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Panzer 1A Detail Interior Set
Kit No. TSR-001
1/35 Scale

Review by Terry Ashley

Following their superb Panzer 1A Tristar have now released an Interior Detail Set to enhance the kit even further. The set is labelled “Interior Set” but this is only part of the story, you if fact get the whole of the rear upper hull/engine compartment and hatches replaced with resin parts as well as one of the most complete interior you will find in any update set.

Consisting of 71 pieces in a medium grey polyurethane resin the castings are exceptionally clean and crisp with only some small casting blocks to be cleaned up.

As I mentioned you get a very complete interior, for me to list every part would be more like a listing from the field manual.
To start with you have to cut off the rear engine compartment from the kit upper hull and replace this with the resin replacement which is cast extremely thin and well detailed.
All three engine deck hatches are provided in resin and have details on both sides, the large louvered hatch does have some resin flash to be removed from between the louvers but this was easy to clean up using a sharp X-Acto blade, but take care the louvers are very thin (see image below).
Inside the engine compartment are the fuel tanks and superbly detailed muti-part engine and exhaust pipes to the kit exhausts.

The forward compartment has a rear bulkhead, side walls, a floor section with very nice tread plate pattern and gearbox/transmission with excellent details moulded on. Added to this is the driver’s seat, instrument panels and gear levers plus additional details on the sidewalls.
The upper hull interior is fitted out with radios and

The turret interior is amazing; you wonder how so much equipment could fit in here and leave room for the commander? There is the commander’s seat, the two MG breeches, sighting periscope and other details.

The instructions are in the form or photographs of the assembled parts which are called out by number. The lower hull and engine assemblies are fairly straightforward but careful study of the photos is needed for the turret, thankfully you are given multiple photos from different angles to help out.

With an update set this complex good reference material would be a great help, thankfully there is plenty about to show all the details you will need, see below.

In all a sensational detail set that will turn an already excellent kit into a stunner, and using one of the etched detail sets released for the Panzer 1A from Lion Roar or ABER will make for one of the most complete models around, not cheap but a show stopper.

New engine deck and access hatch louvers cleaned up
Tristar
Resin Bits
Click for larger view
Tristar TristarTristar
Instrucion Sheets
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TristarTristar
References:

Panzer Tracts No 1-1
Panzerkampfwagen I
Kleintraktor to Ausf.B

Thomas L Jentz and Hilary Louis Doyle
book

Panzer Tracts No 1-2
Panzerkampfwagen I Kl.Pz.Bef.Weg,
to VK 18.01

Thomas L Jentz and Hilary Louis Doyle
book

Ground Power Magazine
Issue #071 April 2000
GALILEO Publishing Co.,Ltd.
book

Pz.Kpfw.I/Pz.Kpfw.II and variants
Achtung Panzer No.7

Dainippon Kaiga Co.,Ltd..
book

TANKS & ARMOUR:
PanzerKampfwagen 1 & II

Ian Allen Publishing
book

AFV Modeller
Issue 12

Excellent photo feature on the Panzer 1a
book

Military Modelling Magazine
Vol.27 No.8 1997

Photo feature on a museum Pz I.
book

 




Page created 27 February 2003

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