IPMS/USA Reviews

The T-15 is a new vehicle designed for the Russian inventory as an infantry support vehicle, possibly as a replacement for the venerable BMP 2. The T-15 is concept based on the T-14 MBT tank hull. Due to the nature of the T-14 being designed to have multiple versions, the T-15 is the same hull that has a different automated turret installed. This turret is designed with infantry support in mind with a 2A42 30 mm auto-cannon, a 7.62 mm coaxial PKT and two sets of Kornet-EM anti-tank missiles. Panda Hobby's new kit is the first attempt at this interesting new vehicle.

The instructions are pretty standard for Panda kits, printed on glossy paper with clear part breakdowns. In a few steps the parts locations can be a little vague but for the most part the instructions are great. They did tend to fall apart with use, the staples tended to pull through the paper easily. The kit parts are very well molded in a heavy dark green plastic and the individual link tracks are molded in a light brown. I didn't really find and molding issues and I had almost no issues with flash or broken parts.

In the late 1950's the Israeli Defense Force was faced with an ageing armory consisting mainly of up-gunned M50 Shermans from the end of World War II. To update and modernize this fleet of vehicles they purchased second hand Centurion Mark III and Vs. They were quickly upgraded to local specs and were named Sho't ("scourge"). The Sho't series of tanks served from the late 1950's to the early 1990's in Israel's arsenal, through a number of upgrades culminating in the Sho't Kal Dalet. The Sho't Kal Dalet came into service sometime around 1985 with an upgraded laser range finder and thermal gun sleeve.

The Kit

When I saw that this kit was available for review, I just had to do it. It was the first model I ever built on my own. My grandfather bought it for me and I built it at his kitchen table with a tube of Ambroid glue that got all over everything, but I loved it. The model, not the glue. That tank saw many a battle on my bedroom floor and in the back yard for that matter. Can't remember how it met its fate, but I think it just plain wore out and fell apart. But all that's neither here nor there, so on to the review.

First released in 1956 (!) this model was Revell's first foray into the military vehicle area, to be followed by a T-34, M-56, a jeep, a 155mm Long Tom and high-speed towing vehicle and two sets of soldiers. Unfortunately, at the time, none of them had great sales and they disappeared from the Revell catalogue after a few years. However, the Sherman and M-56 have been re-released on several occasions, even once motorized, but never did particularly well.

This is a plastic only kit comprised of about 62 styrene parts, no photo etched parts fret, and a standard set of instructions, they need to be reviewed carefully before gluing any parts together.