In Box Review of Hobby Boss 1/35th Scale
French Saint Chamond WWI Heavy Tank - Late
Kit no. 83860
By Ray Mehlberger
Out of production
Copyright 2016
Available at Kit Linx for $43.16, at Sprue Bros for $43.99 and 12 places overseas on the web.
Available as the early version, in the earlier 2015 boxing, kit no. 83858 at Kit Linx for $42.39 and at Section 8 Hobbies for $39.74 and 11 places overseas on the web.
Available as the medium version, in 2016 boxing, kit no. 83859 at Kit Linx for $42.39 and at Section 8 Hobbies for $39.74 and 10 places overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Out of production
Copyright 2016
Available at Kit Linx for $43.16, at Sprue Bros for $43.99 and 12 places overseas on the web.
Available as the early version, in the earlier 2015 boxing, kit no. 83858 at Kit Linx for $42.39 and at Section 8 Hobbies for $39.74 and 11 places overseas on the web.
Available as the medium version, in 2016 boxing, kit no. 83859 at Kit Linx for $42.39 and at Section 8 Hobbies for $39.74 and 10 places overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
The Saint-Chamond was the second French heavy tank of WWI, with 400 manufactured from April 1917 to July 1918.
Born of the commercial rivalry between the makers of the Schneider CA1 tank, the Saint-Chemond was an inadequate design. Its principal weakness was the "caterpillar" tracks. They were much too short in relation to the vehicle's length and heavy weight (23 tons).
Later models, however, attempted to rectify some of the tank's original flaws by installing wider and stronger track shoes, thicker frontal armor and the more effective 75mm Mle 1897 field gun.
The Saint-Chamond tanks remained engaged in various actions until the late summer of 1918, belatedly becoming more effective after combat had moved out of the trenches onto open ground.
Eventually, however, the Saint-Chamond tanks were scheduled to be entirely replaced by imported British tanks.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Armoured fighting vehicle
Place of origin: France
Mass: 23 tons
Length: 8.9 m
Width: 2.7 m
Height: 2.4 m
Crew: 8 (commander-driver, gunner-loader, assistant gunner, four machine gunners, mechanic)
Armor: 11–19 mm
Main armament: 75 mm gun
Secondary armament: Four 8 mm Hotchkiss machine guns
Engine: 4-cylinder Panhard-Levassor (petrol) of 90 hp (70 kW), with a Crochet-Colardeau electric transmission
Power/weight: 4 hp/tonne
Suspension: Coil spring
Speed: 12 kilometres per hour (7.5 mph)
The Saint-Chamond was the second French heavy tank of WWI, with 400 manufactured from April 1917 to July 1918.
Born of the commercial rivalry between the makers of the Schneider CA1 tank, the Saint-Chemond was an inadequate design. Its principal weakness was the "caterpillar" tracks. They were much too short in relation to the vehicle's length and heavy weight (23 tons).
Later models, however, attempted to rectify some of the tank's original flaws by installing wider and stronger track shoes, thicker frontal armor and the more effective 75mm Mle 1897 field gun.
The Saint-Chamond tanks remained engaged in various actions until the late summer of 1918, belatedly becoming more effective after combat had moved out of the trenches onto open ground.
Eventually, however, the Saint-Chamond tanks were scheduled to be entirely replaced by imported British tanks.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Armoured fighting vehicle
Place of origin: France
Mass: 23 tons
Length: 8.9 m
Width: 2.7 m
Height: 2.4 m
Crew: 8 (commander-driver, gunner-loader, assistant gunner, four machine gunners, mechanic)
Armor: 11–19 mm
Main armament: 75 mm gun
Secondary armament: Four 8 mm Hotchkiss machine guns
Engine: 4-cylinder Panhard-Levassor (petrol) of 90 hp (70 kW), with a Crochet-Colardeau electric transmission
Power/weight: 4 hp/tonne
Suspension: Coil spring
Speed: 12 kilometres per hour (7.5 mph)
THE KIT:
Hobby Boss is a prolific model company that is based in China.
