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U.S.
M8 Ammo Trailer Kit No.353001 1/35th Scale First Look Review by Terry Ashley |
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U.S.
M8 Ammo Trailer Kit No.353001 1/35th Scale First Look Review by Terry Ashley |
The kit consists of 24 parts cleanly cast in light cream resin plus a fair sized sheet of lead foil and two sizes of lead solder, these are used to make the tie down straps on the top doors and the break lines and release cable on the trailer.
The quality of the resin pieces is excellent with only the usual casting blocks to be removed as well as some minor “film” flash on some parts; these can easily be cleaned up with an X-Acto #11 blade.
The trailer is made up from the large “box” which is cast with detail on all four sides but there is a substantial casting block to be removed from the bottom, this should be easy enough to remove with a razor saw and sanding (remember to wear your face mask when doing this). There is no distortion on the box sides which can often occur with this type of casting, this illustrates the care taken during the casting process.
The two side wheels consist of separate brake drums with locating points for the brake lines included and the wheels which have nice hub and tread pattern on the tyres. The lightening holes on the rims need some minor cleanup of the thin flash, but again nothing that can’t be done quickly.
The two trailer top doors are separate parts and have hinge details included. Also on the doors are small discs for the tie down cleats to which you add small bits of this sprue (or wire) to form the cleats, this produces an more accurate reproduction of the real cleats instead of just adding these entirely from bent wire. The straps can be formed from the thin lead foil provided.
To the front of the trailer box is fitter the towing frame which also has the support leg which can be assembled raised or lowered if you wish to show your trailer sitting on its own. This frame also includes the brake lever and front towing hitch ring, while at the rear of the box are separate tail lights with protectors and rear towing pintle.
Also included is the trailer hitch and release mechanism which are fitted to the towing vehicle or stored on the front frame of the trailer if not attached to a vehicle. This trailer hitch and release mechanism is nicely detailed and to help in fitting to the towing vehicle you are provided with photocopies from the M8 trailer manual, while these aren’t the cleanest copies they do help in locating the parts as does the text on the manual pages.
These manual copies also help in installing the brake lines and release cable from the thin solder provided.
The instructions are in the form of two letter size pages with exploded view drawings and notes on fitting the parts together, and as mentioned you also get four pages from the M8 trailer manual and a another page showing the resin pieces in the kit to help in identifying these, the parts are also numbered on the casting blocks to also ease identification.
In all a very simple but well detailed trailer that shouldn’t pose any problems in assembly and will look good on the back of your M8 HMC.
Recommended for allied armour fans.
Page Created 12 January 2003