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.

Dam good kit no fit problems

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

Great kit to do

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

My brother's choice of kit and he was delighted with it.

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.