Reviews of products for scale military vehicle models.

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Delta One Decals
Scale
1/72

Delta One Decal is a new European decal manufacturer. At time of writing, the Delta One Decal website is not live, but they have an email address: delta1decal@gmail.com.

These are limited edition decal sheets that cover generic Bort Numbers (Warsaw Pact nose numbers) in both “square corner” and “rounded corner” versions. For several numbers you get more than one style (see images).

Each set comes with red numbers (black and white edges), blue (black edge) and yellow (black edge). In addition you get some generic Red/Russian stars.

Review Author
Bryan Krueger
Published on
Company
Bronco Models
MSRP
$63.99

The KV-85 was an interim tank solution to field a heavier gun than the 76mm mounted on the existing KV-1 series. By 1943 the 76mm gun was no longer effective at long range against Germany’s newest tanks like the Tiger 1 and Panther. The solution was to mount the 85mm D-5T in a new larger cast turret. Only 148 were made until production of the new IS series was brought up to capacity.

Bronco’s kit comes in a larger-than-normal sturdy cardboard box packed with sprues, an eighteen page instruction booklet, a small sheet of brass PE, braided copper wire, and a generous decal sheet. The instructions are well laid out line drawings which are not too cluttered given how many small parts there are in the kit. The PE mostly covers the air intakes and exhaust screens. There is an option for solid plastic intake screens but the exhaust screen is only offered as brass.

Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Bronco Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$75.00

This is the third version of the Buffalo 6x6 MPCV to be issued by Bronco Models. This release includes a different armor configuration than the previous two releases, with slat armor and spaced armor. This is an excellent kit that will be a challenging build for even more advanced modelers. The kit has lots of small parts, finicky assembly of the slat armor, but will result in a highly detailed and rewarding model.

The previous releases were reviewed here:

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$88.00

Thanks up front to Dragon USA and to IPMS leadership for providing this kit to me for review.

This kit is an answer to an oft-repeated wish of the post-WWII armor crowd: A new-tool 1/72 scale atomic cannon. Why 1/72? Because even in transporting position, it is only 1 ½ feet long. The existing, much older and less accurate 1/32 kit from another age, at almost two and a half feet long when in transport position, was just too big to display for many. It had a lot of operating features, and looked like the actual item, but in reality is better served by a 1/72 scale model in my opinion. That said, if Dragon ever scales this thing up. who knows how it will sell?

Review Author
Eric Christianson
Published on
Company
Meng Model
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$59.95

Meng has released a second version of their excellent T-90A, this one with newly designed track and two optional front ends: a self-entrenching device, or a TBS-86 Tank Dozer blade. The twin electro-optical/IR ‘dazzler’ lights come complete with all electronic bits to make them light up, and a layer of nylon turret (composite armor) ‘skin’ add to an already interesting build.

The T-90 tank is protected by both conventional armor-plating and explosive reactive armor, and fitted with the Shtora-1 defensive-aids suite which includes an infrared jammer, a laser warning system with four laser warning receivers, a grenade discharging system which produces an aerosol screen and a computerized control system. It is also fitted with NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical) protection equipment. Altogether, the T-90 represents state-of-the-art Russian armor, and Meng has produced a masterpiece representing it in scale.

Review Author
Eric Christianson
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$69.99

The Black Label collection from Dragon Models offers an interesting range of novel model kits. Their latest offering, a 1/35th scale Alvis Saladin Mk.II FV601(C), is a 6-wheeled armored car widely used by the British Army from 1958 onwards, as well as by many other militaries. Production ended in 1972, by which time 1,177 examples had been manufactured. The 11.6-ton Saladin featured a turret mounting a 76mm L5A1 gun and a coaxial M1919A4 machine gun, and it was operated by a crew of three. A Rolls-Royce B80 Mk.6A engine powered the vehicle to a top speed of 72km/h. Saladins were widely used in Oman during the Dhofar conflict from 1972-76, in Cyprus during the 1970s, in the defense of Kuwait (1990) and in the Sri Lankan Civil War. The British eventually replaced the Saladin with the Scorpion CVR(T).

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$40.00

The Sd.Kfz 251/17 was one of Germany’s first attempts to provide air cover for their armored columns in the beginning stages of WW2. Unlike so many of their later AA units, this was not as much of an ad-hoc design, being modified specifically for this role with fold-down sides affording suitable footing for both the gun and the gunners. Germany would not provide another specialty design like this until the advent of the Mobelwagen, Wirbelwind and others much later. I’ve always had a soft spot for these machines, so was delighted to get a chance at this lovely kit.

Like the original, Dragon’s model provides parts not only for the AA refit, but also for a command Funkwagen based on the same chassis. As a result, you not only get a lovely 20mm gun on a pedestal, but a host of detailed radio sets which should prove quite useful if you don’t elect to build this version. In addition, of course, you get the usual plethora of spare parts Dragon always provides.

Review Author
Bob LaBouy
Published on
Company
SBS Model
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$34.31

History

This is a review of the SBS T-72 M early turret, for the Tamiya T-72 M1 kit. As such, the model requires the Tamiya kit for almost all parts needed in this build (aside from the basic turret itself).

Kit

This box contains 11 resin cast parts, a sheet of decals, 55 separate photo-etched parts, as well as a printed outline of where all the P-E should go’

Though I have a limited amount of experience with PE and resin, I volunteered to undertake this review because I have acquired a ‘taste’ for the Soviet bloc armor and thought this would help expand my modeling knowledge and enjoyment. On second thought, my ambitions may have exceeded my grasp of the undertaking at hand.

Review Author
Ben Guenther
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$64.00

The Berlin Airlift and the beginning of the “Cold War” placed new emphasis on the US postwar tank program. The result was the emergence of three basic designs; the T41 light tank, the T42 medium tank and the T43 heavy tank With the start of the Korean War in 1950, T43 production was authorized. Continual testing and slight modifications resulted in the T43E1 which in turn became the M103. Many small defects were found but with the existence of a state of war it was felt justified to begin production of 200 heavy tanks. Most of these defects were corrected and the modified vehicles became the M103A1. The US Army placed their tanks in Europe to serve along side the M48s. However, with the rise of anti-tank guided missiles even the thick armor of the M103A1 was becoming obsolete, so in 1963 they withdrew the heavy tank force from Europe and offered these tanks to the Marine Corps.