TAMIYA 35380 1:35 Brit. Panzer Comet A34 - Faithful Replica, Model Making, Plastic kit, Hobby, Gluing, Plastic kit, Assembly, unpainted

I found this kit a joy to build after an aborted attempt to build the Bronco version, so I would like to contrast the two. Photo-etch: the Bronco kit had paper-thin, easy-to-break photo-etch, for example the birdcage gunsight and the double Normandy cowl, which you had to bend into the right curve with no template and tiny glue tabs on the side pieces that broke off as you bent them. They had a moulded single-piece cowl, so this wasn't done for worries about scale accuracy. The birdcage was similar: you had to bully it into shape and hope that nothing broke (as it did). The Tamiya kit doesn't have any photo-etch. Maybe the birdcage sight is a bit chunky scale-wise, but it is a lot easier to build and the two-piece Normandy cowl looks fine. Mantlet cover and gun: There is no mantlet cover on the Bronco kit. I had to get an aftermarket resin replica and a metal barrel, saw the front off the turret and do endless test fits until I got the mantlet cover right and superglued it into position, Not to mention the endless sawing and sanding of the resin part. And, not Bronco's fault, but there was no accurate way to gauge that the barrel was in the right orientation. I used a pin drill pushed through the muzzle brake. The Tamiya kit has a mantlet cover and the barrel locks into the correct orientation. Tiny front lights: There are two tiny lights (indicators?) that rise above what I would guess is a reinforcing rail at the front of the tank. On the Bronco kit, they are moulded pieces that make a grain of rice look like King Kong. They are dwarfed by my finest tweezers and there is no locating pin or slot, and time after time I ended up gluing the part to my tweezers and not to the rail. On the Tamiya, the rail is a separate part with the tiny lights moulded in. Towing eyes: there are two of these either side of the glacis plate, and they are at an angle. On the Bronco kit, there is again no positive location that allows you to guarantee the angle, and you could always see the join. On the Tamiya version, the glacis plate is half-thickness at the sides, and these towing eyes have a plate that buts up against a stop on either side, guaranteeing the correct orientation, and you really can't see any join at all. They look as if they are attached to the tank. Angled skirts on either side of the engine cover: on the Bronco, there is again no positive location and no accurate way to gauge that you have the right angle. On the Tamiya, they are moulded in. Tracks: on the Bronco, these were clip-together single links that took ages to assemble, and it was easy to break off the retaining tabs. When complete, I spent ages painting them: black base, varying rust colours, oil wash, steel highlights: and when I picked the painted tracks up, they fell apart. It happened so many times, even if I glued the links together that had parted, that that was when I gave up the build. The Tamiya version had their tried-and tested Link and Length tracks. I found the easiest way to do this was to dry-fit the wheels, idlers, sprocket and return idlers and glue the track sections to all of them. When the glue had set, I was able to remove the entire assemblies paint and weather the tracks, then carefully mask the tracks and paint the wheels. That is an abbreviated list of differences. In short, the Bronco was thoroughly frustrating to try to build. The Tamiya version is a pleasure to build.

Tamiya quality. Components fit well.

I've built Tamiya models before and always thought the firm produced really well made models with very few bits of "flash" and other blemishes that require attention instead of getting on with the fun bit. Tamiya's models always seemed to me to be well designed for a good fit. This tank (a late WWII British Cruiser tank) is no exception to the above - in fact it seems to me to represent a step up from an already very high standard. Fit is great, hardly any blemishes to deal with and the detail is amazing! This leaves the modeller with the pleasant job of planning the painting, weathering etc and considering any post-purchase add-ons (I am considering camouflage netting rolls to add as stowage. I thoroughly recommend this kit to any keen modeller with an interest in WWII tanks and other military vehicles.

Dam good kit no fit problems

Great kit to do

Beautiful tamiya kit - goes together a dream. Decals can be a little difficult for the novice as you’ll need setting solutions

Came in time, my husband was very happy 🙂 thank you

Good looking tank

Commonwealth armor of the Second World War has not, historically, been a well-represented subject for scale model kits, but Tamiya has released some great ones over the years. And this Comet kit is their latest. I have always wanted to build the Comet, but the only other recent kit of the tank came from Bronco which, while probably quite accurate, my experience with them has been a frustrating one with endless numbers of needlessly fiddly tiny parts that make building the kit anything but enjoyable. Tamiya's kit is the exact opposite. Thoughtfully engineered to be detailed yet very easy and logical to assemble, this kit should please seasoned modelers looking for a fun project or even someone contemplating their first tank model. The addition of 2 crew figures also allows someone to create a vignette or display without having to invest in expensive resin figures if they don't want. Used to be that Tamiya figures included with kits were substandard at best, but these days, they are some of the best injected molded plastic figures out there-- almost as good as resin and in many ways easier to work with, especially for beginners. You just can't go wrong with this or any of Tamiya's other recent armor releases.

新しい時代のタミヤ製品で、これまでの製品とは一味違った 部品分割で構成されたキットです。部品も若干少ない方で、 箱を開けた途端にウンザリする様な事はありません。 部品は繊細に作られていて、部品によってはランナーから 切出して、ゲートをヤスリで成型しようとすると、折れる 可能性のある物もありますので、注意深く作業して下さい。 キャタピラーは組みやすいですが、もしかすると接着剤に よる部品収縮で、長さが１mm程短いかもしれません。 幸い４枚余り部品として存在しますので、１枚余分に挿入 するという手もあります。もし入れるとしたら、前側の A45とA46の間がいいと思います。 他には特には問題点はありません。 完成した姿は、センチュリオンにも似たどっしりした 頑丈そうなルックスになります。

GUTE WARE binsehr zufriden

Ottimo modello del Comet 1/35

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