Academy offers the Czech built 35(t) light tank in German use in a new mold kit. Here is how it builds up.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Good review Darren.

I struggled through the CMK version and will be building another one eventually, but not by CMK!!

I will await a build review of the forth coming Bronco kit before I decide which way to go.

Cheers
Warren

Good review and pretty clear as to what you get and what some of the issues are or will be.

A comment about color schemes for 35(t): Remember that this tank was produced before the Germans took over Czechoslovakia (noted in the review as the reason that there were in fact no spare parts available for tanks seconded to the Wehrmacht in 1939). The 35(t), unlike its fellow ex-Czech, the 38(t), did not continue in production under the Germans, and all German 35(t) were in fact originally issued to the Czech Army. These ex-Czech tanks were repainted upon adoption and experienced very small external equipment detail changes - swapping on Notek lights, moving tow-cables around, maybe changing one or 2 tool positions, and eventually adding on jerry-can racks and cans over time in service.

So (of course checking a couple of pictures for the paint scheme details and one or 2 fittings details) this kit and this subject are prime candidates for doing up as a pre-1939 Czech tank and paint scheme. Other viable non-German options include those which went to serve in the Slovak Army and examples seconded to some German allies.

In German use... as this vehicle was taken into Wehrmacht service and repainted in 1939 before the invasion of Poland, it seems very likely that most 35(t) went to Poland wearing the regulation brown over gray scheme, and marked with the solid white (or maybe solid yellow) crosses. As the survivors from Poland went on to the Blitz in 1940, I would expect that they remained mostly in that brown over gray livery, albeit markings and fittings-details changed. Many tanks used in the 1940 Blitz wore white air-recog panels across the rear decks, for example. And a scheme feature continued into 1941.

The all-dunkelgrau RAL 7021 scheme called for in the box-art and instructions-schemes only went into reg as of Aug 01 1940 - and, as these had been in service for over 2 years by then, I suspect that very few brown over gray 35(t) were repainted to all-gray until orders were passed directing units to do so, and the oft-cited "shortage of paint in 1940" would only apply to those repainted during the Blitz.
Of course, by 1941 and the Balkans and Barbarossa, all of the Blitz survivors were repainted to all-gray.

And I, too, am waiting to see what the announced Bronco effort will look like and cost. This Academy item sounds to be substantially better than the old CMK edition and is certainly proced right - thus it could be a candidate.

Thanks for doing and posting this review!

Bob

Darren, thanks for getting this up.

Warren and Bob, thanks for the comments. It would have been really nice if a paint guide had been included for the pre-war Czech tanks, and even better if masks had been included as was done with the Hetzer.

As for the Bronco kit, I am sure it will be great kit with loads of detail and parts, and I am also looking forward to the release. I think this kit is perfect for those who don't have the skill, patience or budget to fit Bronco's offering. For what I expect the price to be, you could still add an aftermarket detail set and pay less.

For those interested, J's Work has announced a mask set for the complex multi-color Czech camo scheme.

http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=JW-PPA5095

Thanks for posting that! Seems just the ticket to helping gen up the Czech scheme for this beastie!

Bob

Based on Darren's review, I picked this kit up at my LHS. What a pleasure it's been to build. I only wish Academy offered a finishing scheme in something other than panzer grau. Considering the possible Czech, Slovak, Romanian and Bulgarian markings they missed out on a great opportunity. Perhaps it will also be issued as the Romanian R-2, with its angled turret back plate (vs the curved one in German service)?

Hi Folks; first, Russ built and reviewed this model; Darren does great work, too, yet in this case he added Russ' review into the network. As for the model, I've waited 20 years for a good 35(t) and want one of these, esp. since learning of the other countries that used it.