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Attack Hobby Kits 1/72 Tatra T-111 Kundendiensttruppwagen 6x6 |
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Kit Number KPT72817 |
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Reviewed By Howie Belkin, #16 |
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MSRP: $22.98 USD Over 70 grey, black and clear injection molded parts, small p/e fret and water-slide decals. The world’s second oldest automotive company (Daimler is older); Tatra began producing horse carriages in 1850, motor vehicles in 1897, and has built military vehicles since 1908. In 1923 production began of the Tatra-concept backbone-frame chassis design consisting of a rigid central "backbone" tube the whole length of the vehicle and independent swing half-axles. Under German supervision in WWII, Tatra developed the legendary 6x6, 8.5 ton capacity T-111, V 12 truck (one of the first air-cooled diesel truck engines). 32,243 T-111s were produced from 1942 to 1961 serving postwar as a standard military truck for the Czechoslovak Army, many other Warsaw Pact armies as well as a popular civilian commercial workhorse used throughout the world. Because of the Iron Curtain, most Western modelers are only now discovering Tatra, much less the outstanding, all terrain T-111. It’s only fitting that the model is from Attack Hobby, a Czech company. Fitting indeed! The single sheet instructions are unclear, requiring constant dry fitting. For example, the rear floor part A29 should have the two tabs at the rear for the sides’ wheel wells to line up. I trimmed the firewall for a snug fit of part K61 to H59, so the forward cab parts line up. I coated both sides of all the clear parts with Future so they wouldn’t fog when cemented, and prepainted all the walls and doors before inserting them. They fit perfectly, but be careful removing the cabin doors from the sprue as the two attachment points to the sprue are part of the part, not the sprue. An excellent engine is provided but you’ll have to cut open the hood to see it. There isn’t any interior to the rear compartment but with all the clear windows and positionable rear door, any detail you add could be seen. The nicely detailed one piece black plastic (not vinyl) tires needed basic mold seam cleanup. At first I thought the wheels were too low and I must have screwed up the chassis, but photos on websites like Tatra Truck showed that it’s right. The small photo etch fret includes windshield wipers, width posts, side mirror and gear shift levers. There isn’t any dashboard detail. The small decal sheet has license plates for two Eastern front vehicles and was thin and easy to use. It’s not a state of the art Revell kit, so it took a little extra effort A&B putty, filing and Zap-A-Gap to get it all together. It’s not for beginners, but I can recommend it for everyone else. Detail is excellent for a short run injection molded kit (better than the old Matchbox kits by a long shot!), and the Tatra T-111 belongs in your Braille Scale collection with countless choices of military or civilian markings. Thanks to Attack Hobby Kits for the review sample. Their kits are readily available or you can contact Attack Hobby Kits, Herrmanna 4, CZ-77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic +42 05 85 22 84 19 fax www.attack-hobby-kits.cz. I have their Phanomen Granit 25H Ambulance which includes interior detail, and I am looking forward to building it. |
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