LVT 4 (A) Detail Set
1/35 Set No. 1824
Review by Terry Ashley
Just quickly, the Verlinden box top has the name LVT 4 (A) but it should be LVT (A)-1, the instructions have the correct title so someone must have had a brain fade with the box top.
That out of the way, the set itself has 100 resin pieces in the now standard grey/green resin plus another 50 pieces of etched copper and a small length of copper wire.
The quality of the resin casting if first class with no blemishes to be seen, the details are excellent and include some large castings and other very small delicate parts. There is the usual casting blocks to be removed from some parts while others have the flat backing “film” which is synonymous with Verlinden and has to be removed by sanding which should be done carefully so as not to remove some of the parts themselves.
Two of the larger castings, the engine bay ‘box’ and the turret are impressive single castings with details on each side without loosing definition while the radial engine and gearbox also have excellent details included. The many small parts are well cast and again have nice details included.
Some surgery is required on the Italeri parts, such as removing the rear hull engine bay panels and the forward side crew doors, but nothing that should be too much for the average modeller, also some trimming of the resin parts may be required to get a good fit and as with any kit test fitting often would be advised.
The forward compartment is filled out with new floor, side walls and rear bulkhead, transmission/gearbox with other smaller parts such as the crew seats, instrument panel, ammo boxes, pioneer tools and final drives, the only drawback here is all this can only be seen through the two small upper hull crew hatches.
The rear engine bay starts with the resin engine bay “box” which is fitted out with a nice Continental radial engine with mounting and separate magneto, exhaust pipes as well as the two side mufflers, some of the etched parts are also installed here but you have to study the instructions closely to find out.
The kit turret is completely replaced with resin items, the resin turret itself is larger in diameter than the kit turret with separate top panel and rear hatches. Internally you get a full 37mm cannon with breech, supports, sight and co-ax MG, the only kit part used here is the mantlet. Also provided is the turret basket with supports and small items around the turret race and floor.
Externally
on the upper hull is new etched MG shields on the rear MG tubs as well as
two
nice .30 cal MGs with ammo boxes and mounts. The five forward crew hatches
are provided in resin with etched hatch framing, the two rearmost hatches
have to
be removed from the kit first as does the driver’s forward hatch. The
rear water propulsion fairings are provided in multi-part etched metal and
are
an improvement on the chunky kit parts. Etched metal head light covers are
also provided for the forward hull top.
The instructions are in the form of a single double sided letter sheet with text instructions and construction diagrams. These aren’t that clear in parts and careful study of the instructions, text notes and your own preference photos will help in putting it all together; the box top illustration will also help as they show most of the parts in place.
In all this is a comprehensive update set for the Italeri kit and will add plenty of details to make an impressive model.
Recommended.
Page created 2 January 2003