Category: In Box Reviews

Categories
1:48 Aircraft In Box Reviews

Tamiya F-35C Lightning II In Box Review

I knew when going into this review that Tamiya’s F-35C was going to be a serious challenger for the best kit I’ve ever reviewed. Both the A and B variants have recived critical acclaim since their releases in 2022 and 2023 respectively. Back in 2020 I rated Meng’s Jumbo Sherman a 92/100, will Tamiya’s latest lighting take that crown?

Kit Features 17/20

Tamiya’s F-35 offers some really nice features, some of which are unique to the subject matter here, a stealth aircraft. Modellers are offered a wide range of options to choose from in depicting thier own F-35. The canopy, wingtips, ladder, weapon bays, gun pod, arrestor hook, and fuel probe are all optional accessories to the modeller. I was also surprised to see RCS enhancers included in the kit, these are little nodules added to the exterior of the F-35 to increase its radar cross section to civilian radars. These are examples of small additions that really show how much effort went into designing this kit. The kit includes a nicely molded pilot figure along with helmet specific decals. Also included is a healthy amount of ordinance so that the model can be built in “beast mode”. Other manufacturers might skimp on the included weapons (considering that this IS a stealth aircraft) but Tamiya is not guilty of this here. The kit features various paper masks for the canopy and other parts, although you will have to cut them out yourself. Masks for the RAM panels are not included however and decals are provided instead. For modellers wanting to paint their own RAM panels the lack of masks will be felt as it’ll take some time to mask off the fine details.

Quality of Molding: 50/50

I’m hesitant to give any category a perfect score on any kit, but considering that this kit (and the rest of Tamiya’s F-35 lineup) features arguably the most impressively molded part in all of modelling there’s just no way I can justify anything less than a perfect score here. I’m of course referring to the weapons bay.

The quality of the modelling isn’t just limited to this area however as each and every part is intricatley detailed from the cockpit to the RAM panels. The detail is just so fine and impressive, it’ll be a real joy to see these parts painted up.

Instructions: 19/20

These are the most substantial instructions I have ever seen from a Tamiya kit and at first glance they guide the modeller through the build effortlessly. Make no mistake, This is a complex kit and not one I’d recommend for beginners. With the amount of options that the builder has in completing this kit, it’s not a surprise that they are filled with “Do this if A, Skip B, See steps 35-45, attach parts in numbered order.” That said, these are as clear as clear can be for indicating the significance of your choices in the build. The colour profiles included are hugely impressive and nothing like I’ve ever seen in this hobby. Included is a massive 1/48 sized poster detailing the “A” markings with full colour sheets for the rest of the 5 markings. In all the kits I’ve built I’ve never seen such impressive colour profiles included in a kit, they stand in as some serious wall art!

Miscellaneous: 9/10

A whopping 6 marking options are included in the kit, 2 Marine and 6 Navy jets. The F-35 is a pretty boring aircraft when it comes to markings so Tamiya has done their best here, you get some colour in one option but the rest are fairly similar, not that this was unexpected. The decal quality is excellent as well with very clear printing. The decal thickness may be another issue however.

Total: 95/100

Tamiya’s F-35C is undoubtedly at the apex of the hobby right now, and for good reason. It’s by no means something I’d recommend to a beginner, as there is a number of small parts and keeping focused on a specific aircraft and loadout might be a tall order for somebody new to the hobby. In all other areas however this kit excels.

Categories
1:35 Armor In Box Reviews

T-Rex Studio Tiger I Feifel filters (Type B) In Box Review

As part of my upcoming Tiger I build (more info soon) I picked up one of T-rex studio’s latest releases, 3d printed Feifel filters. Although often associated with the Africa Korps’ Tigers, early variants did occasionally have the later variant fitted on before being phased out in mid and late variants. Seeing as I’ll be building a Kursk Tiger, I picked up a set to try out on the build.

I’ve been a massive fan of T-Rex Studios for a while now and find that their products are very well detailed and can add a lot to the model, their tracks in particular are excellent in my experience. This is the first aftermarket accessory I will have reviewed and won’t be tallying up scores as seen in my other kit reviews as there’s too much variability between different aftermarket products for a score to be relevant.

Inside the box you don’t get a whole lot, just two large pieces inside of a plastic bag. There are no instructions or any other documentation of any kind, not that you’d need it as assembly should be minimal. To their credit, T-Rex does have detailed photographs on their website detailing how the final assembly should look attached to the model.

Detail is excellent and there are no layer lines visible to the naked eye (sometimes common on 3d printed parts). Only upon taking high resolution images and zooming in do layer lines become apparent however they are not visible to the naked eye. It is apparent that these parts were printed with a very high resolution 3d printer.

Overall I’m very happy with the quality of these prints, I’ve always had good experiences with T-Rex products and I’ll continue to consider them for my builds.

Thanks for looking!

