In Box Review of Monogram 1/35th Scale
U.S. M29C Land & Water Vehicle
Armor Series Kit no. 8212-0125
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1966
Out of production
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1966
Out of production
HISTORY:
The M29 Weasel was a World War II tracked vehicle designed for operation in snow. Built by Studebaker, Weasels were also used in sandy, muddy, and desert terrains, including towing loads over terrain wheeled vehicles could not negotiate as in the US Marine invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Standard M29s were semi-amphibious, but with a very low freeboard. A M29C Water Weasel version was produced with fore and aft buoyancy cells and twin rudders. Capable of operating in inland waterways, it however also saw limited action in surf conditions in the Pacific Theatre.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Tracked vehicle
Place of origin: United States
Mass: 3,800 lb (1,700 kg) dry
Length: 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m)
Width: 5 ft (1.5 m), later 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Height: 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m), 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) to top of windscreen
Crew: 4
Engine: Studebaker Model 6-170 Champion 6-cylinder of 70 hp (52 kW)
Suspension: Tracked
Operational range: 165 mi (266 km)
Maximum speed: 36 mph (58 km/h)
The M29 Weasel was a World War II tracked vehicle designed for operation in snow. Built by Studebaker, Weasels were also used in sandy, muddy, and desert terrains, including towing loads over terrain wheeled vehicles could not negotiate as in the US Marine invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Standard M29s were semi-amphibious, but with a very low freeboard. A M29C Water Weasel version was produced with fore and aft buoyancy cells and twin rudders. Capable of operating in inland waterways, it however also saw limited action in surf conditions in the Pacific Theatre.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Tracked vehicle
Place of origin: United States
Mass: 3,800 lb (1,700 kg) dry
Length: 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m)
Width: 5 ft (1.5 m), later 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Height: 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m), 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) to top of windscreen
Crew: 4
Engine: Studebaker Model 6-170 Champion 6-cylinder of 70 hp (52 kW)
Suspension: Tracked
Operational range: 165 mi (266 km)
Maximum speed: 36 mph (58 km/h)
THE KIT:
Monogram is an old prolific model company based in Morton Grove, Ill and associated with Mattel Co.
They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows an M29C “Weasel” as a color photo of the model made up and posed on a land base. It is against an all-white background, similar to how Tamiya brand does the majority of their box arts.
The Weasel is overall olive-drab, with a heavy cover of dirt. It has a white star on the end of the sides of the hull and a white serial no. U.S.A. 49108040 the center of the sides of the hull.
A driver in the front and a radio operator in the rear are shown. Both wear khaki uniforms. The driver wears a steel helmet. The radio operator is bare-headed and wearing ear-phones. His helmet is in front of him lying next to a rifle.
One side panel shows the model made up into a diorama of it moving up a river bank out of the water. Mattel’s logo is shown.
Monogram is an old prolific model company based in Morton Grove, Ill and associated with Mattel Co.
They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows an M29C “Weasel” as a color photo of the model made up and posed on a land base. It is against an all-white background, similar to how Tamiya brand does the majority of their box arts.
The Weasel is overall olive-drab, with a heavy cover of dirt. It has a white star on the end of the sides of the hull and a white serial no. U.S.A. 49108040 the center of the sides of the hull.
A driver in the front and a radio operator in the rear are shown. Both wear khaki uniforms. The driver wears a steel helmet. The radio operator is bare-headed and wearing ear-phones. His helmet is in front of him lying next to a rifle.
One side panel shows the model made up into a diorama of it moving up a river bank out of the water. Mattel’s logo is shown.
The other side panel says: The M29C amphibious transport, with its independently driven crawler tracks, was designed to travel on land or water. This model has a hinged windshield, moveable rudders and 5 figures.
Monogram’s street address in Morton Grove, Ill is provided, over the copyright of the kit as 1966.
To the right is another photo of the model made up in a diorama of it sitting ashore. It has another figure in the back seat of an infantry-man aiming his rifle.
Monogram’s street address in Morton Grove, Ill is provided, over the copyright of the kit as 1966.
To the right is another photo of the model made up in a diorama of it sitting ashore. It has another figure in the back seat of an infantry-man aiming his rifle.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 3 trees of dark olive-drab parts, 4 dark olive-drab figures, a die-cut clear sheet of windshield glass, black vinyl tracks and the decal sheet. Part trees are not cello bagged.
