_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
|
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...) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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...) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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...) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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...) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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 (??????????) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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...) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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....) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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...) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________ |
|