In Box Review of Tamiya 1/35th Scale
U.S. Army Tank Crew
Military Miniatures Series
Kit no. MM-104
By Ray Mehlberger
Out of production
Copyright 1970
Kit no. MM-104
By Ray Mehlberger
Out of production
Copyright 1970
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka City, Japan.
They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in an shrink-wrapped end-opening type box.
I am not fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows the 4 crewmen posed against one of Tamiya's signature all-white backgrounds, that they use for the majority of their box arts.
These crewmen all wear olive-drab uniforms.
The standing figure on the left wears a field-jacket with breast pockets. His pants are bloused into leather leggings over brown shoes. He wears a leather tanker helmet with goggles strung over it, a pistol holster and he is holding a pair of binoculars in his hands.
The 2nd crewman also wears a field-jacket with breast pockets, a steel helmet, cloth leggingss over his shoes. He is holding a large ammo round in his hands.
The 3rd crewman is sitting on the seat behind a gun (not included) and looking through a aiming scope. He wears a winter Jacket, leather leggings over his shoes and a steel helmet with goggles strung over it.
The 4th crewman is pointing with his right arm. He wears a leather tanker's helmet without the goggles and a winter jacket, leather leggings over his shoes and he holds a pair of binoculars in his hands. He has a canvas pouch on his belt.
One side panel has color box arts of 3 other AFV kits that Tamiya manufactures. These all have scenic backgrounds and not the usual all-white ones.
Shown is: a M41 U.S. Army tank, a M42 U.S. Army A.A. gun and a M4 U.S. Army medium tank.
No kit numbers for these 3 kits is shown. I assume they are all to 1/35th scale.
These are over Model Rectifier Co.'s (MRC) street address in Edison, N.J.
MRC was the U.S. importer and distributor of Tamiya kits in the 70's.
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka City, Japan.
They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in an shrink-wrapped end-opening type box.
I am not fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows the 4 crewmen posed against one of Tamiya's signature all-white backgrounds, that they use for the majority of their box arts.
These crewmen all wear olive-drab uniforms.
The standing figure on the left wears a field-jacket with breast pockets. His pants are bloused into leather leggings over brown shoes. He wears a leather tanker helmet with goggles strung over it, a pistol holster and he is holding a pair of binoculars in his hands.
The 2nd crewman also wears a field-jacket with breast pockets, a steel helmet, cloth leggingss over his shoes. He is holding a large ammo round in his hands.
The 3rd crewman is sitting on the seat behind a gun (not included) and looking through a aiming scope. He wears a winter Jacket, leather leggings over his shoes and a steel helmet with goggles strung over it.
The 4th crewman is pointing with his right arm. He wears a leather tanker's helmet without the goggles and a winter jacket, leather leggings over his shoes and he holds a pair of binoculars in his hands. He has a canvas pouch on his belt.
One side panel has color box arts of 3 other AFV kits that Tamiya manufactures. These all have scenic backgrounds and not the usual all-white ones.
Shown is: a M41 U.S. Army tank, a M42 U.S. Army A.A. gun and a M4 U.S. Army medium tank.
No kit numbers for these 3 kits is shown. I assume they are all to 1/35th scale.
These are over Model Rectifier Co.'s (MRC) street address in Edison, N.J.
MRC was the U.S. importer and distributor of Tamiya kits in the 70's.
The other side panel lists other AFV kits that Tamiya manufactures: a M4 Sherman tank, a M42 anti-aircraft tank, a M36 U.S. tank destroyer and a M8 U.S. armoured car.
Below these it says "You can use this tank crew set for the above tank sets. The arms of these tank crew members are provided in the kit's individual pieces. Therefore, you can assemble the men in any pose you wish."
Model Rectifier Co.'s address appears again.
Below these it says "You can use this tank crew set for the above tank sets. The arms of these tank crew members are provided in the kit's individual pieces. Therefore, you can assemble the men in any pose you wish."
Model Rectifier Co.'s address appears again.
Each end-flap lists other AFV kits that Tamiya manufactures: kit no. MM-101 a German Army tank crew, kit no. MM-102 German Army infantry, kit no. MM-103 a German amphibious Jeep and crew, kit no. MM-104 a U.S. tank crew (this kit), kit no. MM-105 a British anti-tank gun and crew, kit no. MM-106 a German Jeep and crew, kit no. MM-107 British Army infantry, kit no. MM-108 German Afrika Korps, kit no. MM-109 a German Panzer Kampfwagen II, kit no. MM-110 German Army officers, kit no. MM-111 a German Panzerkampfwagen III, kit no. MM-112 German paratroopers, kit no. MM-113 U.S. Army infantry, kit no. MM-114 a German Sturmgeschütz III, kit no. MM-115 a U.S. Jeep and kit no. MM-116 a German motorcycle BMW R75 with sidecar.
The bottom of the box has color illustrations of 10 uniform shoulder unit insignia badges, 8 enlisted man's rank badges, 2 metal tanker's badges, 7 officer's rank pins and a illustration where these go on their blouse and 2 side-views of tank crewmen.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 2 dark-green trees in a sealed clear cello bag, the instructions and a color kit catalog.
This kit holds 2 dark-green trees in a sealed clear cello bag, the instructions and a color kit catalog.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet, printed on both sides in 5 12" x 11 1/4" format. Folded in half to fit the box.
The face side begins with a line drawing of the 3 crewmen, shown from the front and the rear, and text about them. A line drawing of a field jacket showing it from the front and back, cloth and leather leggings, steel and leather helmets, a tanker crewman's and half-track crewman's badge, a Colt 45 pistol, a M3 machine gun, a M1 carbine and a M1 Thompson submachine gun.
The reverse side begins with assembly instructions for the 4 figures, over 2 black and white photos of the figures in dioramas with U.S. AFV's.
The bottom of the page repeats the kit list of other AFV kits that Tamiya makes and MRC's address in Edison, N.J.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees. Bad move Tamiya !
The larger dark-green tree holds: the seated figure and 2 of the standing ones, 2 M1 carbines, a pistol holster, a M3 Thompson submachine gun, 2 base plates for the figures, a ammo clip and 3 sizes of ammo rounds etc. (23 parts)
The face side begins with a line drawing of the 3 crewmen, shown from the front and the rear, and text about them. A line drawing of a field jacket showing it from the front and back, cloth and leather leggings, steel and leather helmets, a tanker crewman's and half-track crewman's badge, a Colt 45 pistol, a M3 machine gun, a M1 carbine and a M1 Thompson submachine gun.
The reverse side begins with assembly instructions for the 4 figures, over 2 black and white photos of the figures in dioramas with U.S. AFV's.
The bottom of the page repeats the kit list of other AFV kits that Tamiya makes and MRC's address in Edison, N.J.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees. Bad move Tamiya !
The larger dark-green tree holds: the seated figure and 2 of the standing ones, 2 M1 carbines, a pistol holster, a M3 Thompson submachine gun, 2 base plates for the figures, a ammo clip and 3 sizes of ammo rounds etc. (23 parts)
The small dark-green tree holds: 1 figure and his base plate (5 parts)
There are no decals in the kit. The color catalog completes the kits contents. Detail is very good.
Recommended.