Tamiya has released a brand new model (new tool) of the Dingo Mk.II, which is a great addition to their growing line of 48th scale military miniatures.

Upon opening of the box you find two sprues for the British Armored Vehicle. Tires are molded in plastic (no rubber, which is good), but they are molded together with the wheel hubs. It would have been nice to have them molded independently to make painting easier. The model has a simple interior and two figures.

You can build the model with the top either open or closed. There is no engine provided, however the engine compartment is provided, so I would imagine some aftermarket company will come to the rescue.

While the interior is simple, I would say it is adequate for the scale and once you have the figures inside is likely to be just fine. There are a handful of ejector pin marks in the interior, but I doubt those will be visible, even if the top were to be left open.

I have done a very intensive build earlier this year so I wanted something quick, easy, simple and fun. This model has all the above attributes. To make the assembly even simpler, I chose to have the top closed, so there was no need to paint/assemble the interior, nor the figures.

The fit of this model is just perfect. I had the full model assembled and ready for paint in less than 2-hrs. Painting was very simple too, with some black “Mickey Mouse” ears and the rest of the build in dark green. Decals were applied over a gloss coat and did not need any setting solution.

I’ve did some simple weathering by applying an acrylic wash. I’m not totally satisfied with the weathering, I think I need to add some dust and grime, but that might done at a later time.

This build was so easy and relaxing that I have no real comments other than the rear view mirror is very fragile and mine got lost to the carpet monster. I sanded flat the mirror support, touched up the paint and it became a “field modification” of a Dingo.

Based on how simple, fun and relaxed this build has been, I would recommend it to modelers of all levels and I would say it is a great model for a beginner, or for a kid that is ready to “upgrade” from the snap-it kits to assemble kits.

I would like to thank Tamiya USA and IPMS/USA for the review sample.