Build Review of Bronco 1/35th Scale
Pz.Kpfw. MK.IV, 744 (E),(A13)
Kit no. 35030
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2009
Available at Kit Linx for $64.59 or at 1001 Hobbies for $66.99 or at 5 places, overseas on the web.
I got my kit given to me, when I was on the staff at Cybermodeler in 2010. The MSRP of the kit then was $75.95.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2009
Available at Kit Linx for $64.59 or at 1001 Hobbies for $66.99 or at 5 places, overseas on the web.
I got my kit given to me, when I was on the staff at Cybermodeler in 2010. The MSRP of the kit then was $75.95.
HISTORY:
The A-13, Cruiser Tank Mk. IV was the first of a long line of British Cruiser Tanks to use the American suspension, which allowed high cross-country speeds. Some of the first A-13 tanks were sent to France with the British Expeditionary Forces (BEF) in 1940 to defend against the German attack.
Unfortunately, the tanks were over-run before they got a chance to fight.
Though most tanks were destroyed by their crews, a few A-13’s were captured by the Germans and pressed into service as the Panzerkampfwagen 744(e). The Germans used some of these tanks in Russia, where they were fitted with Pz.Kpfw.HD tracks and other equipment.
Little information is available on their use, but photographs confirm use by the Pz.Abt.100 of the 18rh Panzer Division during the Barbarossa drive to Moscow.
The A-13, Cruiser Tank Mk. IV was the first of a long line of British Cruiser Tanks to use the American suspension, which allowed high cross-country speeds. Some of the first A-13 tanks were sent to France with the British Expeditionary Forces (BEF) in 1940 to defend against the German attack.
Unfortunately, the tanks were over-run before they got a chance to fight.
Though most tanks were destroyed by their crews, a few A-13’s were captured by the Germans and pressed into service as the Panzerkampfwagen 744(e). The Germans used some of these tanks in Russia, where they were fitted with Pz.Kpfw.HD tracks and other equipment.
Little information is available on their use, but photographs confirm use by the Pz.Abt.100 of the 18rh Panzer Division during the Barbarossa drive to Moscow.
THE KIT:
Bronco is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
The kit comes in a very blousy, shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. It is 4” too long and 4” too wide and my kit got very crushed over the years it was stored in a pile of kits in my basement.
The box art shows a Pz.Kpfw. Mk. IV on a dirt street, somewhere in Russia, by a cathedral behind a wood fence. The 5 domes on the cathedral’s roof are battle-damaged with the outer metal shell on the largest one gone.
The Mk. IV is overall Panzer-grey, with a white letter G on the left side of the front of the turret and a skeletal white German cross on the sides of the turret. It has a large wood beam, suspended by metal clasps on the rear deck.
Two crewmen are standing in the upper turret hatches. They both wear black Panzer uniforms with cloth side-caps. One crewman is wearing earphones. They are talking to a German infantryman standing beside the tank.
He is showing them a captured Russian steel helmet. He wears a field-grey uniform, steel helmet and his trousers bloused into high black jack-boots. He is armed with a Mauser 98K carbine in his right hand and has full field-gear on his belt.
Behind the Mk. IV there is another tank. I cannot identify it from what is illustrated. It may be German, as it is overall Panzer-grey with no markings shown.
One side-panel of the box says: INTRODUCTION, over a color illustration of the modern German flag, with a high quality decal for the kit. Followed by an illustration of the decal. However, being white on white, you cannot make out the marks on it. They are German crosses and numbers though.
Next are illustrations of the brass PE frets in the kit. There are 4 in the box, but the illustrations only show 3. The set with center pieces that go between the halves of the jerry cans was 2 of the sets.
Kit is suitable for ages 14 to adult, in multiple languages, including English. Copyright of the kit is 2007 and the material is PS plastic. Bronco’s street address, telephone number and web address in Hong Kong, China are provided.
Bronco is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
The kit comes in a very blousy, shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. It is 4” too long and 4” too wide and my kit got very crushed over the years it was stored in a pile of kits in my basement.
The box art shows a Pz.Kpfw. Mk. IV on a dirt street, somewhere in Russia, by a cathedral behind a wood fence. The 5 domes on the cathedral’s roof are battle-damaged with the outer metal shell on the largest one gone.
The Mk. IV is overall Panzer-grey, with a white letter G on the left side of the front of the turret and a skeletal white German cross on the sides of the turret. It has a large wood beam, suspended by metal clasps on the rear deck.
Two crewmen are standing in the upper turret hatches. They both wear black Panzer uniforms with cloth side-caps. One crewman is wearing earphones. They are talking to a German infantryman standing beside the tank.
