In Box Review of Mini Art 1/35th Scale
French Tank Crew
WWII Military Miniatures Series Kit no. 35105
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2011
Available at Hobby Linc for $14.69 or at Mega Hobby for $16.19 or at 1001 Hobbies for $20.99 or at Kit Linx for $14.39 or at Sprue Brothers for $12.99 and at PM Store for $16.99. I got this kit as a gift from Cyber Modeler site, when I was on the staff there years ago. It was valued at $20.95 then.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2011
Available at Hobby Linc for $14.69 or at Mega Hobby for $16.19 or at 1001 Hobbies for $20.99 or at Kit Linx for $14.39 or at Sprue Brothers for $12.99 and at PM Store for $16.99. I got this kit as a gift from Cyber Modeler site, when I was on the staff there years ago. It was valued at $20.95 then.
THE KIT:
Mini Art is an old prolific model company based in the Ukraine. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
The kit comes in a shrink-wrapped, blousy end-opening type box. The box is 3 ½” too long.
The box art shows a color illustration of 5 French Tank crew-men. Posed against an all-white background, similar to how Tamiya also does the majority of their box arts.
Reading left to right: the first man is sitting on the rear turret door of a tank. He wears a grey steel helmet with a pair of goggles strung around it, a yellow scarf, dark-grey jacket and khaki pants.
The second man to the right is sitting on the ground leaning on his right hand. He wears a khaki shirt and pants, black shoes and beret.
The third man to the right is an officer. He is standing. He wears an officer’s grey hat with a black band and bill, a yellow scarf, a black leather jacket and gloves, khaki jodhpur pants tucked at the bottom into black socks over black shoes. He has a swagger stick in his right hand.
The fourth man is back to the left. He is standing, he is wearing a black leather helmet and jacket, a belt with a pistol holster and a tan canvas pouch on it. Khaki trousers over black shoes. He is adjusting the strap on his leather helmet with both hands.
The fifth man is last and to the right again. He is standing, bare-headed with dark-brown hair, all-khaki uniform and brown shoes. He has his arms folded.
One side-panel of the box says: Unassembled plastic model kit. This kit contains 45 parts. Box contains models of 5 figures. For modelers aged 14 and over. Not suitable for children under 3 years, because of small parts. Paint and glue not included. Said in Yugoslavian, Ukrainian and English. With color illustrations of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
Mini Art is an old prolific model company based in the Ukraine. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
The kit comes in a shrink-wrapped, blousy end-opening type box. The box is 3 ½” too long.
The box art shows a color illustration of 5 French Tank crew-men. Posed against an all-white background, similar to how Tamiya also does the majority of their box arts.
Reading left to right: the first man is sitting on the rear turret door of a tank. He wears a grey steel helmet with a pair of goggles strung around it, a yellow scarf, dark-grey jacket and khaki pants.
The second man to the right is sitting on the ground leaning on his right hand. He wears a khaki shirt and pants, black shoes and beret.
The third man to the right is an officer. He is standing. He wears an officer’s grey hat with a black band and bill, a yellow scarf, a black leather jacket and gloves, khaki jodhpur pants tucked at the bottom into black socks over black shoes. He has a swagger stick in his right hand.
The fourth man is back to the left. He is standing, he is wearing a black leather helmet and jacket, a belt with a pistol holster and a tan canvas pouch on it. Khaki trousers over black shoes. He is adjusting the strap on his leather helmet with both hands.
The fifth man is last and to the right again. He is standing, bare-headed with dark-brown hair, all-khaki uniform and brown shoes. He has his arms folded.
One side-panel of the box says: Unassembled plastic model kit. This kit contains 45 parts. Box contains models of 5 figures. For modelers aged 14 and over. Not suitable for children under 3 years, because of small parts. Paint and glue not included. Said in Yugoslavian, Ukrainian and English. With color illustrations of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
The other side-panel of the box shows 2 color box arts of other figure kits that Mini Art manufactures: Kit no. 35128, Japanese Tank Crew and Kit no. 35126, U.S. Tank Crew. Followed by: Not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts. For modelers aged 14 and over. In multiple languages, including English.
Copyright 2011. Mini Art’s street address in the Ukraine is provided and the kit was made there.
Copyright 2011. Mini Art’s street address in the Ukraine is provided and the kit was made there.
he bottom of the box serves as the assembly and painting instructions. It repeats the box art illustrations of the 5 figures. Over a suggested paint color listing of Vallejo, Testor, Tamiya, Humbrol, Revell and Mr. Color brands of hobby paints.
One end of the box has a yellow sticky label with white printing on it. It says that Model Rectifier is the U.S. importer and distributor of Mini Art kits of the Ukraine.
One end of the box has a yellow sticky label with white printing on it. It says that Model Rectifier is the U.S. importer and distributor of Mini Art kits of the Ukraine.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 2 medium-grey parts trees in a single sealed clear cello bag.
Trees are not alphabetized and do not have part number tabs next to the parts on them. Strange, because the illustrations on the box bottom have the figures alphabetized and parts numbered. Bad move Mini Art! This means very careful study of the parts to get the right ones for each assembly of the figures. For age 14 years and up.
The first medium-grey tree holds parts of 2 figures. One of them must be the officer, as his hat and swagger stick are on this tree. Figures are divided into separate heads, torsos, arms and legs, with the officer’s jacket bottoms, leather helmet, officer’s hat, 2 pistols in holsters etc. (23 parts)
The kit contains 2 medium-grey parts trees in a single sealed clear cello bag.
Trees are not alphabetized and do not have part number tabs next to the parts on them. Strange, because the illustrations on the box bottom have the figures alphabetized and parts numbered. Bad move Mini Art! This means very careful study of the parts to get the right ones for each assembly of the figures. For age 14 years and up.
The first medium-grey tree holds parts of 2 figures. One of them must be the officer, as his hat and swagger stick are on this tree. Figures are divided into separate heads, torsos, arms and legs, with the officer’s jacket bottoms, leather helmet, officer’s hat, 2 pistols in holsters etc. (23 parts)
The second medium-grey tree holds the parts of the remaining 3 figures. Divided also into separate heads, torsos, arms and legs, helmet. Beret, pistol in holster etc. (23 parts)
Nice detail.
Recommended.
Recommended.