Hobby Fan 1/35 scale resin figure sets: No. HR581, 1/35 IDF Centurion Mk. 5 (Six Day War) Crew - 2 Figures;
13 parts in tan resin; price unknown No. HR582, 1/35 U.S. M5A1 Tank Crew & Sandbags - 2 Figures; price unknownAdvantages: crew figures designed to match up with new AFV Club kits; well sculpted and easy to assemble
Disadvantages: minor cleanup of pour blocks
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for the specific nations given
Some modelers may not realize it but Hobby Fan Trading Company of Taiwan (ROC) is the holding company and parent of both Hobby Fan 1/72 and 1/35 scale resin products, AFV Club 1/48 and 1/35 scale plastic model kits and accessories, and the current holder of the Skybow 1/35 scale plastic kit molds. (Skybow originally broke away from AFV Club but was later reabsorbed.)
As such, Hobby Fan (the model branch) is very good about creating detail sets and figure sets in resin to compliment their AFV Club plastic kit line. The two sets listed above are designed to compliment two recent releases, the M5A1 Light Tank (AFV Club Kit No. 35105) and the 1967 IDF Sho't Centurion Mk 5/1 (AFV Club Kit No. 35122).
Each set comes with the individual figures packed in their own zip- lock bags inside a larger zip-lock bag and that is packed inside a coil of bubble wrap in a sturdy cardboard box, so breakage should not be a problem.
The IDF figures are in the last of their purchased and borrowed uniforms, and consist of a tank command and an infantryman. The tank commander comes in four pieces and builds up to a figure designed to fit in the commander's cupola of the tank. He comes with the WWII style US Army tanker's helmet and is relatively relaxed. The infantry comes in nine parts and builds into a figure with his rifle, a Galil, at the ready. Both figures are cleanly sculpted and while large the pour blocks and parts are designed to make separation relatively easy.
The American figures, a tank commander and an infantryman, are firing at either an aerial target or something on the higher floors of a building. The tank commander figure consists of four parts and is kneeling on the roof of the M5A1 while using the .30 caliber Browning to fire on his target; the position does look a bit awkward but from what I recall is based on some photos of contemporary troops in action. The infantryman consists of six parts and is kneeling on the ground to elevate his weapon, an M1A1 Thompson submachine gun. Also included in this kit is an applique armor set of sandbags, logs and a canvas tarpaulin roll for the glacis of the M5A1. The figures both have pour blocks which as noted are easy to remove, but the applique has a much larger and thicker one and cleanup will take a bit longer. From the back it is designed to drop fit on the AFV Club kit.
Overall these are nice accessory sets, perfectly matched to their original kits and worthy of consideration.
Thanks to Shirley Lin of Hobby Fan Trading for the review samples.
Cookie Sewell