They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Saint-Chamond on a dirt field, passing some barbed wire and a knocked out German A7V tank that is belching smoke.
The Saint-Chamond is in a base of dark-yellow with red-brown, dark-green and light-blue splotch camouflage.
It has a white slogan "D'Artagnan" on the forward ends of its sides, followed by 3 white vertical bars over a diamond over serial no. A378. On the left side of the rear wall there is a 6 pointed star (that is a PE part).
One corner of the box art gives the kit as being 265mm long (10 ½”) and 102.2mm wide (4”) when assembled.
The other corner of the box art says the kit is a detailed scale kit for adult models of age 14 and above to assemble. Actual model may vary from image on box.
One side panel has 2 color profiles of the Saint-Chamond.
The first one is the box art scheme (already described).
The second one is in the same camouflage. It has a small white stenciled serial no. 706 on its sides and on the right side of its nose and a star (that is a PE part) on the left of the rear wall.
These are followed by a one-paragraph history of the Saint-Chamond and a color illustration of the decal sheet and the PE fret in the kit. Kit made in China, over the copyright date of 2016 and Hobby Boss's web address.
Hobby Boss is a prolific model company that is based in China.
They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Saint-Chamond on a dirt field, passing some barbed wire and a knocked out German A7V tank that is belching smoke.
The Saint-Chamond is in a base of dark-yellow with red-brown, dark-green and light-blue splotch camouflage.
It has a white slogan "D'Artagnan" on the forward ends of its sides, followed by 3 white vertical bars over a diamond over serial no. A378. On the left side of the rear wall there is a 6 pointed star (that is a PE part).
One corner of the box art gives the kit as being 265mm long (10 ½”) and 102.2mm wide (4”) when assembled.
The other corner of the box art says the kit is a detailed scale kit for adult models of age 14 and above to assemble. Actual model may vary from image on box.
One side panel has 2 color profiles of the Saint-Chamond.
The first one is the box art scheme (already described).
The second one is in the same camouflage. It has a small white stenciled serial no. 706 on its sides and on the right side of its nose and a star (that is a PE part) on the left of the rear wall.
These are followed by a one-paragraph history of the Saint-Chamond and a color illustration of the decal sheet and the PE fret in the kit. Kit made in China, over the copyright date of 2016 and Hobby Boss's web address.
The other side panel has two more color side profiles of the Saint-Chamond.
The first one is in the same camouflage as the first two. It has a white I over a white spade and serial no. A37N on the forward ends of it's sides.
The second one is in a camouflage of grey, light-blue and red-brown large splotches.
It has a red heart over a white serial no. A35S on the sides of the forward ends of the hull.
This is followed by a paragraph in Japanese, that I believe is a repeat of the history of the tank. it is followed by THIS PRODUCT IS NOT A TOY and kit is suitable for ages over 14 only, in English, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Russian, Chinese and Japanese. Over a warning that the kit is not for children under 3, due to small parts, in English and Chinese. The kit's main material is poly-styrene plastic.
The first one is in the same camouflage as the first two. It has a white I over a white spade and serial no. A37N on the forward ends of it's sides.
The second one is in a camouflage of grey, light-blue and red-brown large splotches.
It has a red heart over a white serial no. A35S on the sides of the forward ends of the hull.
This is followed by a paragraph in Japanese, that I believe is a repeat of the history of the tank. it is followed by THIS PRODUCT IS NOT A TOY and kit is suitable for ages over 14 only, in English, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Russian, Chinese and Japanese. Over a warning that the kit is not for children under 3, due to small parts, in English and Chinese. The kit's main material is poly-styrene plastic.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 14 light tan parts trees in 7 sealed clear cello bags, a loose light tan hull tub, roof and floor in a sealed clear cello bag, a brass PE fret, die-cut clear light lens and 3 decal sheets each in sealed clear cello bags and the brown individual tracks in another sealed clear cello bag, and 2 instruction sheets and a color kit catalog.
