In Box Review of Emhar 1/35th Scale
British Mk.IV "Female" WWI Heavy Tank
Kit no. EM4002
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Kit has a copyright date of 1991.
It is however available at 4 places overseas and at Mega Hobby for $50.99 and at Kit Linx for $45.59.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Kit has a copyright date of 1991.
It is however available at 4 places overseas and at Mega Hobby for $50.99 and at Kit Linx for $45.59.
HISTORY:
During the development of these vehicles they were referred to by the code name "water tanks", which was often shortened to "tank", meaning an armored fighting vehicle became part of the language.
The Mk.1 "Mother" prototype was followed by the MK. II and Mk. III, these were test and training vehicles. The Mk. IV was the first combat vehicle and was used in WWI, with one of the best known actions being the Battle of Cambrai on 20 November 1917.
The "Male" was so called because of the large side sponsons and 6 pounder cannons. The "Female" had smaller sponsons and machine gun armament. Both vehicles had a machine gun mounted in the driver's cupola initially. Lewis machine guns were used. However, Hotchkiss machine guns were introduced later in the war (1918).
Emhar's "Male" kit (EM4001) comes with Lewis guns while this "Female" kit (EM4002) has the Hotchkiss guns.
The Mk. IV has a fuel capacity of 70 gallons (318 litres), giving it a radius of action of some 35 miles (5.6 km). Top speed of was 3.7 mph (nearly 6 k/ph). The vehicle was powered by a 105 hp Daimler engine with a two speed gear box. A worm reduction gear was linked to the secondary gear boxes on the output shafts via a differential and the sprocket wheels were driven by a chain drive.
The track plates were cast steel riveted to hinged links. The vehicle was steered by use of secondary gears operated by two crewmen in the rear of the vehicle. The commander could also steer the tank by use of the brake levers. The Mk.IV carried a crew of eight men.
The Mk.IV differed from the earlier vehicles in that it used half inch (13 mm) armor plate, an external armored fuel tank, an "Autovac" fuel system (earlier vehicles used gravity feed) and an improved exhaust system. Unditching rails of varying designs were added to most Mk.IV's. A wooden beam was also carried which was attached to the tracks with chains and dragged under the tank to extricate it from mud when the vehicle became bogged down.
"Fascines", brushwood bundles (weighing over a ton), could be carried and dropped into trenches to help the vehicle cross them.
About 1300 Mk.IV's were built at a ratio of about two Females to every Male built. A number of vehicles were captured by the Germans who called them "Beutepanzer" (booty tanks). They were repainted in German markings and used (refitted with German armament) against the Allies. In fact, the Germans used more Mk.IV's than their own A7V.
SPECIFICATIONS OF "FEMALE:
Weight: 28 tons
Length: 26 ft 5 inchs. (8.05 m)
Overall width: 10 ft 6 inchs. (3.25 m)
Height: 8 ft 2 inchs. ( 2.49 m)
All measure are approximate.
Engine: Daimler in-line 6 cylinder, delivering 105 bhp at 1000 rpm.
Maximum speed: 3.7 mph (approx. 6 k/ph)
Fuel capacity: 70 gallons (318 liters)
Armament: 5 machine guns and maximum load of 30,080 rounds of ammunition.
During the development of these vehicles they were referred to by the code name "water tanks", which was often shortened to "tank", meaning an armored fighting vehicle became part of the language.
The Mk.1 "Mother" prototype was followed by the MK. II and Mk. III, these were test and training vehicles. The Mk. IV was the first combat vehicle and was used in WWI, with one of the best known actions being the Battle of Cambrai on 20 November 1917.
The "Male" was so called because of the large side sponsons and 6 pounder cannons. The "Female" had smaller sponsons and machine gun armament. Both vehicles had a machine gun mounted in the driver's cupola initially. Lewis machine guns were used. However, Hotchkiss machine guns were introduced later in the war (1918).
Emhar's "Male" kit (EM4001) comes with Lewis guns while this "Female" kit (EM4002) has the Hotchkiss guns.
The Mk. IV has a fuel capacity of 70 gallons (318 litres), giving it a radius of action of some 35 miles (5.6 km). Top speed of was 3.7 mph (nearly 6 k/ph). The vehicle was powered by a 105 hp Daimler engine with a two speed gear box. A worm reduction gear was linked to the secondary gear boxes on the output shafts via a differential and the sprocket wheels were driven by a chain drive.
The track plates were cast steel riveted to hinged links. The vehicle was steered by use of secondary gears operated by two crewmen in the rear of the vehicle. The commander could also steer the tank by use of the brake levers. The Mk.IV carried a crew of eight men.
The Mk.IV differed from the earlier vehicles in that it used half inch (13 mm) armor plate, an external armored fuel tank, an "Autovac" fuel system (earlier vehicles used gravity feed) and an improved exhaust system. Unditching rails of varying designs were added to most Mk.IV's. A wooden beam was also carried which was attached to the tracks with chains and dragged under the tank to extricate it from mud when the vehicle became bogged down.
