In Box Review of Tamiya 1/35th Scale British Eighth Army Infantry “Desert Rats”
Kit no, MM-132
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1973
Out of production.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1973
Out of production.
HISTORY:
The term Desert Rat was given to the British 8th Army under the command of General Montgomery and derives from the Jerboa, a largely nocturnal rodent native to North Africa that hops like a Kangaroo. Soldiers of the 8th Army never actually wore a desert rat insignia in North Africa.
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, based in Japan. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
The kit comes in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal will find their way past one of the end flaps of the box to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The cover art shows a color illustration of 5 British 8th Army Infantrymen “Desert Rats” in a grassy-field and posed against one of Tamiya’s SIGNATURE all white backgrounds, that they use for the majority of their box arts.
The men are all dressed in khaki uniforms, with short pants, knee socks over low brown shoes and 7 men wear steel helmets and have pouches on their belts.
The officer figure wears a brown billed officer’s hat. He is pointing with his left arm and holds a pair of binoculars in his right hand. He has a Webley revolver in a holster on his belt attached to a lanyard strung around his neck.
The back of the box serves as the assembly and painting guide.
It has all Japanese text.
Five men are standing. One man is kneeling on his right knee and two are running.
The six of the infantrymen are all armed with the No.3, M1917 Enfield rifle. One man has it slung over his right shoulder. The second man is holding one in both hands. The two running men are holding it in both hands and pointing it. The kneeling man and a standing man are firing theirs. The last standing man is armed with the Thompson sub machine-gun and he is firing it.
The term Desert Rat was given to the British 8th Army under the command of General Montgomery and derives from the Jerboa, a largely nocturnal rodent native to North Africa that hops like a Kangaroo. Soldiers of the 8th Army never actually wore a desert rat insignia in North Africa.
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, based in Japan. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
The kit comes in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal will find their way past one of the end flaps of the box to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The cover art shows a color illustration of 5 British 8th Army Infantrymen “Desert Rats” in a grassy-field and posed against one of Tamiya’s SIGNATURE all white backgrounds, that they use for the majority of their box arts.
The men are all dressed in khaki uniforms, with short pants, knee socks over low brown shoes and 7 men wear steel helmets and have pouches on their belts.
The officer figure wears a brown billed officer’s hat. He is pointing with his left arm and holds a pair of binoculars in his right hand. He has a Webley revolver in a holster on his belt attached to a lanyard strung around his neck.
The back of the box serves as the assembly and painting guide.
It has all Japanese text.
Five men are standing. One man is kneeling on his right knee and two are running.
The six of the infantrymen are all armed with the No.3, M1917 Enfield rifle. One man has it slung over his right shoulder. The second man is holding one in both hands. The two running men are holding it in both hands and pointing it. The kneeling man and a standing man are firing theirs. The last standing man is armed with the Thompson sub machine-gun and he is firing it.
One side-panel of the box shows color illustrations of 12 different shoulder cloth rank insignias, with Japanese captions only.
The other side-panel shows 6 more insignias, with a lot of just Japanese text and captions.
One end flap of the box shows a color illustration of a Thompson sub machine-gun and an Enfield rifle.
The other end flap shows a color illustration of the Webley pistol.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 2 tan styrene parts trees in a sealed clear cello bag.
One tree holds 3 infantrymen and the officer figure. Two of the figures are the running men. One is the man kneeling and the last one is the officer figure.
The men are all divided into separate upper and lower bodies and arms. The officer is divided into full body and arms.
Also on this tree is 6 Enfield rifles, the Thompson sub machine-gun, 7 canteens, 2 Webley revolvers in holsters, a pair of binoculars and 7 bayonets. (39 parts)
The second parts-tree holds: 4 figures (2 are divided into upper and lower bodies and arms. The other 2 are full-bodied with arms), also on the tree are 11 ammo pouches, a map case, 5 canvas pouches, 7 steel helmets (40 parts)
This kit holds 2 tan styrene parts trees in a sealed clear cello bag.
One tree holds 3 infantrymen and the officer figure. Two of the figures are the running men. One is the man kneeling and the last one is the officer figure.
The men are all divided into separate upper and lower bodies and arms. The officer is divided into full body and arms.
Also on this tree is 6 Enfield rifles, the Thompson sub machine-gun, 7 canteens, 2 Webley revolvers in holsters, a pair of binoculars and 7 bayonets. (39 parts)
The second parts-tree holds: 4 figures (2 are divided into upper and lower bodies and arms. The other 2 are full-bodied with arms), also on the tree are 11 ammo pouches, a map case, 5 canvas pouches, 7 steel helmets (40 parts)
The detail is great.
Recommended.
Recommended.