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M1114 FRAG 5 w/GPK Turret

Contents

The sturdy top flap opening box for this release is almost full (photo 2). The new sprue K (3, 4) holds the new doors and vehicle side panels, and also includes several unused parts including some weapons, a new turret ring and a rear panel with tie down straps, all suggesting another version is in the offing. Sprue A (5, 6) as before has most of the lower chassis parts, and now has the unused doors – although if you buy this kit, it has everything needed to make the first variant offered. Sprue B (7, 8) has the roof, turret ring and weapons, and now unused side panels. It also includes the now corrected rear right side panel without the air conditioner louvre, the sprue first being amended in kit TM-7202. Two identical sprues carry the wheels and seats (9); these wheels have proved quite complex to build, requiring some effort to eliminate all of the build joins and some gaps in the tread. That work on the wheels is described in detail in the build review referred to above, and will not be re-examined in this feature. The clear sprue (10) is identical to that provided in the other two kits, but this time we will be using the double door windows. The hood / bonnet is the same part as before (11). New sprue E x 2 (12) has the CREW devices, plus some other unused parts; note in the photo one of the items is broken, and I managed to break one of the CREW antenna when removing it from the sprue. As noted in a previous review, the plastic used is quite hard and a little brittle for long thin components. Sprue F (13, 14) is the same item available as part of T-Model’s Modern U.S. Military Equipment, A72001, but here the transparent sprue for the water bottles isn’t included. The metal parts from that kit are however included here on the etched sheet (15) which has been expanded even further from the enlarged sheet of the GPK kit.

The high quality colour instruction booklet (27-34) includes helpful insets showing alignments of some of the assemblies. The painting guide (28) still only suggests one scheme of US desert yellow. There’s a couple of minor typos in the Ammo colours listed, and the Tamiya colour of XF59 seems too dark, perhaps XF78 would be closer. The interior is not illustrated in the paint guide, although the ammo box is labelled as NATO green which could be correct for the interior (Ammo 084, rather than 081 as it is in the list).