sized 1/35^th scale builds.

Designed for the Aerobonus DMC Logan T-40 USAF Tow Tractor, this latest figure from Aerobonus is a single block of light grey resin that features a complete seated figure. There are no blemishes or bubbles anywhere.

The figure features a driver with a boonie cap, typical of a Vietnam era USAF enlisted personel. The resin is contained in a typical self sealing bag with a card stock backing. There are painting instructions on three pages.

Removal of the figure from the pour blocks will be easy enough. How they molded and cast these parts is simply amazing. There are lots of undercuts and plenty of room behind the driver on the seat. The parts include the seated body of the driver, two arms, and a separate head.

This figure is essential if you have the Tow Tractor and want to have it in a diorama. This would look great when attached to the tractor and then to an F-4 or F-105. Aerobonus offers quite a lot of figures to represent the Vietnam era flightline.

Items

• Stock - Item - Price
• 35453 - Sheepfoot Roller Single - $24.95
• 35454 - Sheepfoot Roller Double - $44.95

L.Z. Models from Ireland provide high quality resin models and accessories. These kits represent sheepfoot rollers manufactured by R.G. LeTourneau, whose machines represented nearly 70 percent of the earthmoving equipment and engineering vehicles used during World War II. The sheepsfoot roller is a flat head tamping roller, which employs tapered box heads, or ‘feet’ to compact dirt when towed behind a tractor or dozer.

L.Z. has produced both single and double width units as separate kits. These appeared to be simple little kits, until I noticed that there are 100+ resin parts, and over 200 in the double roller kit. Each of the feet are individual pieces that need to be adhered to the large roller drum. All but nine of the hundred plus parts are the individual feet.