Real Models

1/35 HMMWV Shelter Carrier S-250

Stock Number: 35068

Reviewed By  Mark Aldrich, IPMS# 39295

MSRP: $49.99 Website: www.realmodels.cz Ordering direct from the manufacturer has always been a fearful experience for me ever since I wasted money on a resin manufacturer that took my credit card and I never got my merchandise. Today the process is made slightly easier, especially if that manufacturer takes PayPal. They offer buyer protection under certain conditions. I picked up Tom Gannon's Israeli Half-tracks Volume one and two. In the back part of volume two there are several pictures of an M-3A1 half track with a "rat rig" in the back of it. To my knowledge, if you want a radio shelter there are only three options. The first is to scratch-build one, the second would be to get your hands on the old Verlinden photo-etched version (no longer produced), and finally Real Models. Real Models is a Czech resin manufacturer with a wide selection of kits. They even have two different versions of the radio shelter. Both of their kits are designed to be placed inside of a HUMMWV kit. I went to their website and placed the order. I received emails when the order was placed and when it shipped. I asked the email sender the average mailing time from Czech to Washington State and was told 8-9 days. When day 14 rolled around I started getting nervous. I sent an email letting the sender know it had not arrived and two more days went by with no email contact or product. Then, on the third day the kit arrived and I emailed the company stating that it had arrived and thanked them again. This kit is a simple conversion. It consists of ten resin pieces. The largest is the shelter itself and this is nicely molded as a single piece. The rest of the pieces are a new rear bumper, a door handle, four tie down rings, a radio mount, a closed access panel and (I think) a air filter unit or maybe a small air conditioning unit. All pieces are nicely poured with no visible air bubbles. With the advent of the internet and PayPal, I am becoming more at ease with ordering directly from manufacturers. I want to thank Real Models for making the product and IPMS/USA for a place to post this review. Have fun; build a vehicle with a "rat rig"!