Jason Bobrowich takes a critical look at Trumpeter's new Canadian amphibian Grizzly AVGP.

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Thanks!

Nice review Jason, thanks.

As for this:
The biggest question now is can this be fixed.

Let's press gang JP into casting up a few dozen of Mark's MLM Grizzly turret.

I'm tempted to kit bash the Blast turret on to the Trump kit. I expect this kit to retail in the low $20's in a few months, at which price its worthwhile to use the Trump hull vice slicing the Italeri one provided by Blast.

Thanks Graeme,

I figured in the 5800+ words of the review it should cover everything that I could see in the kit.

Are you talking about the Best Value Models (BVM) / Azimut Grizzly conversion?

It would be great to just have the BVM turret.....a great opportunity for Azimut to get their act in gear and sell the turret by itself as an update for the Trumpeter kit...(as long as their shipping improves).

For that matter they already make the spare tire rack and the stowage bins for a late version Cougar conversion....they could easily market a "late" version Grizzly conversion too before Trumpeter's hits the shelves.

I wonder how the Husky is going to turn out?

ah yeah, that was a NDHQ moment, I meant BVM of course.

I'm pretty tempted to use my BVM Husky parts on the Trump kit as well.

Additional kit issue.

Sorry folks...this was an obvious visible mistake in the kit to me but I forgot to add it in the review to let other people know.

Do not use part B10. This is a curved part that the instructions show mounting on the forward engine grill. The part is a depression limiter that is ONLY fitted to the Cougar AVGP for the 76 mm gun and not required on the Grizzly.

Not sure it is a great solution. BVM Husky comes with many inaccuracies. I'll wait for Trumpy one before making your final decision.

Olivier

Here is a little to add, from a review that I did back in Nov for another site:

After looking at the turret, it looks from the angels that is is backwards. After compairing two other turrets from other companies, the trump turret doesn't have the right angles on the body and around the gun ports.

(After compairing three different turrets from MapleLeaf Models and Best value Models, have found that the kit turret , will need to be replaced.)

The front a-frames have what looks like a small bullet. It is designed as a bumper for the a-frame from hitting the ground hard, should be bigger shaped like nose cone( parts A13 &A14) and is missing the steering stops, which would go in front of part A19. They look like small bolts welded onto the hull. Also missing is the hook up for the windshield electrical connection, which would be just left of the drivers hatch.

The differentials are missing the shift cylinders, for taking the Grizz from 4x4 to 6x6.Mounted on the rightside.

Parts A26,38,39 should be hollow , as they are u shaped plates to protect the vent and brake lines.

Parts C7 the mirrors should be more rounded at the corners and facesideways not up and down as they are in the instructions.

To make a Grizzly as the decals that are given, fill in hole for part H13 , the land line connector for field phones, and the 2 holes just to the left for the late version communications box parts H24,25. These parts would be fine for a Grizzly post 2000, when the new comms kit was added.

By the rear air sentry hatchs, there should be mounts and brackets for pioneer tools that are missing.

On the door, do not mount part B19,B6 shovel, would have been mounted on top of hull.

Jerry cans, show water type cans. stowage diagrams place them insides as dirt would get inside, should have been fuel type.

Parts H3,H4 the .50cal & 7.62mm barrles will need to be replaced with after market ones that look the part.Turret is missing continious footmans loops to secure kit and stowage, around the top edge and bottom edge of the (backwards ) turret. Also, missing rear attachment points for dis mounted tripods for the turret guns.


Missing the part in the instructions on how to put the turret together, after part 12.....? Also, how to build the spot light and add the box's & grenade lauchers on the turret....

The hull side episcopes will need to be shaved down a bit, they stick out a little to much and they might be off in position on the hull.

The engine grills are to high, will need to sand them down.Also, they look to be in the wrong spot.

Part B10, will not be used, as it was for the Cougar AVGP.

Missing licence plate mounting bolts on the front hull right side and right rear.

Antennas way to short , wrong looking AMU's.

The tire are directional and should have the treads faceing forwards, page 15 bottom diagram the tires tread should face the other direction.The whel hubs, for an early version should have a nex nut for a check plug, which was replaced by a sight glass around 1989.

Markings:

Wrong coloured reference, should be three tone camoflage of olive green, olive drab green & flat black for the timeframe given for the kit .

The coloured reference used in the instructions are the same given for thier AVGP Cougar kit, which is taken from a gate guard monument.

Here is a walkaround of a Late version:

http://s87.photobucket.com/albums/k130/ldshrecceboy/AVGP/

I have spent enough time on this type of vehicle over the years, and if anyone is building one, drop me a e-mail and will point them out in the right direction with thier build.

Anthony

Yup, good stuff...covered all those major points in the review, thanks!

As I mentioned in the review regarding the cam pattern...I as able to obtain a bunch of DND images of the Grizzly and there were in service vehicles that were painted in just green and black and not the three colour pattern...and they were not gate guards...so, the scheme in the kit is not to technical specs but not totally inaccurate.

I had included this edited image for the review but for some reason it was not available at the time of publishing.

This shows the placement and number of continuous loop tie downs that should be on all Grizzly turrets...

Jason, your pic is great, and it gave me an idea for reviews. I like that its so thorough, but I'm wondering if a couple pics showing on a built model (either yours or the one in the pic) might help those less familiar with teh Grizz.

Like, draw a red X through the TCCC boxes on the side, and the Cougar gun shield - that sort of thing. What do you think?

I think that is a great idea but sometimes it is a trade off between taking the time to write an in depth review that includes how to correct part or accuracy issues and not simply stating what is right or wrong with the kit and then on top of that conducting a full build of the kit.

But....if images are already existing of the completed kit this makes it much easier.....like this....

I'm just happy that more Canadian-theme AFVs are being offered.