FirstLook

This has been a long awaited kit. So was the wait worth it?

I say a big "yes".

This kit has been criticised for accuracy issues, but I am not going to go into that. I will simply examine the kit out of the box.

So what do you get in the box? A lot!

There is a total of 848 plastic and etched parts that are highly detailed. Also in the box are a set of very detailed instructions - 28 pages - and a nice glossy color profile chart, plus a set of decals.

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I am really impressed with the level of detail in this kit, with a complete engine, transmission and a full drive line and chassis, followed by the separate tracks that are similar in colour and appearance to Modelkasten.

The body work is also very nice with the rear stowage compartments giving you the choice of open or closed to permit the modeller to add lots of clutter if desired.

There is also the option of installing the canvas cover, but in my opinion it seems a little stiff looking. I like the well used look of the seat cushions.

Two decent sized photo-etched frets are included. These provide useful small detail in scale thickness, plus tread plate and supports.

Clear parts are provided for the windscreen, headlight lenses and other lights. These are thin and free from distortion.

The tyres are supplied in flexible vinyl. Although this material may not be to everyone's taste, they are very well detailed, especially the tread pattern, and there are no seam lines to clean up.

Markings are supplied for four vehicles - two Wehrmacht and two Luftwaffe - on the decal sheet. The decals are very thin and printed in perfect register.

Instrument dials and placards are also supplied on the decal sheet.

A lot of thought and planning has clearly gone into this kit, and it has paid off with a very nice looking model indeed.

I would not recommend this to the novice builder as it may be a little more than you can chew, but for those with experience, I highly recommend Trumpeter's 1/35 scale Sd. Kfz. 7 half track.

Thanks to J.B. Wholesalers for the review sample.