Categories
1:35 Armor In Box Reviews

Tamiya Somua S35 In Box Review

Box art of Tamiya's Somua S35
Box art of Tamiya’s Somua S35

Out of all the French-designed tanks of WW2, the Somua S35 is undoubtedly my favourite. I’ve been meaning to build Tamiya 2015 release of the S35 for quite a while now and my recent trip to Japan was the perfect incentive to pick one up at the Tamiya Plamodel store.

Kit Features: 12/20

Tamiya kits are rarely stocked to the brim with nice features but this kit is better than most. Included is one figure and most surprisingly, snap together tracks. Also included is a nice chain, something I’ve never seen before in a Tamiya kit. It’s only a modest amount of features included but to be fair, this is a modest kit. Tamiya is doing more than they need to here for sure, they could have just included standard rubber tracks or molded the larger sections together on other releases. It’s a nice touch having snap together tracks included out of the box. I also like that a figure was included as well. There isn’t a ton of selection of French armour figures so the figure is definitely appreciated.

Quality of Molding: 42/50

Any new-tool release by Tamiya in the last 15 years has fantastic molding and the Somua is no exception. The cast texture on the turret and hull is perfectly replicated and I’m not really sure if I’ll be making my own or not, the out of box texture is that good. Molding details are sharp and crisp and will look excellent under paint. of particular note is the rear engine deck where small amounts of cast texture make way for the exhaust vents, It’s impressive that the armor texture is still visible in such small areas. Also included is a tarp made up out of three pieces which are excellently molded and indicative of the kinds of results modern injection molding can achieve. Overall there is no readily apparent drawbacks to the molding, the only that I could see was that some of the belts and buckles are molded onto parts and the detail could just be described as “average”.

Instructions: 15/20

Typically Tamiya’s instructions are slightly better above average but fairly basic. While Tamiya does include an instruction manual that fits this description, also included is a fairly extensive full colour pamphlet that goes into detail on the history of the Somua S35. I also really like that each marking option gets colour profiles. It’s far more often for only a single option (usually the box art) to get colour profiles with Tamiya releases and I like that they did all three. Only thing missing in my option is the backgrounds of the various marking options. Tamiya only tells you what unit each vehicle was a part of and nothing else, no year or location of any kind is provided.

Miscellaneous: 6/10

Included with the kit are three options for markings and seeing as the Somua was a fairly colourful tank I like that they included these three. I do feel however that there was an even wider range of schemes the Somua appeared in and a fourth even more pronounced scheme would not have been out of the question. That said, the marking options are still good and have given more than the bare necessities to the modeller

Total: 75/100

Recent releases from Tamiya (within the last 10 years) have been reliably solid kits and this Somua is no exception. Some nice ammenities in the form of snap together tracks and a figure only help to further increase its score which is largely held up by the immaculate surface detail. Also worth considering that Tamiya is really the only game in town all things considered when looking at the S35.

Categories
1:35 Armor In Box Reviews

AFV Club In Box Review Sd.Kfz.251/22 Ausf. D “Pakwagen” In Box Review

Out of all the random vehicles I’ve been meaning to build, a Sd.Kfz.251/22 or “Pakwagen” has been randomly near the top of my list for a while now. I’m not really sure why, it looks well proportioned I guess and was one of the more useful late war vehicles the Germans came up with. This is the first AFV Club kit I’ve picked up and got it for $70 CAD. Let’s see how it shapes up!

Kit Features: 18/20

AFV Club kits have a reputation for being detailed and this one includes a lot for the builder. Included is a small fret of photo-etch, a brass gun shield and a metal barrel as well. Also included is a generous amount of small arms (4x Kar98K, MG34, MG42 and a MP40) along with personal equipment that would have been owned by the vehicle’s crew. Rubber tracks are included but I will say that these tracks are the best rubber tracks I’ve seen and very well detailed. I also like that it includes the vehicle tools molded *without* clamps, a very welcome addition. Only points missed out on is the absence of any kind of figures but otherwise This kit is off to a good start.

Quality of Molding: 41/50

As expected, AFV Club’s Pakwagen has a high quality of molding with one exception. In looking over the spues the detail is quite high, with the stand outs being the driver’s seat and crew bench (molded with leather texture), the crew weapons, the gun cradle with all the rivet details and the exterior locker details. While these areas are the standouts the entire kit really is very well detailed and very intricate that an intermediate to experienced builder will be able to flesh out. The only exception to this is the welding detail. The stock welds look extremely faint in some areas and will need to be re-done, no question. All in all however I’d say that I’m not disappointed by the detail present in this kit and considering the comparatively low price of the kit compared to some 2024 releases the welds are not the worst thing in the world and I’d still say the Pakwagen has high detail.

Instructions: 8/20

The instructions definitely are where AFV Club opted to save some money in the fact that they really are nothing special. A short blurb on the front about the history of the vehicle and standard line drawings, nothing special. No colour at all and the profiles included really are nothing special, In fact I’d say the profiles exemplify the “cheapness” of the instructions, no colour callouts (on the profile page) and tiny profiles. Spelling mistakes are also present.

