Altaya Collections

"Os Mais Extraordinários Carros de Combate"

"The Most Extraordinary Battle Tanks" Modern (post-WW2) Collection

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2 - M48A3 Patton 2 
Paint Job: USMC 1st Tank Battalion, south of Danang, Vietnam 1968.

Positive Aspects: Well made model; the detail is honest even if a little soft; exactly at 1:72 scale [Hubert Chance scale drawings, in Steel Masters # 35] and as such better than ESCI/Italeri offering.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; some gaps on the model joints.

Rating: 8 in 10 (a really cute little beast)

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6 - M1A1HA Abrams 
Paint Job: USMC 1st Marine Tank Battalion, Baghdad, Iraq 2003.

Positive Aspects: (I should say that modern armour is not my "cup of tea" so very few info on such subjects) Some good detail, and the scale is 1:72.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; some gaps on the model joints; most of the detail is in reality decals.

Rating: 3 in 10 (thanks to Filipe Cunha's judgment)

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8 - Merkava III 
Paint Job: 188th Arm. Brig. "Barak", Negev Desert, August 1990

Positive Aspects: (another modern item, so here my opinion is suspected) Some good detail, and the scale seems to be 1:72.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; some gaps on the model joints; the "Ball & Chain" (to stop those pesky RPG) apparatus is missing; detail too simplistic in some spots.

Rating: 4 in 10 (It's ultra-modern...)

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13 - Leopard 2 A5
Paint Job: Einsatzbataillon I, Mechanisiertes Baterie, Kosovo, March 2000

Positive Aspects: While a modern subject, this one seems to be OK with good detail and correct dimensions; The paint job is little on the light side (if compared with Dragon's version).

Negative Aspects: Metal upper hull; Soft rubber tracks (indeed the same as on the M1 and Merkava); Paint job a little shinny, and not satin or matt.

Rating: 6 in 10 (a nice model if ultra-modern is your business)

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14 - AMX-30B
Paint Job: 501ème RCC, Raimbouillet,France, September 1982

Positive Aspects: Another good looking modern subject (but as always I'm a blockhead on this ultra-modern stuff) with some nice small detail.

Negative Aspects: Metal upper hull; Soft rubber tracks; simplified running wheels; Open Commander glass visors.

Rating: 7 in 10 (another nice ultra-modern AFV)

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17 - M3 Bradley 
Paint Job: 4th Cavalry Regt, 24th Inf. Div. (Mech.), Saudi Arabia, January 1991.

Positive Aspects: None.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; some detail as decal; Dimensions seem to be weird when compared with Dragon and FoV's versions; The 25mm Bushcannon seems to be at least an 50mm.

Rating: 3 in 10 (Stay way from it)

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19 - T-55 A 
Paint Job: Polish Army, Prague, Czechoslovakia, August 1968.

Positive Aspects: While my info on post-WW2 subjects is extremely limited, this one looks good; is at 1:72 or very near [comparing with several 1:76 scale drawings from MAFVA's bulletin Tankette]; The engraved detail is crispy (being the only exception the turret); Good 12,7 mm DShK AA HMG.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; some simplified detail on the turret and rear; Soft vinyl tracks; some models, seems to have the roads wheels badly aligned; some noticeable gaps in the model joints.

Rating: 5 in 10 (a very honest model)

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21 - Challenger I
Paint Job: Mainland Div., United Kingdom, March 1984.

Positive Aspects: It's seems to be at 1:72 scale; some interesting detail.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal, making some of the detail to soft for some opinions; Some details are made of decal; The tracks made of very soft vinyl.

Rating: 5 in 10 (overall a "cute" model but nothing else...)

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22 - T-80 BV 
Paint Job: 4th Guards Arm. Div., Moscow, Soviet Union, October 1990.

Positive Aspects: Another modern AFV, and another difficult subjects for me, but even so, this one seems to be mediocre.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; overall simplified detail, with some of it as decal; Soft vinyl tracks; some noticeable gaps in the model joints.

Rating: 3 in 10 (a mediocre model)

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24 - Leopard 1A2
Paint Job: 3º Battaglione Carri «M.O. Galas», 32º Reggimiento Carri, Turin, May 1979

Positive Aspects: Still another modern subject, which is not my area of interest. Even so it looks rather nice, if a little simplistic, but oddly, the extra detail is well detailed.

Negative Aspects: Vinyl tracks very simplistic (it seems that Altaya used the same set of tracks for all their modern stuff), metal upper hull.

Rating: 4 in 10 (A simplistic model)

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26 - BTR-80 
Paint Job: KFOR, 98th Airlanding Div., Pristina, Kosovo, June 1999

Positive Aspects: IMHO the very first representation of this AFV in 1:72; while modern stuff is not my "cup of tea" it seems a honest representation of it; I don't have any plans of it to compare the scale, so...; The level of detail is acceptable.

Negative Aspects: Metal hull with some noticeable gaps between them; Rubber wheels.

Rating: 6 in 10 (it seems to look like the real one...)

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28 - M60A3 
Paint Job: 5th Infantry Div., Germany, March 1985

Positive Aspects: Well made model; the detail is honest even if a little soft; exactly at 1:72 scale [Hubert Chance scale drawings, in Steel Masters # 44].

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; simplified vinyl tracks.

Rating: 6 in 10 (nice beast)

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29 - Leclerc T5
Paint Job: 501-503éme RCC, France, September 1997

Positive Aspects: While my knowledge of Modern AFV's isn't great, of this I must admit that I know nothing; It looks good even if a little simplistic.