This kit contains 14 light tan parts trees in 7 sealed clear cello bags, a loose light tan hull tub, roof and floor in a sealed clear cello bag, a brass PE fret, die-cut clear light lens and 3 decal sheets each in sealed clear cello bags and the brown individual tracks in another sealed clear cello bag, and 2 instruction sheets and a color kit catalog.
The first instructions consists of at staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 7 3/4" x 10 1/2" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over PLEASE READ BEFORE OPERATION, international assembly symbol explanations and decal application instructions in English and Chinese.
Page 2 has the parts trees illustrations.
Page 3 through 12 gives a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
The 2nd instructions is a single-sheet, printed in color on both sides on slick coated paper. It is the painting and marking guide.
The face side has a color 5-view of the box art scheme. (already described above) over a suggested paint listing of Mr. Hobby, Vallejo, Model Master and Humbrol brands of hobby paint colors in English and Chinese.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over PLEASE READ BEFORE OPERATION, international assembly symbol explanations and decal application instructions in English and Chinese.
Page 2 has the parts trees illustrations.
Page 3 through 12 gives a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
The 2nd instructions is a single-sheet, printed in color on both sides on slick coated paper. It is the painting and marking guide.
The face side has a color 5-view of the box art scheme. (already described above) over a suggested paint listing of Mr. Hobby, Vallejo, Model Master and Humbrol brands of hobby paint colors in English and Chinese.
The reverse side has color paint schemes for the other 3 St Chamonds illustrated on the side panels of the box and already described above and the paint listing again.
The color kit catalog is a single sheet, printed on both sides on slick coated paper.
On side shows the box art for kit no. 81474, a 1/48th scale German Fw-190V-18 and 9 walk-around type illustrations of that kit's parts.
On side shows the box art for kit no. 81474, a 1/48th scale German Fw-190V-18 and 9 walk-around type illustrations of that kit's parts.
The reverse side shows color box arts of 3 more kits by Hobby Boss: kit no. 81012, a 1/3rd scale U.S. M252 mortar, with walk around illustrations of the kits parts. Kit no. 83860, a 1/35th scale French Saint-Chamond Heavy Tank-late version, also with walk around illustrations of the kit's parts and kit no. 83877, a 1/35th scale French VBL Milan armored car, again with walk around illustrations of the kit's parts.
Trees are alphabetized, illustrated in the instructions and have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
Light tan letter A tree holds: axle, a barrel, frame, bogies, hull floor etc. (70 parts)
Light tan letter A tree holds: axle, a barrel, frame, bogies, hull floor etc. (70 parts)
2 identical light tan letter B trees hold: drive sprocket, idler wheel, more barrels, springs etc. (23 parts each)
4 identical light tan letter C trees hold: return rollers, more springs etc. (18 parts each)
There is no letter D tree.
There is no letter D tree.
2 identical light tan letter E trees hold hatches etc. (5 parts each)
4 identical light tan letter F trees hold: machine guns and more hatches (3 parts each)
There is no letter G tree.
There is no letter G tree.
Light tan letter H tree holds all the main gun parts, armor panels, etc. (23 parts)
The brown individual track links are next. There are 39 of them.
Next is the die-cut clear headlight lens (1 part)
The hull top, bottom and floor are loose and light tan.
The first brass PE fret, with a stiff cardboard to protect it from bending is next. It holds 4 parts, including the 6 pointed star.
The second brass PE fret is a 2” badge, outlined with an oak leaf. It says 1914. 7.28 – 1918. 11.11 across the top and World Peace at the bottom. A St. Chamond, soldiers and 2 biplanes flying overhead are engraved on it.
Neat surprise bonus!! Not illustrated in the parts trees illustrations.
Neat surprise bonus!! Not illustrated in the parts trees illustrations.
The 2 decal sheets complete the kit contents. They have a tissue included to protect their faces.
The only interior detail is the main gun and its mounting and the machine gun breeches.
There are no crew figures included.
Detail is excellent.
Highly recommended.
There are no crew figures included.
Detail is excellent.
Highly recommended.