Miscellaneous: 5/10

Included are decals for one vehicle based out of the “western front” which let’s be honest is a huge cop out. The singular saving grace for the markings is that they include division markings and stencils, along with license plate information. I like it when kits include these types of markings because often times vehicles have a lot more organizational markings than just some numbers and a cross/star and adds to the realism of the final subject. In one of my early drafts of this review I initially failed AFV Club’s Pakwagen but thinking about it more now, the inclusion of the division stencils is just enough to warrant a 5/10 score. The quality of the tracks also helped increase this score as they are excellent.

Total: 72/100

AFV Club is shamless for some of the corners it cut while putting together this kit but on some level it’s understandable? I have no doubt this kit will end up looking great, the detail is there and a experienced builder will take advantage of it. Experienced builders put research into the vehicles they build and because of this AFV Club was clearly ok with not putting as much information behind the markings they chose for this subject. This is in stark contrast with a manufacturer such as Eduard that will not only provide a highly detailed kit but also information about the person who operated the real life vehicle. Add on the fact that this wasn’t a $90 monster and some of the errors are forgivable.

Categories
1:35 Armor In Box Reviews

Tamiya M1A2 Abrams “Operation Iraqi Freedom” In Box Review

I received this kit as a gift this holiday season and as I’ve been meaning to build a Abrams for a while now, a perfect one at that! Tamiya’s M1A2 retails between $50-$60 CAD, and is definitely a bit cheaper than some of the other Abrams on the market (Meng, RFM) In this review I’ll try to find out how Tamiya’s Abrams fits into the 1/35 lineup.

Kit Features: 13/20

When I saw that Tamiya M1A2 was released back in 2003, I have to admit I wasn’t expecting a whole lot. In terms of the features included however, I was pleasantly surprised. For a kit that is now over 20 years old, it is well furnished even by the standards of today. One notable omission is the absence of photo-etched parts but considering the kit’s history and Tamiya’s tendency to not include a lot of photo-etch, this is hardly a major omission. The kit also includes a plethora of stowage options, figures and one very good boy, something that isn’t really seen even in modern armor releases. I also like the wide variety of possible vehicle variants the kit offers. The differences between a U.S Army, Marines, and NATO vehicle are all slight but are still represented and extra parts are included to build those specific variants. The Abrams does well in this category because it includes those extra options that Tamiya didn’t have to include. I initially scored the kit features higher, around 15/16 but upon reflection a score closer to the average is warranted. The features of this kit are good and better than expected but not class beating.

Quality of Molding: 37/50

As with the included features, this kit’s molding detail was a surprise. The weld details are of particular note and very finely molded. Again, despite this being an older kit I really don’t feel like I’ll need to go over these with custom welds. In fact I think that this is an advantage this kit has, it’s straightforward and simple to build with detail where it’s needed. This is in contrast to a more modern Abrams kit that, while it may have more detail, will take twice as long to build. The Tamiya Abrams perfectly balances detail and part count as a “baseline” armor model. The grill detail on the engine deck also looks good and with a wash will look fantastic. Also of note are the M2 machine guns that are included (of which there are several) which are superbly detailed for injection molded parts. Overall it is very hard to find flaws in the molding of this kit. One potential issue is that while there is an abundance of weld details, I am not sure if the detail will be deep enough to hold a wash.

Instructions: 12/20

Tamiya’s instructions are as usual perfectly workable. They are deceptively long as on pages 8 and 9 the builder is only meant to follow one of the steps illustrated corresponding to the specific variant they have chosen to build. I actually quite like how much real estate Tamiya gave to the variant specific instructions as typically instructions give little more than “use this part G56 instead of G23 for option B” Tamiya aides the modeller by including full line drawings for each variant. No full colour profiles are included.

Miscellaneous: 8/10

Tamiya included a whopping 5 different markings for this vehicle and went further than just Iraqi Freedom vehicles by also including a KFOR vehicle based in Kosovo. Tamiya kits sometime have a problem where they offer 2-3 different marking options but in reality there’s only one option (see my G-6 review for an example of this). I wouldn’t say there are a lot of options provided but when it comes to the Abrams (I hope you like desert tan or woodland) Tamiya has covered the bases and then some with the Kosovo addition. I’m quite looking forward to building up a dusty woodland schemed Abrams.

Total: 70/100

If there was a kit that could be described as a “Value Stock” I’d be comfortable saying Tamiya’s M1A2 is it. There is not a whole lot to *not* like about this kit. It’s priced pretty reasonably $50-$60 CAD from what I’ve seen and offers a good amount of detail and options for a new to intermediate builder. If you’re looking for a challenge then the Meng or RFM options are well suited to those types of builders. I’d argue that Tamiya’s Abrams is even better positioned on the market, capturing both beginners and a portion of the intermediate skill level builders as well as people who want a build a Abrams, but not spend more than two months with it on the bench.