Eduard 1:35 Detail sets for Tamiya Mk.IV Male

[James H]

1:35 Detail sets for Tamiya Mk.IV Male

Eduard
Catalogue # see article for price and code
Available from Eduard

 

 

 

I have to admit it. I recently succumbed and bought the new Tamiya Mk.IV 'Male' tank when I attended the Bolton IPMS model show in January. The thing it, I'm an aircraft guy. Wingy things are about all I really know, but I really couldn't resist this when I saw it for sale with a trader. My main area of interest is World War 1, so I felt that I could sort of extend my remit to the rather brutal and agricultural-looking Mk.IV tank. I once built the Emhar kit (much maligned IMHO), and my friend finished that for me while I had other commitments, so now it was time to redeem myself. Those purveyors of the PE aftermarket set, Eduard, have just sent me TWO new sets designed for this model, so let's see what they offer.

• 36302, Mk.IV male exterior, 14,95€
• 36303, Mk.IV male interior, 27,75€

 

Mk.IV male exterior

 

Both of these sets are packaged into Eduard's familiar slim, re-sealable wallet, and this particular set is the most minor of the upgrade sets. If you've seen the Tamiya kit, then you will appreciate that it is already beautifully and accurately detailed. This set presents one small PE fret measuring around 70mm x 70mm and containing approximately 80 parts. Some of these are quite small and repetitive, such as the 35 incredibly tiny hexagonal nuts.

 

 

What this set does offer though is a chance to refine those details which always would have benefitted from a PE part, and these include various grab handles and extraneous, thin plate parts onto which some of these handles fasten to. One focal area which does benefit from a PE makeover are the two forward vision hatches. The kit does indeed supply these are parts which can be posed in an open position, but that of course highlights the thickness of the part. While Tamiya did a great job here, the double-thickness, folded metal parts with separate viewing flap, will no doubt be an improvement here, no matter how slight.

 

 

Also provided as a metal replacement are the walls that surround the rear section of the exhaust pipe. I don't know what gauge metal was used on the real thing, but the PE parts are certainly finer in their representation.

 

For me, one of the biggest improvements is for the external ladder which allows a crewman to access the roof of the vehicle. To fit the PE ladder, you will need to file away the moulded detail, and this will take some care and patience. The multipart ladder, with individual rungs is certainly a much nicer looking option.

Other parts included here are some fine chains for viewing ports etc. and various stiffening brackets.

 

 

 

Mk.IV male interior

 

This is a set which really means business, but still really requires to you perhaps source some of your own accompanying detail, or to scratchbuild yourself. This substantial set contains TWO large PE frets which measure around 145mm x 100mm. You do need to know that including this set will mean that you have to scrap that lovely (?) electric motor ensemble that you can use to make the tank run on its own tracks. However, while this set includes a lot of interior detail, I think it perhaps falls a little short of including all of it. You will also need to look to see if you can source a Daimler-Foster 16 litre engine! It is of course possible to try your hand at this yourself. You may even wonder why you'd bother as you won't see it, but then again, that would apply to this set itself, unless you create cutaway sections. Anyway, onto what's on offer here......

 

 

From the very outset, you'll need to start removing plastic from both the interior floor and inner walls. You also need to scrap the inner plastic bulkhead, part C4. That's about as much preparation as required to install this set.

 

 

Within the hull, there is a natural void between the inner and outer main side walls around which the tracks roll, and this needs to be rectified. This set provides detailed inner wall panels which come complete with ammunition stores (shelves etc) detail. Eduard have packed quite a bit of detail into these areas, but they only cover what can be (possibly) immediately seen through any open ports/orifices as these PE wall panels only sort the detail out to either side of the inner sponson areas, which carry the side guns. There is also a little inner sponson detail such as the circular flange upon which the gun mount is seated, and a riveted plate at the intersection of the gun wall and the angled armour beneath this.

 

 

Looking at photos of the interior of the Mk.IV male, and having been inside one at Bovington Tank Museum, it can clearly be seen that Eduard's attempt to recreate the interior is one which is designed to give either a rudimentary impression when peeking in from outside, or a good start on which to try to recreate the complete interior. As I say, there is no engine or plumbing and drivers cab etc. and Eduard's main interior really concentrates on the central raised unit which runs from front to back, and would normally include the engine.

 

 

This unit contains a stowage compartment (with simulated wooden lid), an oil tank and an area where I think the engine would normally reside. This is straddled by a number of PE bulkheads with a beam running over them. I'm not massively familiar with the foibles of the Mk.IV interior, and this appears to give the modeller something to work with, and a good starting point for further detail.

 

 

Conclusion
Both of these sets are worthwhile, but for different reasons. The exterior set fives a little extra finesse to Tamiya's own superb creation, and the interior is good for perhaps going a stage further with your detail. I don't honestly see that installing this without taking things further, is actually worth the effort, as what you can see internally is so seriously restricted that you'd need a micro camera on a stalk to see inside.....either that, or you build the model as a cutaway, but then you will most definitely need to take that interior detailing a stage further.

 

Recommended

 

My sincere thanks to Eduard for these review sets. To purchase directly, click the links in the review.

James H

 

 

[JeroenPeters]

Nice Mon Armour!!

[Paulster]

Voyager and Eduards set. Be the death of me I tell you. So nice.