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Kit Reviews for ESCI 1/72 scale armor

   If you enjoy painting your models with a sharpened toothpick, this
article is for you...

   Since ESCI kits seem to be common in local model stores (at
least in the US), I thought people might be interested in hearing
my opinion about some of the ones I had constructed.

   I don't claim to be an expert on military technology, so I
won't make any attempt to comment on the accuracy of the kits. I
will only talk about how well the kits go together, and how they
look.
   A word of advise for beggining 1/72 scale modellers. Make sure you
have a good supply of new knife blades. Get the narrowest point you can.
I have found that a sharp knife is critical for cleaning and fitting the
small and fragile parts in some of these kits. I usually keep two knives.
One with a new blade for fine work, and one with an older blade for more
crude work. When the new blade gets dull (very fast), I remove the older
blade and put in a fresh one. This might happen twice while making a single
model.

German Half-Track Hanomag:
   This is a Sd. Kfz. 251/1 halftrack with 6 280mm rocket
lauchers attacked to the sides. ESCI makes quite a lot of
varients of the Sd Kfz. 251/1, and all of them are pretty good.
The kits come with three figures, but unfourtunately always the
same three. The kit goes together acceptably, but some sanding,
shaving and fitting are neccessary. There was little or no flash.
The worst fitting piece is the one that attaches the tracks to
the hull. It requires sanding in some regions, and filling with
putty in others.
   Detail is good, although it is sometimes a problem to work
around the rivets when trying to fit or fill. The result
is that some parts of the vehicle look like they've lost thier
rivets. Increased skill on the part of the modeller is probably
called for. Several nice accessories are provided such as
hammers, shovels, etc. The detail on the decals is excellent.
   The rockets and launching crates are very nice, if difficult
to assemble.
   One last problem is the rubber track, which on a vehicle this
small doesn't look very good.


German Tank 1-B:
   This is a Panzer I, and is a very nice kit. It is the smallest
model I have done, measuring about 2 inches by 1 inch. The parts
were free from defects and fit very well. There were even
individual engine hatches that cried out for a scratch built
engine (I didn't try it). The fit of these hatches as well as the
side and turret hatches were better even than some 1/35 scale
models I've seen.
   The tracks were individual plastic pieces which are glued to
the wheels. I prefer this method since it gives better fit to a
1/72 scale tanks, and makes the tracks look smaller and closer
to the correct scale. It is a lot of work, thought.
   Detail is pretty good, but could have been better. The decals
were excellent again, but were difficult to put on due to the
small size of the tank. There isn't much flat area on which to apply
them.

Sd. KFZ. 251/16 Flame Thrower:
   This is a German assault vehicle with side mounted flame
throwers. It is based on the Sd. Kfz. 251 line, and shares the
same good and bad points.
   I can't help but think that the accessories for this kit were
only half designed before production started. Most of the tubing
connecting the flame throwers to the fuel tanks has to be scratch
built. Detail is lacking. The barrels of the flame throwers are
too big to go without a bore. If you like to scratch build small
parts, this is the kit for you.

Hummel:
   This is the German self-propelled artillery piece mounted on a
Panzer IV chassis. The kit is acceptable overall, but the fit
could be better in some places, notably the gun mount, and side
armor. The tracks on the right side protrude a little.
   Detail is OK, except that they printed some accessories on the
tank in bas relief. I hate that. The gun can be made to elevate,
but only by modifying the plans. There is not provision for
making it move laterally. Interior detail could be better, and
the figures (two) are not quite human shaped. It comes with the
usual very good decals. The tracks are one piece rubber.

Pz. III N:
   This is a well detailed kit that suffers from some problems.
The main one is confusing directions. There are pieces supplied
for different varients of the tank, and it is not entirely clear
which ones to use.
    Another problem is that of the armor skirts on the sides and
turret. They don't fit very well, and the turret skirts were
particularly difficult to assemble. I never got them to align
quite right.
    Otherwise the detail is good, and goes together quite well.
The tracks are individual pieces. The figure provided is inferior
to those usually supplied. There is almost no facial features,
and he is generally large and chunky.

