AFV Club have opted to tap into a potential market for young modellers and the toy market with the release of two kit offerings aimed very firmly at these areas. Normally Armorama would not cover this type of product to any great extent, but as AFV Club has sent samples of these kits for review and as they may help to attract youngsters into the fold, these kits are worth taking a look at as gateway models. The first offering from AFV Club in this style is a Panzer IV D.
Contents
The model is packaged in the typical AFV Club packaging. The contents break down as follows;
3 grey sprues
1 black sprue
A decal sheet
A flywheel motor
An instruction booklet
Review
The mouldings supplied with this model are of the usual standards we have come to expect of AFV Club and so no issues to worry about here. The model is a caricature of a Panzer IV and not a scale model in any way, shape or form, but it is easily identified as a panzer IV due to the way the model has been approached.
Assembly of the model is snap fit, but I suspect some glue will be a good thing to use in certain areas of the model such as the lights. These models are easy kits to build as construction is complete in only six stages. AFV Club has included alternate parts that will allow youngsters to use their favourite figures with the model, the one that stands out to me is a mount for LEGO figures.
The model has been moulded in colours and that means a youngster would not have to paint it. Grey body with black tracks. The decals are water transfers and not self-adhesive offerings and so will introduce the youngster to this aspect of models. The flywheel motor should help to maintain a youngster’s interest in the model.
Conclusion
This kit of the Panzer IV is not aimed at the serious modeller in any way, but if you have a youngster that you want to get interested in models, this kit is a worthy offering to give though too.
SUMMARY
Darren Baker takes a look at the AFV Club offering of a Panzer IV caricature. this is aimed at introducing children to the hobby and as a toy.
Our Thanks to AFV Club! This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us.
About Darren Baker (CMOT) FROM: ENGLAND - SOUTH WEST, UNITED KINGDOM
I have been building model kits since the early 70’s starting with Airfix kits of mostly aircraft, then progressing to the point I am at now building predominantly armour kits from all countries and time periods. Living in the middle of Salisbury plain since the 70’s, I have had lots of opportunitie...
It's nice to see a model company producing something aimed at kids. Hopefully, it will be priced for kids also. Not too many kids can afford kits priced between $50 and $70.
Sorry, I'am just not a fan of this type of marketing ploy, they could do a better job of relating to younger modellors. But its a start, like any new direction there will be plus and minus marketing till they find out what attracts the younger kids.
No, I certainly wouldn't write a review of a kid's model like this - next there'll be some idiot blogging a build of one of them!!
In fact I am looking with envy at the proper decals, and, to a slightly lesser extent, the flywheel motor in this one. My Meng Kids one just came with push along wheels and rubbishy stickers!
In all seriousness though, I honestly do think that kits like this can inspire children to get into building "proper" plastic kits. In fact, halfway through building my eggType99 I keep looking at reference photos and kits of the ZTZ-99 and wanting to build one of those next.
The fact is, the modelling experience is very similar, of course, to any other kit, especially if you get into fully painting it.
And let's be totally honest here - although some of "us" like to kid ourselves that we're somehow doing something serious, in reality we are just big kids building growed-up versions of what used to be regarded as "just" toys. As we are continually reminding ourselves, it's all about having fun. I think.
My daughter would love something like this. She is always wanting to join me at the bench and see what I am doing and has loved building snap-tite kits.
I think it looks cool . I want one . I've read somewhere that the next one of these from AFV will be a KV II , I want one of those as well . Now to convince my grand son to let me borrow some of his Lego figures for tank crew . I too wonder at the price , those Meng egg planes are going for about $25.00 at the LHS , IRC , maybe a bit high as a 1st time kit for kids ?
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