PMMS
Master Box Ltd
Panzer I Ausf. A
Ambulance Version

1/35th #T3506

First Look Review by Terry Ashley
Master Box Ltd

This third Panzer I kit is again the same as in the Munitionsschlepper and my comments from that review applies here.

The Ambulance version was the simplest of conversions with the turret eliminated leaving the hull intact and was used to transport walking wounded.

The Masterbox kit follows this by leaving out the turret/upper superstructure parts from the eerier kits but includes three figures to sit on the vehicle who each have minor wounds.

As the kit is the same as previous I will just concentrate on the figures which are moulded in white plastic and are really quite nice with two wounded figures and one medic figure.

The standard of moulding is excellent with no pin marks or blemishes with only very minor moulding seams to be removed for the parts. The plastic used is quite soft (but no flexible) and this makes working with the parts very easy.

The uniform details are very well done with crisp details such as pockets, lapels and, insignia/decorations and also the fabric seams and fabric panel joins are well defined with the mould lines not marring the fabric seams for good definition.

Each figure has a different uniform for some variation with one figure (A) wearing a 1943 pattern field grey tunic and trousers with black leather boot on one foot and the other foot/lower leg in a large bandage. He is bare headed with nice facial and hair details with the figure posed sitting with the left hand supporting the injured leg.

Figure (B) wears the second pattern camouflage smock with the three foliage loops on the front and rear shoulders and upper arm and also has the elastic around the waist but not the sleeves. He has field grey trousers with anklets and boots and also wears a steel helmet although this has one huge sink mark right on the top but will be easy to fill. The facial features are again very convincing and he has a medic armband on his left arm with the figure posed sitting on the top on the superstructure with one hand resting on the shoulder of one of the wounded figures.

Figure (C) wears the black (or grey) armoured crewman jacket and trousers over field grey shirt and again features very nice uniform details with a knights cross award at the neck. His head is fully bandaged leaving just his face showing and again is posed sitting on the upper superstructure.

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As mentioned the details and poses of the figures are very realistic with about the only thing I would comment on is the uniforms are a little pristine for wounded soldiers, I don’t think they would be that concerned about doing up the top buttons on their shirts and jackets while being transported away from the front and a bit more dishevelled looking as per the box art would have really finished of the figures, but that is only a very minor point.

Also the uniforms are all mid/later war styles and I’m not sure when the Panzer I Ambulance was fazed out of service but I think some auxiliary Panzer I types were still about during the early stages of the Russian campaign.

But if Masterbox continue to release figures with such good details then I’m sure they will be most welcome and with these kits not being expensive I could see people buying this kit just for the figures to use in this or other situations.

Recommended.

The Decals:
The sheet has red cross markings for the vehicle and the medics helmet as well as unit and tac signs in different colours wit the instructions showing the vehicles in overall panzer grey finish.

Master Box Ltd
The Instructions:
These are in the form of exploded view drawings that are fairly easy to follow but one thing to note is that the parts are not numbered on the sprues as with most kits but the parts layout diagrams on the instructions show the part numbers which you then match to the parts on the sprues. I didn’t see any problems identifying the parts as most are fairly obvious anyway. Also included with this kit is a series of small photos showing the construction sequences which could prove helpful in conjunction with the normal instruction diagrams.
Etched parts
Master Box Ltd
The sprues
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Detail images
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References:
  • Military Modelling Magazine
    Vol.27 No.8 1997

    Photo feature on a museum Pz I.
    book
Thanks to Master Box Ltd for the review kit.


Page created 4 November 2004

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