Category: In Box Reviews

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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.

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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.

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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.

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1:48 Aircraft In Box Reviews

Tamiya Bf-109 G-6 In Box Review

Kit Features: 15/20

Tamiya’s 2017 G-6 is an excellent baseline as to what we as modellers should be expecting in 2023. Tamiya includes a well-stocked kit that is as equally perfect for a new builder as is for someone experienced in the hobby. The only features missing from this kit would be photo-etched parts or possibly resin inclusions as found in Eduard Profipack releases. What is included is a full DB 605 engine that can be built displayed or not (and crucially changed after completion between the two), a pilot figure, canopy masks and various other variant-specific options for building. In my opinion the inclusion of the masks and engine are significant, masking canopies for me is one of the more tedious parts of the hobby and I welcome the inclusions. Many kit builders will “include” an engine in so far that since the engine will be visible when completed, so something has to be there to take up space. Tamiya’s offering is the real thing. Kit features are rated as a 15/20, Tamiya includes a lot and there really isn’t much missing here.

Quality of Molding: 34/50

Tamiya’s new tool kits really are quite special, and the molding is an example of why. panel lines are very clear and the kit is the definition of “crisp” no flash is present at all. The only points that Tamiya looses out on is the fact that there are some rivet details missing that will need to be added if the modeller desires. As a counterpoint, Eduard is able to include all of the rivet details in their new tool Bf-109’s. Tamiya losses more points due to the fact that ejector pin marks are visible in prominent locations in the cockpit that will need to be filled. None the less, this 109 will build up to an excellent looking model and has a level of detail where I’m looking forward to getting a wash down into the surface details.

Instructions: 14/20

The instructions are perfectly workable and do offer some comforts to the builder. They are unfortunately not in colour and printed on cheaper materials but this downside is mitigated by the fact that the important colour profiles are in full colour and blow up much larger. I do wish that Tamiya included more information about the subject rather than the standard: “9/JG54, February 1945” It feels lacking compared to what Eduard is doing in this space in regards to the historical background of the subject. Despite these shortcomings the Tamiya instructions really are quite clear in what the modeller is required to do in each step with important parts clearly labeled.

Miscellaneous: 6/10

The kit includes 3 options for markings although it could be said that there is really only one option, the standard “grey 109”. I wish Tamiya included at least one other interesting option as G-6 109’s did come in several other schemes. The decals are perfectly printed and very clear, especially with the bright colours, no points lost here. The markings overall are a bit meh, you could say they’ve done a good job with mediocre subjects. As a final point I am docking them a score due to the fact that they use staples to seal the parts bags which can damage sprues unless completely removed, something a new builder might not realize.

Total: 69/100

Tamiya’s G-6 is a great kit, although this score may be deceptivley low the fact is, part of the “Tamiya Tax” is the fact that the modeller pays for the the engineering and fit of a Tamiya kit (and the brand!) and not necessarily the detail or what’s inside the box. In contrast to my previous reviews it may seem that this kit is only marginally better than Eduard’s Hellcat or Tamiya’s 20 year old Mosquito, and to be fair that’s not far off the mark here, but it’s an objective fact that this G-6 is a great kit when competitively priced between 60$-70$ CAD.

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1:48 Aircraft In Box Reviews

Eduard F6F-5 Hellcat (Late) In Box Review

Kit Features: 16/20

As a typical Eduard Profipack kit, Eduard has well furnished this kit. It includes quite a lot of bang for your buck, coming with two frets of photo-etched parts, resin wheels and a complete mask set for the model. The resin wheels Are greatly appreciated and are often a very useful improvement over the stock wheels. The kit includes some armament options in the form of rockets or bombs as well should the builder choose to include them. Overall the kit is well stocked compared to older releases but it should be kept in mind that you are paying for these extras in the overall higher list price of the kit.

Quality of Molding: 24/50

Eduard’s Hellcat offers basic panel-lining and riveting, as expected from the manufacturer. It should be stated however that the detail present in the molding does leave some to be desired. I was surprised by the lack of crispness in the molding details. looking further, the build does lack the extensive riveting found in newer tool Eduard kits. I could be wrong, but when tracing back this kit’s tooling on Scalemates.com, it indicated that this is a re-box from 2008 originally. This isn’t especially surprising to be honest, Eduard frequently re-boxes and re-releases kits but it’s not always clear when buying kits when the molding was first produced. I compared the molding on this kit to 2017’s Tamiya’s Bf-109G-6 (of which a review should be up soon) and it’s clear that the Tamiya kit’s lines superior in every way. The one aspect of the molding that goes in the Hellcat’s favour is the inclusion of the “layered” skin on the fuselage. The vertical panneling is molded so that ever so slightly the panels overlap as seen in the real fighter. All of these issues together paint a unfortunate picture and the fact that this kit is priced as if it is a new tool build while not including the level of detail found in Eduard’s new tool kits.

Instructions: 18/20

Eduard claws back some points in this section as their instructions have always been excellent. In colour and clearly printed they offer more than the bare necessities. Eduard instructions have always been well done and this is no exception. As a matter of personal preference, I prefer instructions in the form of a booklet (stapled together) rather than the type that just fold out (like Tamiya’s). One high point of Eduard’s instructions are the full colour profiles and the details provided about the markings. I for one like knowing the details about the aircraft I’m building and Eduard goes so much further in giving us those details than other manufacturers, they’ve clearly done their research! I love reading about the bird I’m building and the story of the person who flew it. Eduard gets a monster score in this regard, and well deserved.

Miscellaneous: 7/10

Included in the kit are 6 different marking options. I do like the variety of options included, however I feel that they could have gone a bit further in the width of what was offered. I don’t mean that they need to have offered even more options, however more colourful options would have been appreciated. They do offer a French variant which helps to increase the score, and the fact that late war Hellcats were pretty universally dark blue also mitigates it. They do loose points on the quality of the decals however, as Eduard has struggled to print vibrant colours on thier decals, with the reds on this sheet being a particular example.

Total: 65/100

Eduard’s Profipack Hellcat is in an interesting space. Nearly everything about it is excellent, save for the molding. for 62$ CAD it’s not an inexpensive build. As a lover of naval aviation subjects I’m biased but it’s an undeniable fact that the molding is disappointing. My honest recommendation? If you’re planning to build a late Hellcat either OOB or super detailed stick to the weekend edition of this kit. It’s a third cheaper and offers more flexibility for adding aftermarket parts (like a resin cockpit or engine). If you’re going to buying a kit with below average molding you may as well buy the cheap option.