M-109A1/A2 SPH Lower Fighting Compartment
Warriors 1:35 Scale Set #WAMW011
Review by Terry Ashley
The set contains 47 crisply cast resin parts with the usual pouring blocks to be removed. A quick bath in warm detergent water would be advisable to remove any trace of release agent. The detail is extremely well defined which the excellent resin casting helps to highlight.
The entire lower hull interior is provided with a new floor and side sponson details for the rear compartment which in reality just an empty space for the crew to work in. The front bulkhead/firewall is particularly impressive with excellent details included.
Some surgery is required on the kit to remove the raised sections on the lower hull to accommodate the new floor. This results in shallower locating holes to fit the axles (you have to cut the corresponding length from the kit axles also) but there should be enough depth to hold the axles but I would suggest using ample glue for a good bond.
The driver's compartment is far busier with bulkheads on both sides and the floor, an instrument panel with bare gauges so you can add your own dials from decals or any Waldron type accessory and full driver's station with seat, steering wheel, foot pedals and gear levers. The sponson panel to the driver's left has nice wiring included.
There are numerous other details to add including the ammo boxes and fire extinguishes on the forward bulkhead and the ready round racks in the rear corners.
All the supports are provided for these racks and the instructions makes mention that it may be a bit tricky to attach the supports around the 155mm rounds (available separately from Verlinden or AFV Club). He includes detailed drawings of how to attach these racks and using care and patience as well as test fitting there shouldn't be any problems.
The instructions
are on two double sided letter sized sheets, one listing the parts and brief
assembly instructions with drawings for some of the finer details.
The other has photos of the parts assembled in place in the kit hull with numbers
indicating the parts. This is extremely useful in determining where the parts
actually go, as they say a picture is worth a thousand words and it works here.
The resin pieces
are also shown laid out as is usual for most good resin sets so you can check
they are all there and to actually identify the smaller parts. The parts here
are shown with the casting blocks removed and I found this made it harder to
identify some smaller parts.
With the parts still on their carrier you can identify parts by comparing them
to the actual resin pieces. Just a small thought which in no way detracts from
the excellent resin bits.
If you're are a fan of the M-109 this set is a must along with turret sets. The M-109 has quite large hatches to leave open making it easy to see all this great detail.
I will update this review with progress photos as per the turret set shortly, I have test fitted the floor and major bulkheads and the fit is spot on which bodes well for the rest of the parts.
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| M108-M109-M109A1/A2 Warmachines No.1 Verlinden Publications  |
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