Hasegawa Cruiser Tank Crusader Mk III 1:72 Revell Review Model Kit

This friday we will speak of a classic kit, the Cruiser Tank from Hasegawa;

Boxes; The first release box have all the flair of the 70s, the second one is just dull (I never liked the grey on Hasegawa's kits, maybe due to seeing them so many times). The artwork has more realistic colours in the second one, but in overall is not very exciting. The Revell box is typical Revell box, realistic and nice, more proper with desert colours, but it has been done like if it was a modern tank, and the driver looks like a Iraqi tank crew!

THE KIT - 9.0

One of the smoothest, easiest and nicest models to build I have had the honour of building (and that's quite a feat considering I've built around 200 model kits!). Everything fits perfectly, and if you are in a modelling spree, you could finish it in 2-3 hours! a perfect tank for a novice, and all the same with good accuracy. 

The only dark points you see after carefully comparing with the real thing, is that the turret is slightly squashed, and it lacks some angle on the roof of it. The real turret would be much higher. The front lights are big and they don't look like the real ones, so if you are one of those accuracy maniacs you will have a nice extra work replacing them. But knowing this was released in the 70s, you could say it's one of the best models of that decade!

Instructions are very clear, tracks are fantastic, soft and easy to assemble and adapt to the wheels (how nice it would be that all tanks had the same quality of tracks!) and decals are ok, but you will have to use some decal micro film or varnish or they will be flying off in a couple of months.

As always with hasegawa you get a nice little pilot, although he is in a very weird pose.

PRICE-VALUE RATIO - 8.5

Released since the 1970s, and if you ask me, at least in constant production from the mid 90s to the mid 2000s. This kit should be dead easy to find (although now you don't see much AFVs Hasegawa kits on shop, maybe Revell has bought all moulds, I don't know). But all the same Revell kits are easy to find, and quite cheap. And looking for it on eBay and finding it for less than 8 pounds can be easy, so a very good value here.


 Overall;

This is a important tank, besides having a interesting design (I had to check twice when I was kid to make sure it was a WW2 kit!), much different to the conventional tanks of WW2, it is a easy kit to do, cheap and easy to find, so stop reading and go and buy it! very appropiate for wargaming too. 

If you have enjoyed this review and want to say thanks, the best way is to click in one of the advertisings in the blog. Every little help will be appreciated. 
This is the Crusader I built, some 15 years ago so not much in way of weathering and similar, age provides that :);

Here you can get inspiration on other builds, gathered from the net;

Thanks for reading, and see you in the next battle!

Pegasus PANZER E25 e-25 Prototype Jagdpanzer Review 7602

Welcome to another review, today we will be reviewing the Panzer E-25, a fast-assembly model kit.

BOX ART >> Pegasus doesn't bother with artworks, in exchange they show you the real model built to a good standard in a wargame scenery.The good thing is that you see what you are getting, and yes, in this case two models.

THE KIT - 8.5 >>

To be a fast-assembly kit, it is fantastically done. It was the second kit of these kind I bought, and I was surprised by the detail. The first thing I thought was "why all manufacturers couldn't do tracks like these, all in a part!" as they are really very well done. Okay, you lose a bit of depth, but it is really impressive the moulding quality.

The only "but" is that some of the equipment moulded at the side of the tank looks a bit flat, and would have really been better that it was made without them, and left to the expert modeller if to add them from another kit or not. All the same they can be easily cut off.

Everything fits very well, and really, you don't need glue, except maybe for the telescope.

EXTRAS - 4.0 >>

Just a extra canopy, you can choose between turret with machine gun and some weird telescope.

POSSIBILITIES - ? >>

A bit hard to say, as we are speaking of a prototype that only 5 were built, and it is supposed they didn't fight.

So you could say the possibilites are just limited by your imagination, or simply very limited; just a non-painted half built. Or you could argue that amid the chaos of the end of the war some of the prototypes were finished and used in a sort of operational training.

PRICE/VALUE RATIO - 8.0 >>

 They roughly cost 10-14 $ shipped, judging by Amazon, eBay and other model kit websites. This is quite a good price for two well detailed models. If you find it in a retail shop for 10 € in Europe, it will be a very god bargain. I bought for this price and I was very happy with the purchase.

HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE - 0.0 >>

"The historical importance score is determined by how many were built, and how much operational service they had, and how much influence they had on the conflicts they were involved in"

Besides wasting a bit of Germany's metal, time and effort in them without serving any purpose, it was not very influential in history.

We could argue that it inspired the post-war Jagdpanzer;

WARGAMING - 10 >>

Made for wargamers, and it serves perfectly the purpose. Easy building, good detail, two in a box, fair cost, a 10. Always considering you accept in your wargames models that is unlikely they actually fought in WWII.

