PMMS
Verlinden
LCM 3 US Navy Landing Craft
1/35 Set No. 1869

Review by Terry Ashley

This release from Verlinden is a full waterline kit of the WWII US Navy LCM 3 Landing craft and is large enough to carry one Sherman, two M3/M5s or smaller vehicles and equipment.

The kit consists of 81 resin pieces cast in the usual grey/green resin, approx 54 etched pieces and a length of thickish twine plus the instruction sheet. The casting quality is excellent with no blemishes, warping or air holes to be seen with only the usual casting blocks to be removed from the parts. The quality of the etched pieces is also an improvement over that of some recent Verlinden sets.

The kit is dominated by the huge single hull casting and this is an impressive casting measuring 410mm long x 120mm wide and 40mm at its deepest point to the waterline.
The hull is not only large but is perfectly cast with no warping or distortions present, the inside walls being perfectly straight and also features nice details on the well floor and sides, as mentioned it is a waterline hull so if flat along the bottom.

At the front is the other large part being the forward folding ramp which measures 150mm x 125mm and is detailed with additional resin and etched parts. On the instructions it shows a length of plastic tubing along the front edge but this was not included in my review kit? The rear hinge is in two parts, one that attaches to the ramp and the other to the hull front to form a solid attachment point for the ramp and also allowing you to fix it at any angle from fully raised to fully lowered. The twine included is used for the actuating cable for the ramp and the instructions tell you how to fit this along with the small pulleys provided.

The hull is detailed with the two long upper front sides and rear engine compartment bulkheads with the top section having some nice tread plate pattern included. The wheel house is entirely in etched metal with a resin instrument panel and other smaller details.
The two pedestal mounts for the .50cal MGs are impressive being a central resin “post” with etched metal supports and shields, this along with the excellent resin .50cals we have seen previously makes for very detailed mountings.

There are numerous smaller detail items to be fitted around the hull including the mooring posts and etched detail parts.

This all builds into an impressive looking model and will be even more so when loaded up with a tank and crew in a diorama setting.

The instructions are the usual double sided ‘letter’ size sheet with text instructions on one side and assembly diagrams on the other.
The kit is fairly straight forward to assemble and you shouldn’t have any problems following the instruction but as with any kit careful study of the instructions and test fitting before gluing is advisable.

Recommended.
The Resin Bits
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The Instructions
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Page created 23 February 2003

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