Negative Aspects: Metal upper hull; Soft rubber tracks; overall the model suffers from simplification in detail.

Rating: 4 in 10 (looks nice and that's all...)

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30 - Type 61
Paint Job: 10.Arm.Bat., 8.Div, Kengun, February 1993

Positive Aspects: This AFV is something of a surprise, as Japanese modern tanks aren't common. After all it's looked like a cross-breeding between a M-41 and a M-47.

Negative Aspects: The usual, but in this case some of the detail is indeed decal, spoiling the overall appearance of the model

Rating: 5 in 10 (only because it's an unusual AFV)

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32 - C-1 Ariete
Paint Job: 4th Tank Regt "Bellinzago Novarese", 132nd Arm. Brig "Ariete", Celina May 2002.

Positive Aspects: Now definitively I do not have any info on this AFV, so no opinion.

Negative Aspects: The usual, such as upper hull in metal and soft vinyl tracks; seems to be a little oversimplified in some places.

Rating: 5 in 10 (??????????)

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33 - AAV7A1 
Paint Job: 1st Marine Div., Kuwait, February 1991

Positive Aspects: Well made model; the detail is honest and the paint job look the part; highly compatible with the Dragon's offering, so if this is at 1:72 scale, the same thing applies to this.

Negative Aspects: Really not a lot, upper hull in metal; simplified vinyl tracks, simplified weapons turret.

Rating: 8 in 10 (very good, I really liked it)

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34 - Chieftain Mk. 5
Paint Job: BAOR, Brussels, Belgium, June 1975

Positive Aspects: Another reasonable well made model; the detail is honest; while not having 1:72 scale plans seems to be at the correct scale.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; simplified vinyl tracks; simplified detail.

Rating: 6 in 10 (a nice model)

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36 - T-72M1 
Paint Job: 1st Guards Arm. Div., Soviet Union, January 1981.

Positive Aspects: Another modern AFV, and another difficult subjects for me, but even so, this one has some reasonable detail.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; overall simplified detail; Soft vinyl tracks; some noticeable gaps in the model joints.

Rating: 6 in 10 (a reasonable model)

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37 - Flakpanzer Gepard
Paint Job: Federal Republic of Germany, Leipzig, November 1979.

Positive Aspects: A first one in 1:72 die-cast models; the level of detail, while simplified is good, and more than adequate.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; Vinyl gun barrels, meaning some warping in some models; Soft vinyl tracks; some noticeable gaps in the model joints.

Rating: 7 in 10 (a good model)

 
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38 - M-109A6 Paladin 
Paint Job: 2nd Infantry Division (Mech.), Germany, January 1994

Positive Aspects: Seems to be a relatively well made model; the detail is honest, even if not exquisite; no data on terms of scale accuracy.

Negative Aspects: Over simplified detail, particularly on the road wheels, upper hull in metal (but turret is PVC plastic); simplified vinyl tracks; some detail moulded, like the supporting trails in the back, and gun rest.

Rating: 8 in 10 (a good model, I really liked it)

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43 - Centurion Mk. III
Paint Job: 8th King Royal Hussars, Seoul, Korea, December 1950.

Positive Aspects: I must admit that Centurion is one of the few modern AFV's I like - perhaps it's WW2 ascendancy has some thing to do with it - It's seems to be at 1:72 scale, or very close to it; it depicts the typical character of this "beast".

Negative Aspects: The usual - Upper hull in metal; detail something soft; The tracks made of very soft vinyl.

Rating: 6 in 10 (I like the profile of it...)

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45 - IS-3M 
Paint Job: 21st Egyptian Arm. Div., Egypt, October 1973.

Positive Aspects: I have a soft spot for the IS-3, as that was my very first AFV model I made (back in 1974, a Midori/RiKo model), so... it seems to be at the correct scale, with some reasonable detail, like for example the turret heavy cast appearance..

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; overall simplified detail; Soft vinyl tracks; some noticeable gaps in the model joints; the model sits too low, mostly due to the position of the sprocket wheel; side sand shields too thick and heavy giving a awful look to the model.

Rating: 4 in 10 (not really that great....)

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48 - LAV-25 «Piranha»
Paint Job: US National Guard, New Orleans, USA, September 2005

Positive Aspects: A reasonable well made and detailed model with some honest the detail; no data on terms of scale accuracy, but comparatively with similar models from other sources, seems to be close to 1:72.

Negative Aspects: The road wheels alignment seems to be problematic in some models, Road wheels made of soft vinyl; upper hull in metal (but turret is PVC plastic) some detail moulded, making it a little on the soft...

Rating: 8 in 10 (a good and useful model...)

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49 - T-54 B 
Paint Job: Czechoslovac Army, Vlatava River, Czechoslovakia, April 1978.

Positive Aspects: Very similar to the review posted for the T-55 A, so this one also looks good; is at 1:72; good detail very crispy.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; some simplified detail on the turret and rear; Soft vinyl tracks; some noticeable gaps in the model joints.

Rating: 6 in 10 (a honest model)

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50 - AMX-30B2
Paint Job: Armoured Troops School, Thessalonica, Greece, October 1990

Positive Aspects: Basically this is an upgrade of #14 model, and as such the same comments apply, giving us a model with some nice small detail.

Negative Aspects: The same as on #14; Metal upper hull; Soft rubber tracks; simplified running wheels; Open Commander glass visors.

Rating: 7 in 10 (another nice ultra-modern AFV)

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Last Update: 11/August/2007  

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