s.W.S. Cargo Halftrack with 3.7cm Flak43 Revell 1:35 Built & Painted Model Kit

This is the SWS Halftrack, a nice rather unusual model, I managed to get just for 3 € in a lot (it has to be the cheapest 1:35 kit I've ever bought). Wheels turn, cannon moves up and down. The only snag is that there is no crew included, so had to make a conversion for a man seating at the cannon. Scenario kindly comes offered by the local park  .

RPM CZOLG DOWODZENIA PZInz. 126 Modyfikadja 1940 Polish Command Tank Vickers light tank modification 1940 ref. 35019

Here it is my second 1/35 review, this time an obscure Polish  tank. A nice  and affordable kit, or a pointless Polish rarity? Find out!

BOX ART >> Interesting, in action and giving a nice sensation. It maybe looks a bit different from the real thing (or maybe the model is what  isn't right, I don't know as I havent been able to see a real pic of this vehicle).

THE KIT - 7.7 >>

The kit is well done, without flash, and with good amount of detail.

The problem comes with the assembly. It seems that after doing the zillionesime version of a Vickers/Tankietka and all the endless combinations, they end up confusing themselves, and in consequence, you are given many pieces that you are not told where to glue, and no, they are not from another version, as you could think. 

So you will have to follow the artwork, my model or any other model you can find on the net rather than the instructions, as finding a wartime pic of this exact version can prove impossible. You could really forget the instructions and just follow the artbox, as they normally just add confusion.

Some of the small details are a bit too thick, and expert modellers would probably substitute them by plasticard or photoetched pieces.

The tracks are of very good quality, of a very elastic rubber, that it seems you could fit a motor and make them run, as all the wheels can be made to turn. (if you try it, be sure to make a video and show it to us!).

EXTRAS - 0.0 >>

In the world of 1/35, extras are usually rare, and many times sold  separately, such as boxes, petrol cans, tank crews, etc. But at least one driver would have been nice to get. As always with RPM, nothing besides the strict model (and maybe missing some small detail). 

POSSIBILITIES - 5.5 >>

Green as the box, or camouflaged as my model, that is probably it , as there were few examples of this type. What you could do is modify it into another of the countless sub-versions and modifications of Vickers, although you would only use the body, and RPM and Mirage hobbies have nearly exhausted all versions, but I bet there are some still to make, like the Finnish modifications, and ammunition carrier versions.

PRICE/VALUE RATIO - 6.8 eBay 8.7 Retail>>

Not too easy to find. At first when they appeared in model shops they were quite expensive, now many rest waiting a buyer at very reasonable prices. I got mine for just 8,99 €, which for a 1/35 tank as big as this is pennies, and I think that in most model shops it isn't more expensive than 12 € or so. By eBay you will have to be alert to find it, but for example, at the time of this review one is selling for 15 GBP shipped.

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HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE - 2.0 >>

50 Vickers 6-ton tanks were bought by Poland, only 38 were used operationally, of which 22 were modified into single-turreted versions, from which I assume they were this version. In any case, this version didn't affect the course of the war, nor was it a great technical improvement, nor hardly appears  in any history book, so it is just a way of having a Polish Vickers looking "stronger" than the two-turret version, or if you are a mad collector of Polish vehicles, to have all sub-versions

In my case, I just found it cheap and it looked good. If I had seen the two-turreted version, all the same I would have bought this one as it looks more conventional and powerful. I did doubt a little bit, as the box is not specially big, and I couldn't believe it was a full 1/35 tank for that price.

OVERALL - 7.5 >> 

A correct kit, if you find it at the price I  found it, is really 10. If you have to invest something like 20 €-25 €, you will probably be disappointed. It's not gigantic, but something similar to a Panzer II. 

IMAGES OF FINISHED JOBS
 "Your work could be shown here too! I would be very glad to include your finished model kit, and be able to show many different examples!"

Model kit made by myself.

AUTOBLINDA AB41 1/72 ITALERI Model Kit Armoured Car Panzerspähwagen AB41 201(i) nº7051

Welcome to my first review of 1/72 vehicle, the Autoblinda AB41 of Italeri.

Let´s go on with the subject then;

BOX ART >> A nice realistic illustration, which correctly depicts the vehicle. It could be more sensational, but it's ok. The rear of the box is very useful, as it gives three camouflage schemes, something that is very appreciated and will save long hours in search of something more exciting than the typical camo.

THE KIT - 9.5 >>

There is not much to say, it is just and plainly exact and perfect. Everything fits, there is no problems, no errors. This has a great merit, as it is a vehicle with many angles, there are many possibilities of some plate that doesn't fit, but no, everything has been well done and you will not need putty to fill cracks nor anything like it.

The final sensation is of museum-like perfection. The only small thing you could complain about is that maybe the cannon is too fine, but you could also say that other companies make  the cannons too big for 1/72.

EXTRAS - 2.0 >>

You don't get many really, just four cans of petrol. No man, no little diorama, no boxes, nothing. It would have been nice to have included the driver in the illustration, but well, nothing can be perfect.

POSSIBILITIES - 7.0 >>

You have a couple of nice possibilities for this kit besides the most typical ones, not many but interesting all the same. The first is camouflaging it for the Germans (as they named it, Spahpanzerwagen 501), and there is more than one camo. The other option is to make some other italian camo with green like the one showed below.

PRICE/VALUE RATIO - 7.5 >>

It can be found for a moderate 10 GBP on eBay. I was lucky to find it on retail for 7-8 €. 

HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE - 7.0 >>

"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"

Only 550 were made, but all saw active combat, and it was the most common armed car in the Italian army, so it has quite good historical importance. The germans made a further 120 as Panzerspahwagen AB41, which shows that it was a useful vehicle. Probably the most important armed car that wasn't made yet in 1/72.

WARGAMING - 8.0 >>

It is approved with the "Alzo Zero" label as suitable for wargaming, as lately with all Italeri kits. It is quite easy to build the model .Maybe the wargamer will not glue some of the more fine details to handle it more easily, and it will have a lot more detail than a die-cast or other ready made models. 

OVERALL - 9.0 >> 

Knowing it's importance, a such good quality kit for a reasonable price like it has, you just have to buy it. It is also very needed for wargaming, to represent the Italian armed cars. Italeri has done honour to their homeland and has given a very much needed representation of many Italian vehicles, which to this date had only existed in 1/35.

IMAGES OF FINISHED JOBS

Model kit made by myself.