Paint Job: Instandsetzungskompanie, SS-Pz-Regt. 2, 2.SS-Pz-Gren-Div., Kursk, July 1943

Positive Aspects: A "soft-skin"; it's at 1:72 (Nuts & Bolts 12); some nice rendered detail on some parts of the model, like the driving station; represents an early towing model.

Negative Aspects: Limited edition item - I would like to have some more of them; Metal body and some parts of the running gear; the front wheels were set too wide on the suspension (could be corrected but is annoying); Rubber tires on frontal wheels; heavy sink marks inside the cab and body; some detail is simplistic and toyish.

Rating: 7 in 10 (it's a soft-skin...)

Paint Job: Instandsetzungskompanie, SS-Pz-Regt. 2, 2.SS-Pz-Gren-Div., Kursk, July 1943

Positive Aspects: Together with the Sd.Kfz.9 it's composes an unique item; it's more or less at 1:72 (Geof Lacey Plan G48) with only a problem in terms of high - model too lower (perhaps depicting an overloaded trailer); some nice rendered detail on some parts of the model.

Negative Aspects: Limited edition item; majority made of metal, with only a few parts made of plastic and rubber; no provision was made to articulate the trailer model; Rubber tires on frontal wheels; some detail is very soft.

Rating: 9 in 10 (an unique item, so a must have...)

Paint Job: s.SS-Pz-Abt 501, December 1944, Bulge model - Uscha. Otto Blase mount (AGTE, 1995: 365)

Positive Aspects: It's a German "big cat"; After checking their dimensions and detail, it's at 1:72.

Negative Aspects: With so many good "ready made" Tiger II, this isn't really necessary; the turret is in metal; the running gear is some how cut short, missing at least the outer road wheels; some problems in assemblage with parts badly aligned, like the junction between the gun barrel and their external mantlet (toftblend); too soft vinyl tracks.

Rating: 3 in 10

Paint Job: 130th Tank Brig., 21st Arm. Corps, in the southwest of USSR, 1942.

Positive Aspects: It's an T-34, of the late 1941-early 1942 Zavod Nr. 112 production, so lot of uses on the table top; is a little over 1:72, mostly due to the running gear [Hubert Chance scale drawings in MiniTracks # 3].

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal, making any work on the hull very difficult; early (1940/41, not the all steel ones) road wheels; zekranami on the front hull, limiting its use to the Leningrad sector, as this feature is almost absent on others areas (so the paint job and the model represented didn't match); Barrel not stepped and too thick (almost like an 85mm barrel); very soft detail and an towing cable already moulded; too soft vinyl tracks; some gaps in the model joints, specially on the gun mantlet.

Rating: 5 in 10 (a missed opportunity)

Paint Job: US 756th Tank Battalion, France, February 1945

Positive Aspects: It's a Sherman...(isn't that enough?); reasonable well made and detailed model; while not exactly at 1:72 scale, is very near, with the same general dimensions as an ESCI M4A3 and ExtraTech M4A3; represents a late production vehicle with upswept bogies and solid road wheels; turret very similar in dimensions as the one from ESCI/Italeri and as such compatible with them (so imagine all those possible conversions...).

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; very soft detail on the rear upper hull, with engine grills hardly visible; M2HB MG is a joke; some gaps on the model joints, like for example the gun barrel and turret; the rear exhausts were assembled upside down.

Rating: 7 in 10 (I will give it more if a 76mm version...)

Paint Job: 1.SS-Pz-Div. «LSSAH», Normandy, June 1944 (SS-Haupstu. Gruhle mount)

Positive Aspects: Exactly at 1:72 scale; Zimmerit [M.A.N. pattern] on the turret; nice camo scheme, even if a little naïve.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; some gaps on the model joints; hull mounting for MG too simple ; no Zimmerit on the hull; markings are too limited in time and Operational Theatre; Chassis too simple and rubber band as tracks didn't help.

Rating: 4 in 10 (another missed opportunity)

Paint Job: 11.SS-Fw-Pz-Gren-Div «Nordland», Narva, Estonia, May 1944 (Wrongly known as «Puma», the unit attribution is wrong as this unit never manage to get any Sd.234/2, as per JENTZ, Museum Ordnance Special Nº 24)

Positive Aspects: The very first "Armoured Car" in the series; some nice rendered detail on some parts of the model; Uniformly it looks like an Sd.Kfz.234; Decals easily removable.

