French H39 Hotchkiss
Bronco Models Kit No. 35001
Construction Review by Terry Ashley

The build review parts listed below will hopefully help identify anything needed during assembly and I will stress this is an 'out of the box' build to highlight any issues arising.

A couple of issues identified have already been acknowledged by Bronco Models and will be rectified in the forthcoming kits in the H39 series and again it's good to see companies prepared to make corrections to improve their kits.

• Part 1: Running Gear
• Part 2: Interior
• Part 3: Fenders/Upper Hull
• Part 4: Turret

Conclusion:
With the construction all but done I can say that my opinion after the parts comparison still stands in that this kit is the best H39 offering available. There are some detail issues and a few dimensional errors and you will need to use some old fashion modelling skills but the overall level of detail and the fit of the major parts is superb.

The only place on the whole kit requiring any filler was the rear turret hatch hinges and the kit goes together easily and quickly with the plastic being easy to work with. The adjustments to the exhaust only took about an hour being a fairly simple operation and the other detail issues will be recited if future kits making it even better.

For a debut kit this all bodes well for future offerings from Bronco who like Trumpeter will only get better with each release, bring on the Comet.

Return to original H39 comparison review.

The Sprues:

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• On the net.
  There are many wartime H39 photos here as well as some of the Saumur H39 which should come in very handy when building these kits. http://www.chars-francais.net/archives/hotchkiss_h39.htm
  
  
• Hotchkiss H35/H39
  Pascal Danjou
  Trackstory No.6
  ISBN 2-9520988-5-9
  
  
• French Military Vehicles
  of WWII
  Ground Power Special 12/03
  

Thanks to Bronco Models for the review kit.

Page Created February 17, 2006