IPMS/USA Reviews

Intro

The M60A2 early type by AFV Club is another one of their M60 series of vehicles including the M60A1, M60A3, M60A2Early and later and the M728 CEV as well as several Foreign subjects based on the M60 series of tanks. The M60A2 early includes sprues from the common components of the hull and turret and running gear. M60A2 specific components are included to model the right vehicle. In this case the Gun barrel with the bore evacuator and the M60A2 turret and assemblies.

The Sd. Kfz. 251/8 was the ambulance version of the personnel carrier halftrack built by Hanomag. The vehicle was known in the Wehrmacht as the Krankenpanzerwagen, (armored ambulance). It could carry 8 "walking wounded" or 2 stretcher patients and 4 seated casualties.

The Kit

There are 4 sprues in the box, along with the decals and instructions. No clear parts. I pretty much followed the instructions as far as assembly, starting with the interior and then putting the top and bottom of the main compartment together. I did take a picture of the interior before I did the final assembly, because that's the last time anyone's going to see the driver's compartment, since there are no windows or openings.

I painted the entire vehicle panzer dark gray, including the wheels and the suspension parts. I then painted it with panzer schokobraun in stripes for the camouflage. I then painted the black tires on the track suspension and assembled the suspension parts.

Brief History

Manufactured by the Stoewer Company, as well as BMW and Hanomag since 1936, the light uniform all-road car (leichten gelande Einhets Personen-Kraftwagen) possessed all-wheel drive, independent suspension, and a simplified open body. This particular body, the Kfz.2, was a three-seat communication car with a Torn. Fu.b1 radio set.

The Kit

The kit consists of 5 styrene sprues, one clear sprue, and a small sheet of decals that represent the four featured schemes in the kit. Construction begins with the chassis, and over the course of the first thirteen assembly steps, you've handled 45 parts. Everything goes together pretty smoothly however.

The next thirteen steps have you assembling the engine and inserting it onto the chassis. It builds into quite a nice little kit all itself. Following that, we move onto the floor of the car, adding the fuel tank, bracket, rear reflector, and fuel tank nozzle. This is then added to the chassis.

Tamiya has really stepped up it's game in the figure department in the last few years. Starting with single figures and sets in the re-boxing of the Marder III M, Hummel, and 38 (t), the new designs have really made assembly and posing easier than ever. There are notches and tabs that help align the shoulders, legs, and torsos (molded in front and back halves) to avoid any gaps. There are also molded indentations on the back of the torso and in the pouches to attach the extra equipment to so they appear to avoid them looking as if they're simply resting on the torso and belt. The included facial details are also much more expressive and individualized than in the past. In one figure, there is a separate boot and another has a hand separate from the arm which is a bit odd. The drawback to the parts being so specifically keyed to each other is that they really aren't interchangeable. Mold lines are subtle and one figure had some pinholes near the eye that showed up as I was taking my close-ups for the review. That being said, the figures as is are really very good.

Thank you to Bill and to Phil for all the work you do!

Kit

ICM Holding, a Ukrainian-based company known for outstanding quality, has produced a very nice new-mold German halftrack. The main armored personnel carrier of the German Wehrmacht, the Sd.Kfz. 251, built by the company Hanomag, was used to transport motorized infantry. The armored personnel carriers were in service with the German army throughout the Second World War and were used in all theaters. This modification, the Sd.Kfz.251/6 Aufs.A., was produced in 1939-1940.

Contained in the box is one sealed bag holding five highly detailed gray styrene sprues and a separately bagged clear sprue. Black vinyl tracks accompany the kit as well as two black vinyl tires. You also get a sprue of four detailed figures. The kit contains 334 parts which were all flash free and showed no injection marks or sink holes. Panel lines are finely recessed. Parts which are not used for this particular model are clearly marked on the sprue diagrams with pink highlights.