"Fascines", brushwood bundles (weighing over a ton), could be carried and dropped into trenches to help the vehicle cross them.
About 1300 Mk.IV's were built at a ratio of about two Females to every Male built. A number of vehicles were captured by the Germans who called them "Beutepanzer" (booty tanks). They were repainted in German markings and used (refitted with German armament) against the Allies. In fact, the Germans used more Mk.IV's than their own A7V.
SPECIFICATIONS OF "FEMALE:
Weight: 28 tons
Length: 26 ft 5 inchs. (8.05 m)
Overall width: 10 ft 6 inchs. (3.25 m)
Height: 8 ft 2 inchs. ( 2.49 m)
All measure are approximate.
Engine: Daimler in-line 6 cylinder, delivering 105 bhp at 1000 rpm.
Maximum speed: 3.7 mph (approx. 6 k/ph)
Fuel capacity: 70 gallons (318 liters)
Armament: 5 machine guns and maximum load of 30,080 rounds of ammunition.
THE KIT:
Emhar was a model company based in the U.K. They went out of business.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Female in no-man's land. It is overall dark green with a white F 4 followed by four of hearts playing card symbol on the forward end of the hull sides.
One side panel has a small color profile of a Female in captured German markings. If is in a base of sand yellow with dark green and red-brown blotches. It has German crosses on each end of the sides of the hull. Between these crosses there is a white skull and cross-bones insignia and a white rectangle with black German wording "KoKampf No. 153 Abt-01", followed by the history of the tank.
Emhar was a model company based in the U.K. They went out of business.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Female in no-man's land. It is overall dark green with a white F 4 followed by four of hearts playing card symbol on the forward end of the hull sides.
One side panel has a small color profile of a Female in captured German markings. If is in a base of sand yellow with dark green and red-brown blotches. It has German crosses on each end of the sides of the hull. Between these crosses there is a white skull and cross-bones insignia and a white rectangle with black German wording "KoKampf No. 153 Abt-01", followed by the history of the tank.
The other side panel says the kit is not suitable for children under 3 years, specifications and contents subject to amendment, kit is for modelers age 8 to adult, paint and cement are not included. Followed by a small color repeat of the box art.
The bottom of the box has black and white line drawings of box arts of 9 other kits Emhar manufactured:
Kit no. EM4001, a FJ-4B Fury U.S. Navy jet fighter in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM1002, a Anatra Anasal DS WWI Russian biplane in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM2002, a Mig-3 WWII Russian fighter in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM2002, a LaGG-3 WWII Russian fighter in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM2003, a Yak-3 WWII Russian fighter in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM3001, a F3H-2 Demon U.S. Navy jet fighter in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM3002, a F3H-2N/2M Demon U.S. Navy jet fighter in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM4001, a Mk. IV "Male" WWI British heavy battle tank in 1/35th scale.
Kit no. EM4002 (this kit), a Mk. IV "Female" WWI British heavy battle tank in 1/35th scale.
Pocketbond Ltd. was the U.K. distributor for Emhar kits at the time the kit was released. Copyright date is given as 1991. Pocketbond's street address in London, England is provided and the kit was made in England.
Kit no. EM4001, a FJ-4B Fury U.S. Navy jet fighter in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM1002, a Anatra Anasal DS WWI Russian biplane in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM2002, a Mig-3 WWII Russian fighter in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM2002, a LaGG-3 WWII Russian fighter in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM2003, a Yak-3 WWII Russian fighter in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM3001, a F3H-2 Demon U.S. Navy jet fighter in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM3002, a F3H-2N/2M Demon U.S. Navy jet fighter in 1/72nd scale.
Kit no. EM4001, a Mk. IV "Male" WWI British heavy battle tank in 1/35th scale.
Kit no. EM4002 (this kit), a Mk. IV "Female" WWI British heavy battle tank in 1/35th scale.
Pocketbond Ltd. was the U.K. distributor for Emhar kits at the time the kit was released. Copyright date is given as 1991. Pocketbond's street address in London, England is provided and the kit was made in England.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 4 dark-gray trees, 2 black vinyl trees, the decal sheet and the instructions. Trees are not cello bagged, alphabetized, not illustrated in the instructions.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do, however, have part numbers molded into the back sides of parts that are not visible once the model is constructed, and part number tabs next to other parts on the trees.
This means extra work studying the assembly drawings to get the right parts.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet folded in the center to create 4 pages in 8 1/2" x 12" page format.
Page 1 has the history of the Female in German, French, English and Italian.
Pages 2 & 3 give a total of 11 assembly steps, over Pocketbond Ltd's street address in London, U.K. and the copyright date 1991 again.
Page 4 is the marking and painting instructions showing 4-views of 3 schemes and one scheme as a 3-view.
Colors: There is a debate about the color used to paint these tanks. One box illustration shows a mud spattered olive-drab, which is the popular conception and the color of the Mk.IV at Bovington Tank Museum.
Experts thin the color actually used was a khaki brown. Many were sent to battle in basic battleship gray. Camouflage was only used on early Mk. I tanks, since mud soon effectively camouflaged tanks in battle.
