In Box Review of Trumpeter 1/35th Scale
Soviet KV-8 Heavy Tank
Kit no. 01565
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $53.95
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $53.95
HISTORY:
The Soviet KV-8 was a KV-1 fitted with the ATO-41 flame-thrower in the turret, beside a machine gun. In order to accommodate the new weapon, the 76.2 mm gun was replaced with a smaller 45 mm Gun M1932, though it was disguised to look like the standard 76 mm (The cannon was placed inside 76 mm tube).
THE KIT:
Trumpeter is a model company based in Macau China.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. The box art shows a KV-8 abandoned by it’s Soviet crew parked in a grassy clearing. There are 2 German soldiers crawling on top of it to inspect it and a officer standing in front of it. Passing behind it is a German infantry MG team walking by. In the background there are two smoke spires raising to the sky from some action in the distance. The front plate of the hull has a hole in it that appears to be from an armor-piercing round that penetrated it.
The tank is in overall dark Russian green with a white number 43 on the side of the turret. This is the only scheme offered in the kit on the decal sheet. I would have liked to have seen some other markings.
The box art says that the kit is for adults and that the model may vary from the image on the box art and the kit is not for children under 3 due to small parts that they could choke on.
One side panel of the box has a color profile of the box art subject, next to a one paragraph history of the KV-8 in English and Chinese. MADE IN CHINA also appears here with a copyright date of 2011.
The other side panel has 8 color walk-around type photos of the model made up. Next to this is the remark “This product is not a toy” in English and Chinese, followed by the statement that the kit is for modelers over 14 in multiple languages and that the main material of the kit is plastic. Trumpeter’s street address in Macau China and there web address is provided here also.
The Soviet KV-8 was a KV-1 fitted with the ATO-41 flame-thrower in the turret, beside a machine gun. In order to accommodate the new weapon, the 76.2 mm gun was replaced with a smaller 45 mm Gun M1932, though it was disguised to look like the standard 76 mm (The cannon was placed inside 76 mm tube).
THE KIT:
Trumpeter is a model company based in Macau China.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. The box art shows a KV-8 abandoned by it’s Soviet crew parked in a grassy clearing. There are 2 German soldiers crawling on top of it to inspect it and a officer standing in front of it. Passing behind it is a German infantry MG team walking by. In the background there are two smoke spires raising to the sky from some action in the distance. The front plate of the hull has a hole in it that appears to be from an armor-piercing round that penetrated it.
The tank is in overall dark Russian green with a white number 43 on the side of the turret. This is the only scheme offered in the kit on the decal sheet. I would have liked to have seen some other markings.
The box art says that the kit is for adults and that the model may vary from the image on the box art and the kit is not for children under 3 due to small parts that they could choke on.
One side panel of the box has a color profile of the box art subject, next to a one paragraph history of the KV-8 in English and Chinese. MADE IN CHINA also appears here with a copyright date of 2011.
The other side panel has 8 color walk-around type photos of the model made up. Next to this is the remark “This product is not a toy” in English and Chinese, followed by the statement that the kit is for modelers over 14 in multiple languages and that the main material of the kit is plastic. Trumpeter’s street address in Macau China and there web address is provided here also.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
Inside the box are 6 light gray trees of parts, the single turret top and hull tub parts and 2 dark brown parts trees. All of these are loose and not cello bagged.
The small decal sheet, a brass PE fret, a tree of clear vinyl poly-caps , a length of brass wire and 2 black lengths of vinyl rubber band type treads. These are all individually in sealed cello bags.
The PE fret has a card backing to prevent it being bent and the decal sheet has a frosted cover sheet over it’s face to prevent scratching. It is strange that trumpeter went to all the trouble to bag these but did not bag the light gray trees of parts. These small parts, plus the turret top part and the hull tub are all together in a compartment that is walled off with card at the end of the box.
The instructions and a sheet for painting and marking the kit in the one lonely scheme complete the kit’s contents.
The instructions consist of a staple bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 ½” x 11” page format.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white profile of the KV-8 in the box art markings.
This is followed by “Read before assembly” instructions in English and Chinese. Below that is international assembly symbol explanations and decal application instructions, again in English and Chinese.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations. Twelve parts are called out as being excess and not needed to complete the kit.
Pages 3 through 10 give a total of 14 assembly steps.
Page 11 has a 2-view drawing of the model completed and shown from above with the turret pointed forward.
Page 12 has another 2-view drawing, this time with the turret turned to the side.
The single 8 ½” x 11” sheet is coated stock. It has a 5-view of the KV-8 in the only scheme provided for tank no 43. We are not told what Soviet outfit it was with, but with just a number on the turret it could be any unit I suppose. I wish Trumpeter had provided more choices of markings. These illustrations are in full color and show that 43 also was on the back of the turret with the rear machine gun in the center of the number.Only two colors are called out: Russian green and steelmetal black. These are listed with Mr. Hobby, Vallejo, Model Master, Tamiya and Humbrol brand paint numbers.
