In Box Review of Bronco 1/35th Scale
French Hotchkiss Light Tank H-38-39
Kit no. 35019
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2008
I got my kit back in September of 2008, from Mike Benolkin, head editor of Cybermodeler, when I was on the staff there then. The kit cost $54.98 at that time.
The kit is available at Kit Linx for $35.40 and at 10 locations overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2008
I got my kit back in September of 2008, from Mike Benolkin, head editor of Cybermodeler, when I was on the staff there then. The kit cost $54.98 at that time.
The kit is available at Kit Linx for $35.40 and at 10 locations overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
Hotchkiss began the production of light tanks in 1935, when the hull was built to the same specifications as the Renault R-35. The H-35 was faster than its rival and was considered all-around a better tank.
In 1938, the design was improved by thicker armor and a more powerful 120hp engine, which necessitated changes to the rear hull and engine compartment. This model being designated the H-38 by Hotchkiss, but was often known in service as the H-39.
Armor on the H-38/39 was up to 40mm thick and the tank was initially armed with a 37mm short barreled gun. A larger barreled SA38 gun was mounted to later production tanks. Like all French tanks of the period, the H-39 was hampered by a lack of communications , and also by having only a 2-man crew. The German Army salvaged 821 Hotchkiss tanks in 1940, after France capitulated. Some tanks were sent to Russia in 1941, but the majority were modified into gun tractors, ammunition or weapons carriers.
Hotchkiss began the production of light tanks in 1935, when the hull was built to the same specifications as the Renault R-35. The H-35 was faster than its rival and was considered all-around a better tank.
In 1938, the design was improved by thicker armor and a more powerful 120hp engine, which necessitated changes to the rear hull and engine compartment. This model being designated the H-38 by Hotchkiss, but was often known in service as the H-39.
Armor on the H-38/39 was up to 40mm thick and the tank was initially armed with a 37mm short barreled gun. A larger barreled SA38 gun was mounted to later production tanks. Like all French tanks of the period, the H-39 was hampered by a lack of communications , and also by having only a 2-man crew. The German Army salvaged 821 Hotchkiss tanks in 1940, after France capitulated. Some tanks were sent to Russia in 1941, but the majority were modified into gun tractors, ammunition or weapons carriers.
THE KIT:
Bronco is an old prolific plastic model manufacturer based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a H-38/39 moving down a cobblestone street, with civilians on the sidewalk cheering the tank on,
The tank is in a wave-pattern camouflage of olive-green and red-brown. It has a large white no. 20 on the sides of the turret and white “ Le Leopard” on the side of the hull. A driver is looking out the forward hatch. A second crewman is standing on the rear deck. Both are dressed in black leather uniforms and leather helmets. A second H-38/39 is coming behind the tank in the lead. It is in the same scheme.
On the lower left corner of the box art, it says: CAUTION, The kit contains small parts for one complete model. Suitable for ages over 12. NOTE-Paint and cement are not included. Actual model may vary from the boxart.
One side-panel of the box shows color illustrations of features of the kit: High quality Cartograph brand decals, a brass PE fret, springs, brass gun barrel & chains. Followed by Bronco’s street, E-mail and web address in Hong Kong, China and the copyright of the kit as 2008.
Bronco is an old prolific plastic model manufacturer based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a H-38/39 moving down a cobblestone street, with civilians on the sidewalk cheering the tank on,
The tank is in a wave-pattern camouflage of olive-green and red-brown. It has a large white no. 20 on the sides of the turret and white “ Le Leopard” on the side of the hull. A driver is looking out the forward hatch. A second crewman is standing on the rear deck. Both are dressed in black leather uniforms and leather helmets. A second H-38/39 is coming behind the tank in the lead. It is in the same scheme.
On the lower left corner of the box art, it says: CAUTION, The kit contains small parts for one complete model. Suitable for ages over 12. NOTE-Paint and cement are not included. Actual model may vary from the boxart.
One side-panel of the box shows color illustrations of features of the kit: High quality Cartograph brand decals, a brass PE fret, springs, brass gun barrel & chains. Followed by Bronco’s street, E-mail and web address in Hong Kong, China and the copyright of the kit as 2008.
The other side panel shows two 2-view color profiles. One is of a H-39 with the linger barrel main gun and the other is of a H-38 with the short barreled gun. Plastic model is for adult collectors only.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX;
The kit holds 4 medium-grey parts trees, 2 jet black trees, a brass main gun barrel, metal springs and length of chain, decal sheet and a brass PE fret. Only the PE fret is bagged in a zip-locked bag. Nothing else is cello bagged.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet, printed in color, on 12 pages, in 8 ¼” x 11 ½” page format.
Page 1 begins with a color repeat of the box art, over the history of the H-28/39 in English, German and Chinese.
