Box and Contents

The kit is packaged in the standard AFV Club accessories box, which has dimensions of 10-1/4” (260mm) x 6-1/2” (165mm) x 1-1/2’ (12mm). The front of the box features a colored image, and on the back, you can find ten real photos showcasing the completed workbench and toolset. Inside the box, you will find four olive drab sprues, a small photoetch fret, one poster, and media placards, and one four-page instructional manual printed on gloss paper with the last page being the painting guide.

Sprue Breakdown

(I) x 3 sprues from AFV Club kit 35304 1/35th scale M109A3 2.5-Ton 6x6 Shop Van. These three sprues contain the parts for two workbenches, stools, basic machine tools such as drill press, vice, compressor, bench grinder, toolboxes, and hand tools.

(Q ) x1 sprue from AFV Club kit 35113 1/35th scale M113A1 ACAV Vietnam War. This sprue contains 8 weapons.

Photo Etch

The photoetch fret includes both the tool tray and a small assortment of wrenches.

Posters and Media Placards

This compact 3-inch by 4-inch plaque holds newspaper pages, currency images, pin-up posters, and various advertising materials.

The Build

Building the two workbenches and the attached file cabinets in steps 1-3 is a straightforward process without any complications. The components fit together smoothly. In step 4, you will be putting together the bench tools, which include the drill press, bench grinder, toolbox with photoetch, two stools, and a variety of rifles and carbines. The precision in the design of the bench tools and firearms is remarkable given the scale.

Painting

The workbenches were painted with a 2:1 mix of Vallejo Model Air Green 71.094 and white 71.001 to replicate the Duck Egg Green paint color. Toolboxes and ammo boxes were painted with A. Mig Olive Drab Base 926 with the bench top tools and hand tools painted with Vallejo Metal Color Burnt Iron 77.721. Guns were painted with Vallejo Metal Color Burnt Iron 77.721.

The top of the workbenches (wood) was painted with AK779 Wood base then using Vallejo Model Color 70.822 German Camo Black Brown a coat was applied to replicate grain pattern. After this dried, a coat of Tamiya Clear Orange was applied.

To highlight the workbenches and tools, I opted to create a compact diorama that would demonstrate the various applications for which this kit can be utilized. Walls were constructed to use the placards, and the newspapers were strewn about the benches.

Conclusion

The AFV Club kit is an exceptional accessory for a wide range of applications. The molding detail is superb, with no common molding problems, and the fit is outstanding. The only comment I have is that the ammo box seems to be a little over sized for 1/35th scale.

Thanks to IPMS/USA and AFV Club for allowing me to review this kit.