  OVERALL - 8.0 >> 

I would like to see more kits of this kind, but not just of prototypes, from real tanks that took an active role in the war, probably some forgotten early war tanks, and while still giving two tanks per box, if different models (or turret variations) it would be perfect. 

These tanks are recommended both for beginners and expert collectors. For novices because it is cheap and of easy assembly, and for expert collectors because it is one of those models you buy once you think you have everything that had tracks and was in WW2.

Veredict; 

                

                             BUILT EXAMPLES

Kits made by myself.

THANKS FOR READING!

Italeri AUTOCANNONE 3 RO with 90/53 AA Gun Lancia 3Ro + Italian Artillery Crew 1:72 Alzo Zero Wargames Approved nº7508 Italian Army truck with cannonAq

Today we make a very complete review, one that is a model kit and at the same time a set of soldiers, the Italeri Autocannone 3 RO.

 A quite impressive and big box, with the yellow round so you know it's not the typical Italeri kit. The artwork itself is a bit dull, and it almost shows the troops more than the vehicle itself. But the subject is too interesting to get distracted by the box.

THE KIT -7.5 >>

Being a fast assembly kit the score is a 7.5. I quite like fast assembly kits, as normally I don't see the reason to make a cab into 23 pieces when you can do it in one or two. Modellers that want further detail can add them buying a special resin set or improving with photoetched and plasticard. 

One of the curiosities of this set is that inside the box there are two sorts of plastic; hard plastic for the truck and semi-soft for the crew and the barrel of the cannon (presumably to avoid breakage). 

The kit itself is basic and of easy assembly, nearly not requiring any glue, but still with good detail. You really get a better result than with some old model kits still reissued today. 

One of the bad points is the lights, which should be round and are blended with mudfaces, and don't even detail with them, which sticks out quite a lot because the other things, even if made in few pieces, still have very nice detail.

The other issue is the dimensions. It is made to fit nicely with the figures, but these are a very large Italeri type.

The resulting kit is very sturdy and ideal for wargaming. With some improvements and dedication, can also become a first class model too.

I would have liked, however, to be able to fold up the feet, to make the vehicle into a moving position. But I understand that would have required many extra pieces, so it will be left to the expert modeller with lots of free time, to cut, sand and create.

EXTRAS - 8.5 >>

8 crew is a good extra really. Maybe some ammunition boxes or something like that would be welcome, but it is something you will have to provide looking in your box of spares.

Now we'll speak about the crew;

Sculpting - 8.0;

Nicely done, with a lot of detail and absolutely no flash. The projectiles are blended with the bodies, but it's not too important. 

These figures will not look too good along other 1/72 figures, like Caesar, and not very well either with Italeri's reissues of Esci sets.

Historical accuracy- 10.0;

Completely perfect, everything is right.

Funness - 5.0;

The other thing is the funness. These are absolutely official, completely and perfectly geared up as soldiers. I think it would have been nice to see some loaders bare chested, men without helmet , more casually dressed, or with the tropical one that was commonly used, like in here;

But I suppose it's not too important as Italeri does another artillery set where the crew are all wearing  these helmets, the Italeri 149/40 artillery.

POSSIBILITIES - 4.0 >>

Green or sandy, that's the question here. This vehicle was used until the 1970s, but it wouldn't have changed nearly anything.

So the possibilities here are doing a tanker version, 

PRICE/VALUE RATIO - 4.0 (eBay) 7.0 (Retail) >>

It is surprising that some Italeri models are nearly just not to be found on eBay. I found only one example, which at 12,00 € + 9 € shipping is very expensive in my opinion. In  I bought it retail  for 12 €, which is fair, considering is a big and bulky model of a lesser known vehicle with 8 crew. 

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HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE - 3.5 >>

"The historical importance score is determined by how many were built, and how much operational service they had, and how much influence they had on the conflicts they were involved in"

Just 150 were built, so it is not a Sherman in production terms. But nevertheless all of them did fight and were in the end destroyed, and there are plenty of wartime photographs. As with a lot of Italian vehicles, they were produced in small quantities but saw a lot of operational use. 

You can find out more here; http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/90/53_su_Lancia_3Ro

WARGAMING - 10.0 >>

This is one of the few model kits made especially for wargaming, as stated in the box. Easy assembly, good results, sturdy build. A 10.

OVERALL - 8.8 >> 

Italeri has made a great choice giving us a model never made before which still had it's share of operational importance, and is nice and powerfully looking such as this one. Thanks to Italeri we can at last represent the Italian Army decently, which without Italeri would be completely impossible, besides buying overpriced resin kits. 

