In Box Review of Heller-Humbrol 1/35th Scale
French Hotchkiss H-35 Tank
Kit no. 81132
Army of the World Series
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1986
Available at one location in the USA on the web.
Army of the World Series
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1986
Available at one location in the USA on the web.
HISTORY:
The Hotchkiss H35 or Char léger modèle 1935 H was a French cavalry tank developed prior to World War II. Despite having been designed from 1933 as a rather slow but well-armoured light infantry support tank, the type was initially rejected by the French Infantry because it proved difficult to steer while driving cross-country, and was instead adopted in 1936 by the French Cavalry arm.
From 1938 an improved version was produced with a more powerful engine, the Char léger modèle 1935 H modifié 39, which from 1940 was also fitted with a longer, more powerful 37 mm gun. It was intended to make this improved variant the standard light tank, with at least four thousand produced to equip new armoured divisions of both the Cavalry and the Infantry arms, but due to the defeat of France in June 1940, total production of both subtypes was limited to about 1200 vehicles.
For the remainder of the war Germany and its allies used captured Hotchkiss tanks in several modifications.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Cavalry tank
Place of origin: France
In service: 1936–1952
Used by: France, Poland, Nazi Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, Yugoslav Partisans, Chetniks, Lebanon, Syria, Israel
Wars: World War II, 1947–1949 Palestine war, First Indochina War
Designer: Hotchkiss
Designed: 1933
Manufacturer: Hotchkiss et Cie
Produced: September 1936 – June 1940
No. built: ±1200
Variants: Hotchkiss H35 modifié 39
Mass: 11 metric tons
Length: 4.22 m (13 ft 10 in)
Width: 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Height: 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in)
Crew: 2
Armour: 40 mm (turret), 34 mm (hull)
Main armament: 37 mm SA 18 gun
Secondary armament: 7.5 mm MAC31 Reibel machine gun coaxial
Engine: Hotchkiss six-cylinder 3,480 cc gasoline engine of 78 hp
Power/weight: 7.1 hp/tonne
Suspension: horizontal helical springs
Ground clearance: 0.37 m
Fuel capacity; 180 litres
Operational range: 129 km (80 mi)
Maximum speed: 28 km/h (17 mph)
The Hotchkiss H35 or Char léger modèle 1935 H was a French cavalry tank developed prior to World War II. Despite having been designed from 1933 as a rather slow but well-armoured light infantry support tank, the type was initially rejected by the French Infantry because it proved difficult to steer while driving cross-country, and was instead adopted in 1936 by the French Cavalry arm.
From 1938 an improved version was produced with a more powerful engine, the Char léger modèle 1935 H modifié 39, which from 1940 was also fitted with a longer, more powerful 37 mm gun. It was intended to make this improved variant the standard light tank, with at least four thousand produced to equip new armoured divisions of both the Cavalry and the Infantry arms, but due to the defeat of France in June 1940, total production of both subtypes was limited to about 1200 vehicles.
For the remainder of the war Germany and its allies used captured Hotchkiss tanks in several modifications.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Cavalry tank
Place of origin: France
In service: 1936–1952
Used by: France, Poland, Nazi Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, Yugoslav Partisans, Chetniks, Lebanon, Syria, Israel
Wars: World War II, 1947–1949 Palestine war, First Indochina War
Designer: Hotchkiss
Designed: 1933
Manufacturer: Hotchkiss et Cie
Produced: September 1936 – June 1940
No. built: ±1200
Variants: Hotchkiss H35 modifié 39
Mass: 11 metric tons
Length: 4.22 m (13 ft 10 in)
Width: 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Height: 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in)
Crew: 2
Armour: 40 mm (turret), 34 mm (hull)
Main armament: 37 mm SA 18 gun
Secondary armament: 7.5 mm MAC31 Reibel machine gun coaxial
Engine: Hotchkiss six-cylinder 3,480 cc gasoline engine of 78 hp
Power/weight: 7.1 hp/tonne
Suspension: horizontal helical springs
Ground clearance: 0.37 m
Fuel capacity; 180 litres
Operational range: 129 km (80 mi)
Maximum speed: 28 km/h (17 mph)
THE KIT:
Heller-Humbrol is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in France. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid box that is blousy. It is 3” too long and 1 ½” too wide.
The cover art shows a color photo of the model of the Hotchkiss H-35 made up. It is posed against an all-yellow background.
It has a turret in a base color of tan, with dark green outlines of blob shapes for camouflage. The rest of the tank is camouflaged in the same two colors in a wide wave pattern,
There is a white serial no.40016 that is behind a small French flag.
A crewman is seated in the rear turret hatch. He wears a dark green uniform and steel helmet.
One side panel of the box shows two color side views of the Hotchkiss H-35.
The first one is in the box art scheme, posed against a large French flag.
The second one is overall Panzer-grey, with a white skeletal German cross on the side of the turret. It is posed against a modern German flag,
Heller-Humbrol is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in France. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid box that is blousy. It is 3” too long and 1 ½” too wide.