He is showing them a captured Russian steel helmet. He wears a field-grey uniform, steel helmet and his trousers bloused into high black jack-boots. He is armed with a Mauser 98K carbine in his right hand and has full field-gear on his belt.
Behind the Mk. IV there is another tank. I cannot identify it from what is illustrated. It may be German, as it is overall Panzer-grey with no markings shown.
One side-panel of the box says: INTRODUCTION, over a color illustration of the modern German flag, with a high quality decal for the kit. Followed by an illustration of the decal. However, being white on white, you cannot make out the marks on it. They are German crosses and numbers though.
Next are illustrations of the brass PE frets in the kit. There are 4 in the box, but the illustrations only show 3. The set with center pieces that go between the halves of the jerry cans was 2 of the sets.
Kit is suitable for ages 14 to adult, in multiple languages, including English. Copyright of the kit is 2007 and the material is PS plastic. Bronco’s street address, telephone number and web address in Hong Kong, China are provided.
The other side-panel of the box shows a color 4 view of the Mk. IV. It is in the box art scheme, in overall German-grey, but it further shows a white number 144 on the sides of the turret support and the white division symbol, followed by the white letter G on the rear of the hull and two white skeletal German crosses on both sides of the back of the turret and hull.
It was with Pz.Abt. (Flamm) 100, 18th Pz. Division, Russian Winter, 1944.
It was with Pz.Abt. (Flamm) 100, 18th Pz. Division, Russian Winter, 1944.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet, printed in color on 16 pages of slick coated paper.
Page 1 begins with a color repeat of the box art, over the history of the Mk. IV in English, German and Chinese.
Page 2 begins with decal application instructions, over international assembly symbol explanations and a paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo, Humbrol and Tamiya brands of hobby paints and READ BEFORE ASSEMBLING instructions in the 3 languages. Printed in china and a repeat of the copyright as 2009.
Page 3 is the parts-trees illustrations.
Page 4 on through to page 15 gives a grand total of 21 assembly steps.
Page 16 is a painting and marking guide. It shows a 4-view of the Mk. IV in the scheme already described above on the side-panel of the box.
Page 1 begins with a color repeat of the box art, over the history of the Mk. IV in English, German and Chinese.
Page 2 begins with decal application instructions, over international assembly symbol explanations and a paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo, Humbrol and Tamiya brands of hobby paints and READ BEFORE ASSEMBLING instructions in the 3 languages. Printed in china and a repeat of the copyright as 2009.
Page 3 is the parts-trees illustrations.
Page 4 on through to page 15 gives a grand total of 21 assembly steps.
Page 16 is a painting and marking guide. It shows a 4-view of the Mk. IV in the scheme already described above on the side-panel of the box.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX;
This kit holds: 25 tan parts trees, 1 medium-grey tree, 4 brass PE frets and a length of white string. Nothing is cello bagged.
Trees are alphabetized.
Tan tree letter A is the hull tub part.
This kit holds: 25 tan parts trees, 1 medium-grey tree, 4 brass PE frets and a length of white string. Nothing is cello bagged.
Trees are alphabetized.
Tan tree letter A is the hull tub part.
Tan tree letter B is the hull top parts (3 parts)
There are 2 identical tan letter C trees. They hold: road-wheels, drive sprockets, idler wheels, return rollers etc. (53 parts ea.)
Tan letter D tree holds: engine air intakes, fenders etc. (34 parts)
Tan letter E tree holds hatch doors and lot of small parts (28 parts)
There is no letter F tree.
There is no letter F tree.
Clear letter G tree holds lenses (6 parts)
Tan letter H tree holds: turret parts and main gun etc. (48 parts)
There is no letter I trees.
There is no letter I trees.
Tan letter J tree holds the additional armor plates for the turret, gun mantlet, armor supports, etc. (73 parts)
Tan letter K tree holds more doors etc. (13 parts)
Tan letter L tree holds side skirt parts (2 parts)
There are 3 tan trees labeled as being letter M.
The first letter M tree holds: the main gun support, more doors etc. (18 parts)
The first letter M tree holds: the main gun support, more doors etc. (18 parts)
The second letter M tree holds jerry cans (82 parts)
There are two identical third letter M trees. They hold: tow hooks, more doors etc. (16 parts ea.)
Letter jumps to the 5 letter P, brass PE frets. Other than the 2 identical trees of jerry can centers, I wish to beg off naming other parts.
Letter jumps again to the 6 identical letter T trees. They hold individual track links. (45 ea.)
Grey letter W trees holds tiny butterfly shaped nuts (18 parts)
There are several loose parts that I still need to add to the model such as the jerry cans, hatch covers,exhaust boxes, etc.
The decal sheet completes the kit’s contents. There are no crew figures included.
I have built most of the turret and lower hull of the model.
Detail is extensive and great.
Recommended.
Recommended.