Most of the trees in the kit are IDENTICAL with the ones in Trumpeter’s earlier kit of the KV-1 (which I believe was released back in 2007 ?) Only 2 or 3 trees are new. Actually, therefore I think the kit could very possibly be assembled as a KV-1.
Inside the box are 6 light gray trees of parts, the single turret top and hull tub parts and 2 dark brown parts trees. All of these are loose and not cello bagged.
The small decal sheet, a brass PE fret, a tree of clear vinyl poly-caps , a length of brass wire and 2 black lengths of vinyl rubber band type treads. These are all individually in sealed cello bags.
The PE fret has a card backing to prevent it being bent and the decal sheet has a frosted cover sheet over it’s face to prevent scratching. It is strange that trumpeter went to all the trouble to bag these but did not bag the light gray trees of parts. These small parts, plus the turret top part and the hull tub are all together in a compartment that is walled off with card at the end of the box.
The instructions and a sheet for painting and marking the kit in the one lonely scheme complete the kit’s contents.
The instructions consist of a staple bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 ½” x 11” page format.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white profile of the KV-8 in the box art markings.
This is followed by “Read before assembly” instructions in English and Chinese. Below that is international assembly symbol explanations and decal application instructions, again in English and Chinese.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations. Twelve parts are called out as being excess and not needed to complete the kit.
Pages 3 through 10 give a total of 14 assembly steps.
Page 11 has a 2-view drawing of the model completed and shown from above with the turret pointed forward.
Page 12 has another 2-view drawing, this time with the turret turned to the side.
The single 8 ½” x 11” sheet is coated stock. It has a 5-view of the KV-8 in the only scheme provided for tank no 43. We are not told what Soviet outfit it was with, but with just a number on the turret it could be any unit I suppose. I wish Trumpeter had provided more choices of markings. These illustrations are in full color and show that 43 also was on the back of the turret with the rear machine gun in the center of the number.Only two colors are called out: Russian green and steelmetal black. These are listed with Mr. Hobby, Vallejo, Model Master, Tamiya and Humbrol brand paint numbers.
Most of the trees in the kit are IDENTICAL with the ones in Trumpeter’s earlier kit of the KV-1 (which I believe was released back in 2007 ?) Only 2 or 3 trees are new. Actually, therefore I think the kit could very possibly be assembled as a KV-1.
Tree letter A holds: final transfer covers. The rear hull plate, drive sprockets, idler wheels, the forward hull roof section, (This tree is marked KV-1) (57 parts)
Tree letter B holds the hull’s outer side plates (This tree is marked KV-1) (2 parts
The hull tub is by itself with no part number.
There is no letter C tree.
Tree letter D holds: a turret ring, the engine air-intake grills, the front driver’s compartment wall, tow shackles etc. (This tree is marked KV-1) Three parts are marked as being excess on the parts trees illustrations.
Tree letter D holds: a turret ring, the engine air-intake grills, the front driver’s compartment wall, tow shackles etc. (This tree is marked KV-1) Three parts are marked as being excess on the parts trees illustrations.
There is no letter E tree.
Tree letter F holds: the fenders and their braces, hatches, the hull roof rear section . There is a mantle part and main gun barrel that is for a KV-1 etc.. (This tree is marked KV-1) (43 parts) Six parts are marked as being excess on the parts trees illustrations.
Tree letter F holds: the fenders and their braces, hatches, the hull roof rear section . There is a mantle part and main gun barrel that is for a KV-1 etc.. (This tree is marked KV-1) (43 parts) Six parts are marked as being excess on the parts trees illustrations.
Tree letter G holds: road wheels, return rollers, suspension arms, hub caps etc. (78 parts) (This tree is marked KV-1)
The 2 brown trees are letter T. They hold optional link and length type tracks. (25 parts per tree) (These trees are marked KV-1)
Tree letter WE is unique to the KV-8. It holds the turret bottom and it’s front plate, the gun mantle and barrel, storage boxes and external fuel tanks. (34 parts)
Tree letter WF is also unique to the KV-8. It holds the flexable MG and some of it’s mounting parts and ammo drums. (8 parts) There are 4 ammo drums on this tree, but only one is used on the flexable MG that mounts atop the turret. I haven’t a clue where Trumpeter wants modelers to put the remaining 3
Next is the letter S tree. This tree is clear and holds 2 light lenses.
There is a tree of clear vinyl poly-caps. These are to be used to hold wheels on their axles. (16 parts)
The length of brass wire is next and is to be used to make the tow cables.
The brass PE fret holds more parts for the flexible MG mount. (7 parts) This PE fret is new for the KV-8.
The last two items are 2 lengths of optional black vinyl rubber band type tracks and the turret top.
There are no crew figures in the kit or any interior details, although hatches are molded separate and can be posed open. If done that way, you’d be looking into a void.
I am disappointed with the single marking scheme. I wish more had been in the kit. Otherwise, I highly recommend the kit to modelers of average skill level.
I sincerely thank Stevens International for this review sample.
I am disappointed with the single marking scheme. I wish more had been in the kit. Otherwise, I highly recommend the kit to modelers of average skill level.
I sincerely thank Stevens International for this review sample.