The cover art shows a color photo of the model of the Hotchkiss H-35 made up. It is posed against an all-yellow background.
It has a turret in a base color of tan, with dark green outlines of blob shapes for camouflage. The rest of the tank is camouflaged in the same two colors in a wide wave pattern,
There is a white serial no.40016 that is behind a small French flag.
A crewman is seated in the rear turret hatch. He wears a dark green uniform and steel helmet.
One side panel of the box shows two color side views of the Hotchkiss H-35.
The first one is in the box art scheme, posed against a large French flag.
The second one is overall Panzer-grey, with a white skeletal German cross on the side of the turret. It is posed against a modern German flag,
The other side panel of the box repeats with the side view of the German tank. Followed by features of the kit, in 8 languages, including English. Each language is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
The features are; Contains one model kit and easy to follow pictorial instructions. Skill rating-intermediate. Paints and glue not included. Paints are required for main paint scheme and details.
Length of completed model is 57mm (5”) width: 57mm (2 ¼”). For modelers aged 14 and over. Heller-Humbrol paint colors are listed.
However, these are called out by numbers and not the names of what they are. I could not find the names on the web anywhere. I wish Heller had said what they are.
The features are; Contains one model kit and easy to follow pictorial instructions. Skill rating-intermediate. Paints and glue not included. Paints are required for main paint scheme and details.
Length of completed model is 57mm (5”) width: 57mm (2 ¼”). For modelers aged 14 and over. Heller-Humbrol paint colors are listed.
However, these are called out by numbers and not the names of what they are. I could not find the names on the web anywhere. I wish Heller had said what they are.
WHAT’ IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 4 light-grey parts trees, black vinyl tracks and tow cable, a length of bass chain and the decal sheet in one sealed clear cello bag.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 10 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ½” page format.
Page 1 begins with a line-drawing 5-view over specifications in 4 languages, including English.
Page 2 is a painting guide. It shows a 5-view in the box art scheme.
This Hotchkiss H35 was with the French 18th Dragons, 1st DLM.
Below it is a 4-view of a captured Hotchkiss H35 in German markings. (already described above).
It was with the German 23rd Panzer Division, at the end of 1940.
Page 3 through to page 8 gives a grand total of 12 assembly steps.
Steps 1 and 2 are for the driver and crewman figures. Assembly and painting of them.
Steps 11 and 12 show two different turret configurations with different main guns.
Page 9 begins with international assembly symbol explanations, general modeling advice and a paint color listing, in multiple languages, including English.
Page 10 gives modeling tips in the multiple languages and a customer service coupon.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. This means a lot of extra work for modelers to find the parts needed for each assembly step.
Very bad move Heller-Humbrol.
The 1st large light-grey parts tree holds: return rollers, fenders, the hull front-rear-sides and bottom, upper center section, axles etc. (37 parts)
This kit holds 4 light-grey parts trees, black vinyl tracks and tow cable, a length of bass chain and the decal sheet in one sealed clear cello bag.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 10 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ½” page format.
Page 1 begins with a line-drawing 5-view over specifications in 4 languages, including English.
Page 2 is a painting guide. It shows a 5-view in the box art scheme.
This Hotchkiss H35 was with the French 18th Dragons, 1st DLM.
Below it is a 4-view of a captured Hotchkiss H35 in German markings. (already described above).
It was with the German 23rd Panzer Division, at the end of 1940.
Page 3 through to page 8 gives a grand total of 12 assembly steps.
Steps 1 and 2 are for the driver and crewman figures. Assembly and painting of them.
Steps 11 and 12 show two different turret configurations with different main guns.
Page 9 begins with international assembly symbol explanations, general modeling advice and a paint color listing, in multiple languages, including English.
Page 10 gives modeling tips in the multiple languages and a customer service coupon.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. This means a lot of extra work for modelers to find the parts needed for each assembly step.
Very bad move Heller-Humbrol.
The 1st large light-grey parts tree holds: return rollers, fenders, the hull front-rear-sides and bottom, upper center section, axles etc. (37 parts)
The 2nd large light-grey parts tree holds; two alternate engine deck roofs, road wheels, drive sprockets, tools, exhaust etc. (113 parts)
The 1st medium sized light-grey tree holds: the turret top and bottom, main guns etc, (31 parts)
The 2nd medium-sized light-grey tree holds: the figures (divided into separate heads, front and rear of torsos, arms and legs), 2 pistols in holsters, a canvas pouch and 2 helmets (19 parts)
Next is the black vinyl tracks (2 long runs) and the tow cable.
A length of brass chain and the decal sheet completes the kit’s contents.
The decal has a tissue to protect its face. But it was floating around loose and not protecting a thing. I scotch-taped it to the decal.
The decal has a tissue to protect its face. But it was floating around loose and not protecting a thing. I scotch-taped it to the decal.
I have two set of photo etch brass parts from On The Mark Models to detail the kit. The first is a set to replace some of the kit detail and the second is for a tail skid.
The detail is very nice.
Recommended.
Recommended.