The Germans usually painted their captured Mk. IV's in gray and in some cases camouflage was used.
The first 4-view shows a British Female with a white J12 on the forward end of the sides of the hull and a white "Jericho" on the front and rear.
No color is mentioned.
The second 4-view shows a British Female with a small white 2179 on the rear of the sides of the hull and white F.4 on the forward end of the sides of the hull. A white "Flirt II" outlined in red is on the nose and white F.4 is repeated on the rear.
The third scheme is a 3-view. It shows a captured German Female that is camouflaged. No colors are mentioned. It is the scheme described above that is one the side panel. This illustration shows that it further had a red circle with a black 4 on it high on the forward end of the hull side. It had two German crosses side by side on the rear and a white "Harini" on the front.
The fourth 4-view is another German captured Female. It is camouflaged. No colors are mentioned. It has German crosses that are more the WWII style with straight arms than the WWI ones that had curved arms. The crosses are twice on the sides of the hull and once on the front and back.
There is a small sheet in the kit that is printed on one side in 8 1/4" x 6" format. It is said to be a CORRECTION to doing the machine gun positions instructions.
The first dark-gray tree holds: the hull floor and roof, sponson walls (8 parts) This tree is common to Emhar's Male kit, so 2 parts are excess and not needed to build the Female. These are the sponson walls.
This kit contains 4 dark-gray trees, 2 black vinyl trees, the decal sheet and the instructions. Trees are not cello bagged, alphabetized, not illustrated in the instructions.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do, however, have part numbers molded into the back sides of parts that are not visible once the model is constructed, and part number tabs next to other parts on the trees.
This means extra work studying the assembly drawings to get the right parts.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet folded in the center to create 4 pages in 8 1/2" x 12" page format.
Page 1 has the history of the Female in German, French, English and Italian.
Pages 2 & 3 give a total of 11 assembly steps, over Pocketbond Ltd's street address in London, U.K. and the copyright date 1991 again.
Page 4 is the marking and painting instructions showing 4-views of 3 schemes and one scheme as a 3-view.
Colors: There is a debate about the color used to paint these tanks. One box illustration shows a mud spattered olive-drab, which is the popular conception and the color of the Mk.IV at Bovington Tank Museum.
Experts thin the color actually used was a khaki brown. Many were sent to battle in basic battleship gray. Camouflage was only used on early Mk. I tanks, since mud soon effectively camouflaged tanks in battle.
The Germans usually painted their captured Mk. IV's in gray and in some cases camouflage was used.
The first 4-view shows a British Female with a white J12 on the forward end of the sides of the hull and a white "Jericho" on the front and rear.
No color is mentioned.
The second 4-view shows a British Female with a small white 2179 on the rear of the sides of the hull and white F.4 on the forward end of the sides of the hull. A white "Flirt II" outlined in red is on the nose and white F.4 is repeated on the rear.
The third scheme is a 3-view. It shows a captured German Female that is camouflaged. No colors are mentioned. It is the scheme described above that is one the side panel. This illustration shows that it further had a red circle with a black 4 on it high on the forward end of the hull side. It had two German crosses side by side on the rear and a white "Harini" on the front.
The fourth 4-view is another German captured Female. It is camouflaged. No colors are mentioned. It has German crosses that are more the WWII style with straight arms than the WWI ones that had curved arms. The crosses are twice on the sides of the hull and once on the front and back.
There is a small sheet in the kit that is printed on one side in 8 1/4" x 6" format. It is said to be a CORRECTION to doing the machine gun positions instructions.
The first dark-gray tree holds: the hull floor and roof, sponson walls (8 parts) This tree is common to Emhar's Male kit, so 2 parts are excess and not needed to build the Female. These are the sponson walls.
The second dark-gray tree holds: the fighting compartment walls and mantle, sponson floors, interior hull sides parts, roof top storage bin parts and storage locker parts etc. (24 parts)
The third dark-gray tree holds the hull sides outer walls (4 parts)
The fourth dark-gray tree holds: the machine gun round support bases, drive sprockets, idler wheels, machine guns, roof railings, fighting compartment back wall, roof hatch, exhaust (32 parts)
The two black vinyl trees of tracks are next (4 lengths per tree)
The decal sheet completes the kit's contents.
Although there is a frosted sheet provided to protect the face of the decal sheet, it was floating around loose and not protecting a darn thing. So, I stapled it to the sheet.
The kit has no clear parts or crew figures included. There are no interior details, but exterior is nicely detailed.
Highly recommended.
I have the Emhar "Male" completed and added the 2 wheeled trailer (that supposedly helped steer the tank) as scratch built and put an unditching beam on the roof railings from balsa wood held down with model railroad chain. I have won several awards at model contests with this.
Recommended
The kit has no clear parts or crew figures included. There are no interior details, but exterior is nicely detailed.
Highly recommended.
I have the Emhar "Male" completed and added the 2 wheeled trailer (that supposedly helped steer the tank) as scratch built and put an unditching beam on the roof railings from balsa wood held down with model railroad chain. I have won several awards at model contests with this.
Recommended