Introduction:

Ever since Italeri released their 1/35 scale model of Lince LMV, I knew I had to have it. Lince LMV has an ample of that 4x4 light armored vehicle “cool factor” I like so much, and the fact the kit includes decals to depict Croatian Army vehicle from EUFOR mission in Chad was an added bonus for me. After receiving the model, I realized it provides a good representation of the real vehicle but there was something that bugged me… the rubber wheels included in the kit were screaming to be replaced.

Replikant Technologies to the rescue. The company earned their fame with Humvee airless wheels, which were a true work of art (link to review), and when Replikant released a replacement wheel set for Italeri Lince LMV, I knew I found a solution to my problem.

Review:

The set is packed in a hard cardboard box, with 4 resin wheels secured in a zip-lock bag. Upon first inspection, the wheels look really good: the pieces are perfectly cast in grey resin and feature complex details wonderfully delivered in scale. The wheels are not attached to resin carrier blocks thus requiring no cleanup, a big plus in my book. Additionally, according to the leaflet included in the set, the wheels have been washed using ultrasonic cleaner to remove any remaining mold release agent or grease which could impair the painting process. So, after opening the box, the wheels are ready to use.

The set depicts Michelin 325/85R16 XML tire. The all-terrain radial XML tire is designed for tactical vehicles and has dimensions of 38.7 x 12.9 inches (984 x 327 mm) with the approved rim width of 9 inches. It features a specific non-directional tread with offset shoulder design. The tires in this set are accurately sized to 28 x 9.5 mm and have perfectly reproduced tread pattern, faithfully resembling the pattern I saw on the reference images. Also, the tires feature several inscriptions on their side, not just the large MICHELIN X label, but the tiny RADIAL and 325/85R16 XML inscriptions as well. Wow! Tires in this set are sagged; the sag is not pronounced and I feel it depicts a weight of the vehicle realistically. The elaborate bolt pattern on the rim is correctly delivered, with the small air valve stem as well as Central Tire Inflating System (CTIS) cap. The hub details feature another set of bolts with the center circular hub pattern extremely well defined too.

Testing the fit of these resin wheels to Italeri model revealed a perfect match. The axle (2B) fits well into the central inner hub opening, with the torsion bar (6B) easily inserted to another small opening in the inner hub. And that’s it!

Conclusion:

LMV Lince Sagged Wheels (350205) from Replikant Technologies contains 4 replacement wheels designed to fit Italeri’s 1/35 scale Lince model. The wheels are perfectly cast in resin, accurately scaled and feature load of tiny details. The tire tread pattern is nicely delivered and the wheel sag realistically reproduced. Moreover, the wheels are ready to use from the box and extremely easy to install on the Italeri model.

Big thanks to guys at Replikant Technologies for this review sample.