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Panzerhaubitze 2000 build

Step 22 is another area where you tackle photo etched parts, these being for the turret stowage basket and turret air intake. I am building this as a German version and so the smaller of the two front baskets is used; the assembly and attachment of this basket has been well thought out by Meng. I did deviate from the instructions in one respect, in that I assembled the three piece plastic frame then attached it to the turret prior to adding the photo etched parts. On the subject of etched parts, make sure you place the end pieces on the correct end as they are of a different size. The machine gun station has again been well thought out, with a choice of a full or split ring, and the parts all go together very well and with a good fit.

Step 23 sees the model completed with the attachment of the turret to the hull. The only other thing you need to do is add the photo etched shield above the gun; the bending of the photo etch is not clearly explained and requires some study and thought to tackle.

Final Note

There are a lot of handles on this vehicle moulded on as solid parts that some may wish to replace with metal wire. This is perhaps the only major complaint that most will have with this model, other than the need to clean up ejector pin marks in order to make parts seat correctly.

Painting I used Tamiya’s NATO Green, Brown and Black (XF-67, -68, -69) for the camouflage scheme. The images that I balanced in Photoshop made the brown look almost a rust red colour; because of this I have included some unbalanced images which provide a better idea of the actual colour. The detail painting and tracks are a combination of Vallejo and Tamiya paints, none of the paintwork has been sealed in these images and weathering is also something I will cover in a later feature.

Conclusion

This model from Meng is an impressive build despite having a few issues. I was surprised at the number of hidden ejector pin marks that had to be cleaned up in order to make parts locate correctly. There was only one error I found in the instructions which will easily picked up by anyone with minimal reference, something of a plus when you consider the number of parts in the kit. I was impressed by the glueless plastic tracks, which, provided they are not treated roughly, hold together fairly well. I would have liked to have seen Meng provide chains on the photo etch frets for securing the smoke launcher caps, which due to their small size are really the only detail missing. With the option of five finishes you will need to be on your toes in some steps to make sure you use the correct parts, and also to remove detail where necessary. It is worth making your decision at a very early stage regarding which version you intend to build, then removing all detail not needed from the off; I say this because there is a good deal of potential for the optional differences to throw you off track. I do highly recommend this model to you and if you need proof of that I have been out and bought another kit in order to build a Greek version.