Negative Aspects: Slightly over 1/72 scale (some 2mm longer in the hull, judging from Hubert CHANCE plans in Minitracks nº1); Metal upper hull; Simplified detail on the wheels hubs; Rubber tires with simplified detail; Problems with the alignment of wheels on some models; single baffle muzzle brake - it should have two baffles; Rear spare wheel too far way from hull; Mantlet [Toftblend] too large - It seems to be rendered after Roden's one.

Rating: 6 in 10 (It's an Armoured Car...and most of the problems could be easily corrected or disguised)

Paint Job: s.Panzerjaeger-Abt 559, Luxembourg, December 1944 (unit attached to Pz-Lehr-Div)

Positive Aspects: This represents an Ausf.G2 as produced by M.I.A.G. around November 1944, with the Pz.Kpfw. V Ausf.G rear deck; It's exactly at 1/72 scale (Hubert Chance, Minitracks #7); The "Ambush" camouflage work is well done; As no numbers were applied, this is a general use vehicle.

Negative Aspects: Metal upper hull; Simplified detail all over the vehicle; Too soft rubber tracks with simplified detail; The barrel is slight under scale in diameter; moulded superior part of Scheutzen, which seems to be cut in half; Rear exhausts very badly rendered.

Rating: 5 in 10 (German stuff seems to be the worst part on this collection)

Paint Job: 104 Arm. Regt, 7 Guards Tank Brigade, Berlin, May 1945

Positive Aspects: Depicts a typical IS-2 M44 production, so prepare those 1945 scenarios; is at 1:72 [Hubert Chance scale drawings in Batailles & Blindés # 9]; some good detail, on the turret and hull.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal; simplified road wheels; Soft vinyl tracks; some noticeable gaps in the model joints; Sink holes in some plastic parts; Rear turret MG mount to big.

Rating: 7 in 10 (for the first time a good soviet subject)

Paint Job: US 33rd Arm. Regt, 3rd Arm. Div, Elsdorf, Germany, February 1945 (should I say the T26E3 named Fireball, KO in Elsdorf Ridge...)

Positive Aspects: It's a T26E3/M26...(isn't that everything?); reasonable well made and detailed model; while the hull isn't exactly at 1:72 scale, the turret is, and is very well rendered [plans from Hubert Chance in Steel Masters #34]; While in vinyl the tracks represent the correct pattern - if simplified.

Negative Aspects: Upper hull in metal, with moulded solid side skirts; The rear upper hull engine grills are well rendered, but with a very soft detail; M2HB MG is a joke; some gaps on the model joints; The hull is slight over 1/72 scale, due to oversize road wheels, making the hull 2mm longer and 1mm wider, but the height is correct; The turret detail is good, but the loader hatch is slight (0.5mm) to the rear; Black soft vinyl tracks (perhaps from Airfix inspiration...).

Rating: 7 in 10 (while not perfect a very serious contender)

Paint Job: 4./SS-Pz-Regt. 3, 3.SS-Pz-Gren-Div. «Totenkopf», Kharkov, April 1943

Positive Aspects: None.

Negative Aspects: Metal upper hull; Simplified detail all over the vehicle; Soft rubber tracks; Overall the model is not at scale, with the turret too short, the barrel some 7mm shorter, the hull while at scale on the width plane, is some 5mm longer, due to their longer running gear, and the tracks are also too wide, as they almost didn't fit the vehicle width; The paint scheme is toyish, to say the least.

Rating: 2 in 10 (Stay way from it)

Paint Job: 1st Armoured Div., Tripoli, December 1942

Positive Aspects: An Allied AFV, and even better an early UK one; It's at 1:72 scale exactly (Hubert Chance plans in Steel Masters #38); Some nice detail on the wheels and hull; While naive the paint job is good.

Negative Aspects: Upper metal hull; soft tracks, that seems to be a little shorter for 1:72; Gun Barrel looks like a 3", making this a Crusader II CS (?!).

Rating: 5 in 10 (Overall a nice model, depicting an useful vehicle)