Italian 75mm:
   This vehicle is an Italian assault gun listed as fiat-ansaldo
75/18 m 13/40. It is a fine kit with a fairly detailed interior.
A commander and a driver figure are included and can be seen when
the large hatches are left open.
    Detail is good except for the one piece tracks, and it has
the rivet poblem mentioned above. The gun fitting is excellent,
if delicate due to the small size. It is the detail in this gun
mount that makes me disappointed in the Hummel. The gun moves in
both vertical and horizontal directions. The decals are even
better than usual.
   The fit between the upper and lower hull could be better, and
the problem is made more difficult to fix by the rivets. 
   This is one of my favorite kits.

British S.P. carrier, "Bishop":
   This is the early Britsh 25pdr self-propelled gun. It is
also a very good kit. Although the tracks are one piece, they are
finer that one-piece tracks usually are, and so are passable.
    Detail is very good, with some nice accessories. The hatches
fit extremely well. The only problem is severe dimpleing in the
headlamps which was difficult to fill. The gun mount is very
detailed, but might as well not be because it get hidden inside
the upper hull, and can't really be seen. The gun elevates, but
doesn't traverse (which I understand was almost the case in the
original). No figure is provided, which is a shame. Adding a few
antennae will greatly improve the appearence.

U.S. 37mm Gun Motor Carriage m6:
   This is a US jeep carrying a 37mm AT gun. Although good, it is
not one of ESCI's best kits. It suffers mainly from fit problems.
The gun is very detailed, but difficult to assemble. The fromt
bumpers were also a problem, and my jeep clearly had been in some
accidents. Many accessories are provided, but some don't fit
where they are supposed.
   Three figures are provided, and they are shaped well in that
they can be placed as gunner, loader, and commander. The detail
of the figures is disappointing, and they have too much flash.
   The underside of this vehicle is very well detailed, and so if
you like modelling wrecks, this is a good kit. Detail is good
overall, and the ammo bins can be open or closed.
   This model makes a good "action" display.

T34/76 M.1942:
   This is a nice early T34 model. Detail is good with many
accessories. Two excellent figures are provided. I put them in as
gunner and commander(who is sitting on the top of the turret with
the hatch open). Tracks are individual pieces, and look very nice
if assembled with care.
    The rear engine cover had a not very nice printed screen. I
cut it out (not easy) and replaced it with a fine mesh screen.
Overall, a very solid representation of this historically
important tank.

Opel "Ambulance":
   This is a German ambulance truck. Fairly good in detail, it
needs a little putty filling in places. No windshield is
provided, and probably has to be scratch built (I'm still working
on this one). Exterior detail is OK for a truck. No interior
details are provided, but the rear doors move.
   Windows were just printed on, and I cut them out (also not
easy). I added scratch built screens and window panes. Sanding
some clear plastic made a nice translucent window. The kit comes
with a nice assortment of possible decal arrangments.

German 3 Tons and Pak 40:
   This is a German halftrack towing a AT gun. This is one of the
best kits in the ESCI line. Fit is OK, with a little work in
places. Tracks are individual pieces, and are very fine. Interior
detail in the halftrack is good. If you do it with the canopy up,
it will hide a few areas of suspect fit quite nicely.
    The gun is even better than the vehicle. It is amzingly
detailed for a 1/72 scale gun. The legs move, and the gun can
elevate and traverse. Only the wheels don't move. Three figures
are provided that are obvioly meant to be manning the gun. (which
is unfortunate becasue I want it to be in tow).
    There are a lot of pieces in this model, and it is a longer
term project than the others.

Sd. Kfz. 251/7:
   I have not yet started this model of a German pioneer vehicle.
It is another of the Sd. Kfz. 251 halftrack line. It is a pioneer
vehicle only because it has two bridge plates. Since that appears
to be the only additions to the kit, it is a bit disappointing.
This kit comes with both single and multiple-piece tracks, but
you know which I will use.

Churchill AMRCR:
   This is a british mine clearing tank design. This could have
been the most difficult model to put together, but intelligent
design has solved most of the potential problems. There are still
many pieces, and they seem to have skimped on the turret. The gun
doesn't move at all.
   There is a bit of problem with flash, and so most pieces need
trimming and sanding in excess of the usual prefitting. The mine
clearers are nicely detailed, and so need that much more work.
    I have only just started this one, but things look good. The
long thin pieces that cover the tracks are sligtly mishappen, but
can be bent into shape. Although the turret is a bit below par,
the detail overall is good. Tracks are individual pieces.

DanZ

-- 
This article is for entertainment purposes only. Any facts, opinions,
narratives or ideas contained herein are not necessarily true, and do
not necessarily represent the views of any particular person.