IPMS/USA Reviews

2018 seemed to be the year of the Panther from the start and there certainly was no shortage of releases of the variants from many of the big companies. As 2019 rolled around, Jagdpanthers and Bergepanthers seemed to continue the trend. However, about mid-year, there were whispers of the companies releasing their own version on the venerable US Sherman tank. Taska, now Asuka, certainly has set the bar high and we have seen as the summer rolled along that Rye Field Models and Meng have entered their own horses into the race. My focus here is on the M4A3(76)W release by Meng, complete with an extra added resin sandbag armor set SPS-070 ($57.00).

Table of Contents

• Introduction: Blitzkrieg and Beyond
• Photograph Sources
• Chapter One: Hotchkiss
• Chapter Two: Renault 38/40
• Chapter Three: French Heavies
• Chapter Four: Vickers Mk VI and Matilda
• Chapter Five: Churchill
• Chapter Six: Sherman
• Chapter Seven: Panzer I, II and III
• Chapter Eight: Panzer IV
• Chapter Nine: Panther
• Chapter Ten: Tiger I and II

Other related titles in the Images of War series by Anthon Tucker-Jones

This fine book is yet another in Pen and Sword Military Images of War series of publications. In this book, Mr. Tucker-Jones traces the use and deployment of both Allied and Axis armor through the wrecks left on the battlefields of Europe. The author has previously published over thirty books covering a variety of issues.

Hauler-Brengun is well known as a supplier of high-quality aftermarket detail parts for armor kits, as well as other subjects. As armor builders are aware, there can be many detail parts that are available to be added to the Sherman M4A, and Hauler has provided 60+ photoetch parts to "detail" the Tamiya 48^th scale M4A.

The package containing this Hauler product is the standard clear plastic envelope, with a black card stock insert that adds some rigidity to the product while on the shelf. The product instructions are printed, front and back, on a piece of 5.25"x8.25" paper. All of the photoetch parts share the same parts runner.

While most of the photo etch parts are quite small, the detail is quite exquisite. This project is not a "dash and done" project but will require considerable care when removing the parts from the part runner. The instruction sheet is very clear and can be used with ease. The parts are numbered, both on the instruction sheet and on the part runner sheet as well, so identifying each part, and correctly placing it on the model is straight-forward.

Airfix doesn't have much of a history creating 1/35^th scale armored vehicles (in fact, none) so I was a bit surprised to see them leaping into this particular market with a series of famous tanks all in one fell blow. Turns out that Airfix is doing what so many other manufacturers are doing - reboxing other manufacturer's models under their brand name.

In this case, it's a reboxing of Academy's Early Tiger 1 model with interior. I can think of a few reasons why this would be a good idea, although this one leaves me a bit nonplussed. The Academy kit is still quite available on the internet and the prices are comparable, so I can only assume that Academy kits are hard to come by in Great Britain.

The Pantsir missile system is a family of self-propelled, medium range surface to air missile systems. The 96K6 Pantsir-S1 is a combination of the 2K22 Tunguska missile system with a KAMAZ-6050 8x8 cross country truck. The turret is equipped with two 2A38m 30mm AA guns and 12 57E6 series surface to air missiles. This vehicle has been exported to number of countries including Syria, Serbia and Iraq and it has participated in combat operations in Syria and Ukraine. This new kit from Meng is one of three modern kits to represent this interesting vehicle.