The very thick (2mm) curved aerial was removed and replaced by some thin. In this way, your tank is already detailed, but we will want more from ours I think. The rear deck of the tank is full of holes - well that is until you include the tools and attachments that sit on the rear of the tank. Once it is there you will need no glue, but I put some Tamiya super thin in there and squeezed the sides to eliminate the less than a 1mm gap that is presented. The front plate simply slots into the hull sides in a similar way to the rear hull. Here you go the gun in position on the front glacis plate. Instead of going aftermarket (I am thinking not everyone that has this kit can afford or thinks about brass hollowed barrels) I went for some modelling 'skill' and simply reamed out the end very carefully leaving a semi-hollow barrel that looked great. The top of the hull needs some attention next, with the front bow machine gun that before was a small plastic part with a fat, thick end that needed to be hollowed out. The hook is a separate parts, while the shackles are moulded into the sprue. The slightly textured surface detail on the rear is evident here. The rear hull simply slides into the socket like slot provided. I used a scalpel to notch away at the wheels and a pull saw to rub, rough and score these wheels in a non-uniform pattern. The rubber road wheels of this kit are pretty much covered by the tracks, but there is still an opportunity to weather them while still building the kit to show the insides of these wheels in a used and distressed state.

We are only looking at some slight clean up and 30 minutes of construction so far. Here it is all put together on the lower hull. This suspension doesn't need to be glued on - simply pushed on to the cross-shaped fittings to fit. The simple set up is seen here below - both on the hull and severely not yet added on below that. You COULD drill these all out, but the holes are not cylindrical, and they can be weathered in a way that they appear hollow so I will leave mine out.

The kit's instructions tell you to start at the suspension so who am I to argue? the wheels of the real thing are spoked, but the kit ones are simplified.

World war toons vr