JGSDF Type 89 IFV
1/35th Kit No. 00325
First Look Review
by Peter Brown
The
kit:
Trumpeter's kit comes as five sprues of green plastic plus separate lower
hull and band-type tracks in dark silver-grey soft plastic. Parts also include
poly caps for the wheels, a sheet of clear plastic pre-cut for periscope lenses,
a fairly large sheet of nylon mesh and a short length of flexible plastic tube.
Surface detail and standard of moulding are good, though I cannot comment on
the accuracy as I have little reference material on this vehicle. Turret crew,
driver and front hull hatches are separate as are the rear exit doors so any
combination can be modelled open or closed, however there are no interior details
and the hatches over the infantry compartment are moulded solid. Turret gun
and missile launchers may be set at a range of elevations, one neat feature
is the wide rubberised flap covering the gap between gun mantlet and turret
top being depicted by a soft plastic part.
Colour instructions give a basic green/brown scheme, but decal options are one of the most extensive I have seen on an AFV. Six vehicles are shown in the decal placement section, three have cartoon-style turret markings and two others use large Japanese characters. But looking more closely at the decal sheet, there are no less than thirteen serial number groups and five sets of hull character groups which I think are for individual units. Six sets of additional individual numbers mean that the given serials can be changed and a small table gives combinations for 25 individual though the unit details themselves are in Chinese characters.
Four figures are included on their own pale grey plastic sprue. These are not as good as Dragon figures but are still neatly done models and a useful addition to the kit. Each comes with separate arms, legs, head, helmet and individual equipment as separate parts. Two are vehicle crew in flak jackets, one has a CVC-style helmet but the other wears what looks like a sort of soft bag over his head. The others are infantrymen standing in at-ease poses, one with rifle and the other carrying a slung "Carl Gustav" rocket launcher. We also get a Japanese pattern machine gun with separate bipod plus a second rifle so some changes could be made if wanted. Details of colours for the camouflage pattern uniforms are supplied.
Another unusual choice of subject from Trumpeter, it should be a popular one in Japan to go with other already available kits of Japanese vehicles such as Tamiya's Type 90 MBT and will appeal to anyone interested in modern AFVs.
Page Created 23 January 2003