Page 2 begins with decal application instructions, international assembly symbol explanations and a listing of Gunze Sangyo, Hobby Color, Humbrol and Tamiya brands of hobby paints and READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, in the three languages.
Page 3 is the parts-trees illustrations.
Trees are alphabetized.
Page 3 through to page 10 gives a grand total of 14 assembly steps.
Pages 11 & 12 are color and marking guides. Each page shows three color 3-view profiles.
The first profiles are of a H-38, with a short barrel. It is overall olive-green, It has white “L’Impossible” on the sides of its turret. It was as it appeared in France in 1940.
The 2nd profiles are of a H-39, with a long barrel. It is in overall German grey. If has a white no,. 133 on its turret sides and a skeletal white German cross on the sides of its hull. It was with an unknown German Army unit.
The 3rd profiles are with another H-38. It is in a wave pattern of olive-green and red-brown, with a large white no, 86 on the sides and rear of the turret. It was with 2e Cuirassiers, Fance, May 1940.
The 1st profiles on page 12 shows a H-38 in the box art scheme (already described above). It further shows the large white no. 20 also on the turret rear. It was with the 1st Cuirassiers, France, April 1940.
The 2nd profiles shows a H-39. It is in the wave-pattern camouflage of olive-green and red-brown. It has a French roundel on the sides of the turret and blue images of the ace of spades, diamonds, hearts and clubs on the back of its turret. It was with 1re ou 2e DLM ni des BCC, France 1940.
The 3rd (and last) profile shows a H-39 that is overall white. It has a black German cross on the sides of its hull. It was in service with the German Army in Norway, 1941.
Medium-grey letter A1 tree holds: road wheels, suspensions, idler wheels, drive sprockets, final transfer covers, motor parts etc. (90 parts)
The kit holds 4 medium-grey parts trees, 2 jet black trees, a brass main gun barrel, metal springs and length of chain, decal sheet and a brass PE fret. Only the PE fret is bagged in a zip-locked bag. Nothing else is cello bagged.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet, printed in color, on 12 pages, in 8 ¼” x 11 ½” page format.
Page 1 begins with a color repeat of the box art, over the history of the H-28/39 in English, German and Chinese.
Page 2 begins with decal application instructions, international assembly symbol explanations and a listing of Gunze Sangyo, Hobby Color, Humbrol and Tamiya brands of hobby paints and READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, in the three languages.
Page 3 is the parts-trees illustrations.
Trees are alphabetized.
Page 3 through to page 10 gives a grand total of 14 assembly steps.
Pages 11 & 12 are color and marking guides. Each page shows three color 3-view profiles.
The first profiles are of a H-38, with a short barrel. It is overall olive-green, It has white “L’Impossible” on the sides of its turret. It was as it appeared in France in 1940.
The 2nd profiles are of a H-39, with a long barrel. It is in overall German grey. If has a white no,. 133 on its turret sides and a skeletal white German cross on the sides of its hull. It was with an unknown German Army unit.
The 3rd profiles are with another H-38. It is in a wave pattern of olive-green and red-brown, with a large white no, 86 on the sides and rear of the turret. It was with 2e Cuirassiers, Fance, May 1940.
The 1st profiles on page 12 shows a H-38 in the box art scheme (already described above). It further shows the large white no. 20 also on the turret rear. It was with the 1st Cuirassiers, France, April 1940.
The 2nd profiles shows a H-39. It is in the wave-pattern camouflage of olive-green and red-brown. It has a French roundel on the sides of the turret and blue images of the ace of spades, diamonds, hearts and clubs on the back of its turret. It was with 1re ou 2e DLM ni des BCC, France 1940.
The 3rd (and last) profile shows a H-39 that is overall white. It has a black German cross on the sides of its hull. It was in service with the German Army in Norway, 1941.
Medium-grey letter A1 tree holds: road wheels, suspensions, idler wheels, drive sprockets, final transfer covers, motor parts etc. (90 parts)
Medium-grey letter B tree holds: turret and hull parts etc. (75 parts) Three parts are shaded out in the parts trees illustrations as being excess and not needed to complete the model.
Medium-grey letter C tree holds: front and rear hull walls, fenders etc, (16 parts) Five trees are excess.
Lettering jumps to the medium-grey letter H tree. It holds the H-38 short barreled gun parts etc. (14 parts)
There are 2 identical black trees that are also labeled as letter C. They hold individual track links. (132 parts ea.)
The one piece lower hull is the last of the injection molded parts.
Next is the brass PE fret which contains the skid plate chains, belts, etc. There are 38 parts on it.
Next are parts M & N, the brass gun barrel and a length of chain and springs part G.
The decal sheet completes the kit contents.
There are no crew figures included in the kit. With 2 shown on the box art,
Bronco should have included them in the kit. Bad move!
Great detail.
Recommended.
Bronco should have included them in the kit. Bad move!
Great detail.
Recommended.