There are 2 instruction sheets and an application form to use to join Monogram’s Science Program and get a Red Baron car model for 10 cents. A real bargain back then.
The main instructions is a single sheet, that is folded in the center to create 4 pages in 8 ½” x 11” page format, folded twice to fit the box.
Page1 has a black and white repeat of the cover art at the top, over the history of the M29C Weasel and READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions.
Monogram’s street address in Morton Grove, Ill and the copyright date of 1966 are repeated, over Made in USA.
Page 2 begins with an exploded drawing of all the kit parts with their names beside them.
The bottom of page 2 through to the top of page 4 gives a grand total of 14 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 4 has a small illustration of the weasel with the 4 figures around it. Below that is painting and marking instructions, showing a 4 view of the M29C Weasel in the box art scheme. It further shows a large white star on its nose and on top. On the sides of its bow there is a small white instructions that say “Put in drain plugs before attempting to float”, followed by a white illustration of a Weasel going face down in water over “GLUG GLUG”.
The second set of instructions has TIPS ON BUILDING DIORAMAS.
It is a single-sheet, printed on both sides, the same format size as the main instructions and folded twice to fit the box. It shows 4 black and white photos of the model made up in a diorama of it coming ashore out of a river, how to add more equipment, weather the model, converting and painting the figures etc.
Last is the sheet to join Monogram’s Science Program and get the Red Baron car model for a dime. It is a single sheet printed on both sides on heavy paper in 7” x 10” format, folded once to fit the box.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees,
The first dark olive-drab tree holds: 4 tubes and springs, roller wheels, floor, rudder, transmitter (23 parts)
The kit holds 3 trees of dark olive-drab parts, 4 dark olive-drab figures, a die-cut clear sheet of windshield glass, black vinyl tracks and the decal sheet. Part trees are not cello bagged.
There are 2 instruction sheets and an application form to use to join Monogram’s Science Program and get a Red Baron car model for 10 cents. A real bargain back then.
The main instructions is a single sheet, that is folded in the center to create 4 pages in 8 ½” x 11” page format, folded twice to fit the box.
Page1 has a black and white repeat of the cover art at the top, over the history of the M29C Weasel and READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions.
Monogram’s street address in Morton Grove, Ill and the copyright date of 1966 are repeated, over Made in USA.
Page 2 begins with an exploded drawing of all the kit parts with their names beside them.
The bottom of page 2 through to the top of page 4 gives a grand total of 14 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 4 has a small illustration of the weasel with the 4 figures around it. Below that is painting and marking instructions, showing a 4 view of the M29C Weasel in the box art scheme. It further shows a large white star on its nose and on top. On the sides of its bow there is a small white instructions that say “Put in drain plugs before attempting to float”, followed by a white illustration of a Weasel going face down in water over “GLUG GLUG”.
The second set of instructions has TIPS ON BUILDING DIORAMAS.
It is a single-sheet, printed on both sides, the same format size as the main instructions and folded twice to fit the box. It shows 4 black and white photos of the model made up in a diorama of it coming ashore out of a river, how to add more equipment, weather the model, converting and painting the figures etc.
Last is the sheet to join Monogram’s Science Program and get the Red Baron car model for a dime. It is a single sheet printed on both sides on heavy paper in 7” x 10” format, folded once to fit the box.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees,
The first dark olive-drab tree holds: 4 tubes and springs, roller wheels, floor, rudder, transmitter (23 parts)
The second dark olive-drab tree holds: the hull halves, side rails, forward bulkhead, bow roof, radio, head-lights driver figure etc. (12 parts)
The third dark olive-drab tree holds: the other rudder, seat backs, engine cover, muffler guard, bogies, antenna, windshield frame etc. (21 parts)
The 4 dark-olive drab figures are molded solid and not in separate parts. There is the seated radio-operator figure, two standing infantry-men, one with a rifle and one with a Thompson sub-machine-gun. the 4th man is kneeling on his right knee and firing his rifle.
Next is the die cut clear sheet of the windshield.
There are 2 runs of black vinyl tracks.
The decal sheet completes the kit's contents.
Detail is okay, but the figures should have been molded with separate parts.
Otherwise recommended.