In one phrase; At last a new and interesting vehicle for this period.

IMAGES OF FINISHED JOBS  (click on the pics to see them bigger)

Model kit made by myself.

Thanks to José Manuel Chasco, I can show you another great way of building this model (pics taken from this review; http://www.1-72depot.com/miniatures/1-72/scale-models/italeri-172-7508-autocannone-3-ro/);

Italeri/Esci M6 ANTI TANK GUN MOTOR CARRIAGE 37 MM Model Kit Scale Vehicle Dodge Portee

Today we'll review the M6 Anti Tank Vehicle by Italeri, originally released by Esci.

The original kit by Esci was made back in 1976; we'll comment one by one to avoid confusion with so many boxes;

#1; the original. Nice and correct, but a bit plain and dull.

#2; Ahh, much better with background and fire effect. It is the same illustration, but with slightly different  tones and with a background that is much better.

#3; Here Humbrol uses the mould, and sells something other than paints! Here the model is built to regular standard, in a weird background. Not very good. Although you see what you are getting,  it is always more poetic and compelling to buy the 2nd one.

#4 We arrive to the Esci design of the late 80s, the one that plagued the model shops for years. Really, I still prefer box #2.

 #5 And for once, the new thing is the best, in my opinion. Not only is it dynamic,it is very realistic,and it gives a sensation of intense combat. This was the one I bought. If I had seen the Humbrol box maybe I wouldn't have bought it. 

THE KIT - 6.0 >>

There are some problems with the kit. One of those that Esci made sometimes, which made you break your head trying to figure out what was going on. In this case, the suspension is way too high (well, it could always have been adjusted by the crew, but normally it wasn't like that). If you compare the pics of the model, with the ones on the back of the box, you'll see that the wheels behind the cannon are nearly touching the chassis, and in the model there is a big gap. It can be solved, but if you want a fast and easy, and good looking  build , you won't get it.

See here a excellent review on how to solve the suspension problem;

http://www.onthewaymodels.com/reviews/ESCI/AlMagnus_Esci_M6_8040.htm

The detail is good, a bit blunt here and there (it is quite an old kit) and the figures could be a bit better (they are really too fat and nearly all  including the driver have difficulties entering inside). 

Also the proportions don't seem right. They seem a bit too stubby to me. There is clearly more than one inaccuracy here.

EXTRAS - 7.5 >>

Three drivers are quite good, Esci knew how things had to be done!

POSSIBILITIES - 2.0 >>

What you see on the back of the box is what there is. Boring green or sandy lines over green. Maybe there was a sandy one, but I haven't been able to find it. 

You could also make the version in which they took out the gun, as many were reconverted to transport (the 37mm gun was not powerful enough to fight in the later stages of the war), but I don't see it as very exciting.

PRICE/VALUE RATIO - 3.5 (eBay) 6.5 (Retail) >>

To my astonishment, it is very hard to find on eBay, some people asking 17 $ for it! for a model with flaws from 1976! and only in USA, if you live in Europe I don't know.

I bought mine at retail shop for roughly 8 €. Italeri has good distribution everywhere, so in theory you could be able to find it easily in a retail store.

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HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE - 5.5 >>

"The historical importance score is determined by how many were built, and how much operational service they had, and how much influence they had on the conflicts they were involved in"

5,380 were built, a number that would deserve a 10 of historical importance practically, but they saw very limited operational use. The low caliber (37 mm) and low protection made it not very suitable.

You can find out more here; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M6_Gun_Motor_Carriage

WARGAMING - 6.0 >>

It is approved with the "Alzo Zero" label as suitable for wargaming, but this only means that Italeri has decided to reissue it, as no modification has been made to the original model. Tricky suspension, too many details, the cannon does not have good rotating movement, the only good thing is that you are given men (you will have to cut the driver's feet if you want to fit him in).

OVERALL - 6.5 >> 

A nice way of having a Dodge truck making it more exciting than the regular version, but the kit is quite disappointing, it just doesn't feel right. If you are a expert modeller it will take you some modifying, but can look nice, and if you are a wargamer it will take some of your best skills to have a decent outcome. 

In one phrase; Get it cheap, or don't bother.

IMAGES OF FINISHED JOBS  (click on the pics to see them bigger)

Model kit made by myself.

Thanks to José Manuel Chasco, I can show you another great way of building this model (pics taken from this review; http://www.1-72depot.com/miniatures/1-72/scale-models/italeri-172-7025-m6-anti-tank-vehicle/);

Thanks to Al Magnus, that has built a excellent representation of a 1944 Guadalcanal M6. (see his site here; http://www.onthewaymodels.com/reviews/ESCI/AlMagnus_Esci_M6_8040.htm)

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