1/35 Tamiya Panzer II Ausf. F/G Review/Preview

do we really need a review of a 40-year old kit?

Older than forty.  Heck, Tamiya put out its famous 8.8cm Flak 36/37 kit out in 1973.  The Pz II F/G kit must have been earlier than that.

ranger: i know you're trying to help but your pronouncements of "nicely molded" or "well detailed" float in the air.  They are "nicely molded" as compared to what?  A lump of chewing gum?  What can you tell us about the DML or newer Tamiya Pz II  kits?

I've made this suggestion to you previously.  If you want to assist the viewer, may I suggest you at least learn about current/most updated releases of the same subject?  This $4 hobby shop clearance table item is solely good for a beginner or to give to a neighbor's kid and this should be stated at the beginning, not at the end.

pyrman64

do we really need a review of a 40-year old kit?

Sure, along with the Walkman and one of those 1980s mobile phones. I've always wondered how my old Gameboy compares to the new 3DS.

Well, as someone who has only just come back to modeling after a very long absence, I can say that I did not know when I bought it that it was 40 years old!  I'm not sure the fact that it is such a venerable model is relevant - it's still on the shelves so a newcomer to modeling (or a returnee like myself) would like to be able to find some information relating to it.

Don't assume everybody has your level of knowledge guys!

BlindPew

Well, as someone who has only just come back to modeling after a very long absence, I can say that I did not know when I bought it that it was 40 years old!  I'm not sure the fact that it is such a venerable model is relevant - it's still on the shelves so a newcomer to modeling (or a returnee like myself) would like to be able to find some information relating to it.

Don't assume everybody has your level of knowledge guys!

Good point.

Besides its only 1s and 0s  in an electronic medium. So there should be room for all

BlindPew

Don't assume everybody has your level of knowledge guys!

As a response to this comment - don't do a "review" if you don't know anything about what you are reviewing.

This venerable kit was actually my first ever 1/35 kit I built just 2 years ago.

While I understand that "review" is quite strong a word,  some sort of preview or unboxing of this kit could be great for a newbie like me.

Or an honest opinion would also be welcomed.

Just my 2 

There appears to be a backstory here we don't know about, but I have to say the initial responses to the "review" took me by surprise. I'm back to modeling after 45 years away. I haven't even built that model yet, but I do plan to build one of each of Germany's main battle tanks from WW II so that one is on my list. And if I could find it for $4, I'd already have it in my growing collection of kits. I seem to buy them faster than I can build them! Anyone else have that problem?

I liked the suggestion of doing some kind of comparison of kits. It would be great if I could know who makes that tank, and what is in the various kits, like which ones, if any, provide a metal barrel, and the like. FSM could provide quite a service to new modelers if it had a collection of accessible videos making those kinds of comparisons.

Barrett, I must say that this kit is ideal for someone trying his (or her) hands at the 1/35 scale, like me.

If you don't mind the accuracy issue, it's easy to build and fun. The low parts count and the 4 soldiers are also a real selling point.

The only problem I had with this kit is how to paint and glue the horrible vinyl tracks. I had to use a stapler and epoxy !

Thanks JayF. I'm thinking of buying one of them and practicing weathering techniques on it. I remember the vinyl tracks from decades ago and how impossible it was to get them to stay together. When I got my Tamiya King Tiger kit last year, I was shocked to see they are still using those things! I couldn't bring myself to put them on this magnificent model, so I spent the extra money on a link kit. I'm glad I did for many reasons. :-)

The current vinyl tracks by Tamiya et al are a lot different than those used ages ago.  These are glueable.

The "hot screwdriver" technique (for joining the old-style tracks) is primitive, but learning just how much heat and pressure to apply to melt the joining pins down neatly and cleanly is an art form in itself.  

Now, here's irony for you. Ranger_Chris61 takes some heat for posting a video reviewing a Panzer II and it turns out there's a picture of a Panzer II kit on the front page of the FSM web site in the "Products Directory" window. The caption reads "An up-to-the-minute guide to the latest scale modeling products." Go figure!

BarrettDuke

it turns out there's a picture of a Panzer II kit on the front page of the FSM web site in the "Products Directory" window. The caption reads "An up-to-the-minute guide to the latest scale modeling products." Go figure!

Actually, that particular kit was only released about 5 years ago. OTOH, the Ausf. F/G kit as featured in this thread dates back to the early 70's.

Big difference..

Sure the Tamiya kit is barely older than me (I was born in 1977 a few years after it was released) but it will build up into a decent Ausf F just not a Ausf G and with Eduard pe set and some AM tracks will still be cheaper than a Tasca Panzer II Ausf F. When I mean it won't build up to a Ausf G is that the Ausf G is physically different with a different suspension layout and a different turret using a short barreled 20mm kwk 38 instead of the 20mm kwk 30. Now the Dragon and Tasca kits are pretty decent though I only own the Tamiya Ausf F and the Dragon Ausf F. Another problem with the old Tamiya vinyl tracks is that they can over time melt the plastic road wheels and they are also infamous for disintegrating when a solvent based wash is applied to the tracks so if you want a replacement option for tracks look at ModelKasten Friulmodel or Dragons Magic tracks as a replacement the first two companies put out workable tracks that produce realistic sag and Dragons magic tracks are a glueable link and length track that are two different colors to show which side is which with the left side being a darker or lighter color than the right side.

@Mikey: the Tasca 1/35 Pz II is an ausf L "Luchs".  Their Pz II ausf F is in 1/24 scale.  BTW: both are super!

wow, tough crowd...

Phil_H

The "hot screwdriver" technique (for joining the old-style tracks) is primitive, but learning just how much heat and pressure to apply to melt the joining pins down neatly and cleanly is an art form in itself.  

 

i have a nail with a medium size flat head nailed inti a dowel for my track melting/connecting tool

Mikey, it is the new glueable Tamiya tracks that disintegrate when painted, not the older heat joined ones. The old ones are quite robust. I have a few 30+ year old builds still in my collection and none have disintegrated. All of their newer glue able tracks that I have built have broken within a few months of completion, even when painted with acrylics. Also, none of my older Tamiya vinyl tracks have melted a single road wheel of mine in the 40+ years that I have been building those.

As far as the old Tamiya Panzer II kit goes- in my view its a perfect kit for the novice AFV modeler, and a nice inexpensive canvas for the experienced builder to try PE, scratch building or other new techniques on without putting out a lot of money. I built one as kid back when it was a fairly new release, one a few decades ago, and have another in my stash to try with some upgrades one of these days.

This is a great kit to work on finishes, rust, smoke etc. 

Ruining a $10 kit is better than a $60. 

I just bought this little kit as a simple diversion from Aircraft. 

Well all I'm going to say is that the Tamiya Pzkpfw II ausf F/G is a nice kit and an easy build. It does lend itself to upgrades. But here is mine from 2015 which I built straight from the box. I called this one vehicle vignette; The Drive to Kiev. This is during the early stages of Operation Barbarossa in 1941.