introduction

The arrival of modern warfare came not with the tank or the high-velocity gun or even the airplane.

It came with the introduction of the portable two-way radio.

No longer could the "fog of war" cause armies to grope about blindly or fumble away victory because of a breakdown in communications. And with the widespread usage of lightweight radios, armored columns gradually took over the modern battlefield, shifting forces to wherever they were needed, either for offense or defense.

The US Army used a wide variety of portable radios for communication, and now Ireland's LZ Models has released a small, but devilishly-detailed set of three types that will go perfectly in the jeep I have on my workbench or many US AFVs.

the kit

In a ziploc baggie you'll find

20 white & gray resin piecesets
a length of brass wire
1 small fret of 14 PE parts
2 sheets of decals

LZ kits always include a mini CD-ROM with instructions. The file can also be downloaded from their website.

the review

LZ Models has developed almost a cult following because of its insane levels of detailing, especially in its rail cars (reviewed here and here). This is the go-to company when you want detail, and unlike almost all other after-market companies, LZ kits contain everything you'll need, including wiring.

The set has three US radios:

SCR-506
SCR-508
SCR-510

My understanding of the three sets is the 506 was for communicating with support aircraft and base stations, the 508 was for vehicle-to-vehicle communication among tanks and other AFVs, while the 510 was for mounting in jeeps and other small vehicles, or even could be carried in a backpack mount.

The casting of the resin is superb, and the detailing should make any diorama or vehicle build that much more realistic. The set includes the MP-48 and MP-57 antenna mast bases, as well as two Phantom antennas. Microphones, connectors and hand sets are also part of the package. As stated above, there's no need for anything additional besides glue and paint.

The CD-ROM instructions allow LZ to include plenty of photos of actual radios and color illustrations showing how the units should be assembled. And for the geek in all of us, LZ includes wiring diagrams to make sure the peripherals all go together correctly.

conclusion

This kit is the kind of detail that can "make" a presentation, and I highly recommend it. Unlike many of LZ's other kits, it's relatively straightforward to build and isn't as complicated and full of "fiddly bits."

Thanks to LZ Models for this review sample. Be sure to say you saw it reviewed on Armorama when ordering.