Kit Review: Miniart 1/35 scale Kit No. 35128; Japanese Tank Crew; 57 parts = in grey styrene; retail price US$23.00
Advantages: nice, new figures designed to compliment single vehicle or man = one or two=20
Disadvantages: nothing major noted
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for anyone building WWII Japanese armor
It apparently has been conceded that DML has decided to corner the market = on German figures from WWII, and some of the more alert companies such as M= iniart, Master Box and ICM have gone after the wide swath of figures they h= ave either ignored or abandoned.=20
This set is typical of the new offerings from Miniart, namely five Japanes= e tankers from WWII. But like some of the more recent DML offerings, this i= s essentially five single figures in one box rather than a combined set wit= h a common theme.=20
Three of the tankers are wearing coveralls; one is posing outside the tank= and the other two are posed to fit in hatches in a vehicle. One officer is= presented in tanker=92s helmet with long sword but standard uniform, and t= he last officer is sitting cross-legged with a sword bayonet drawn up and t= he jungle cap with neckpiece. All five figures have goggles and pistol hols= ters.=20
Each figure is composed of the basic six parts =96 head, torso, arms and l= egs - with detail pieces as needed. The helmet crown is separate but the ea= r flaps and chin straps are molded in place. Molding is excellent and the e= xpressions are all unique.=20
Artwork is by Miniart=92s resident artist. D. Karashchuk, and is to me sec= ond to Ron Volstad for expression and quality. But like DML, the box art is= used on the back with =93stick here=94 notes for assembly of the figures.= =20
Overall this is a great set and provides crews for some of the tanks which= DML failed to do with its Type 2 Ka-Mi kits (even though they are Naval un= its) and gives anyone building Fine Molds or Tamiya kits another nice optio= n.=20
Thanks to MRC for the review sample.=20
Cookie Sewell