Hi guys, here is my next project i know this kit is over shadowed by the Tasca one but it still looks to me like it will build up into a decent looking "Luchs" im not sure what i will add yet i am just going to play it by ear but for those of you like me who figure $60 for the tasca kit is a tad high when these can be picked up for around $15 on ebay then this might be of some interest. (i dont doubt for a second that the Tasca kit isnt worth that its just that im just a bit of a scrooge about these things ![Smile [:)]](/emoticons/icon_smile.gif)
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Brief History
A prototype designated VK1303 was completed in April 1942 intended for battlefield reconnaissance but weighing in at 12,900kg proved to be too heavy for the russian roadless territories, an improved version that weighed 11,800kg was accepted and put into production as the PzKpfw II Ausf. L "Luchs" (linx) SdKfz 123 light tank. The tank was armed with a 20mm KwK38 L/55 cannon and a 7.92mm MG34 machine gun. In total approximatly 132 of these tanks were built and introduced into service by mid 1943, they served with the 3rd, 4th and 5th SS "wiking" panzer divisions on the eastern front and 116th panzer division on the western front.
The kit contains
4 large sprues with 93 parts
7 sprues of individual link tracks
2 small PE frets
1 length of string for cables
1 Decal sheet
X2 (below)
X7
My first impessions are the molding looks nice and crisp with little or no flash evident, the few sink marks and knockout marks present all appear to be in places where they will be hidden and the detail looks quite good, the PE looks good but the string provided for the cable looks like it may be a bit overscale. The decals look crisp and in register with very a thin carrier film but do not seems to correspond with the marking directions, the version i was planning to do "tank no.17 4th Panzer division eastern fron 1943/44" is not provided on the decal sheet.
The build begins with the assembly of the tub which consists of a bottom, two sides and the front and rear plates the parts are nice and square and line up perfectly forming the tub no filler was required for this.
A lot of reading for one simple step lol tune in next week i may have a road wheel ready ![Laugh [(-D]](/emoticons/icon_smile_newlaugh.gif)