Kit: 32516
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Tamiya, from Tamiya America, 800-826-4922, www.tamiyausa.com
Price: $18
Comments: Injection-molded, 103 parts, decals
Pros: Good interior detail, good fit, easy to build, good commander and driver figures
Cons: Track and road wheels molded together, some mold-parting seams, driver figure missing an ear
The "Universal Carrier" served as a scout vehicle, infantry carrier, and artillery observation post. Tamiya has chosen the scout version with radio for its latest release in its new 1/48 scale armor line.
It features complete interior with seats, steering wheel, gearshift lever, and radio set. Detailed Enfields, Bren guns, and an M1 Thompson complete the weapons cache. Other gear includes ammo cans, a folded tarp, and a bag with the camouflage net molded in it. Driver and commander figures are provided, and decal options include one Tunisian and three Northern European army service vehicles.
Keeping in mind that this is a small model (3" long), I was disappointed that the road wheels and tracks were molded together. This over simplified the track detail and made painting more difficult. Cleaning up the mold-separation lines was time consuming. The suspension arms were molded slightly off center and made cleanup of the springs a challenge.
I painted many of the interior parts first, before they were fitted into place. Dry-fitting the major pieces of the body revealed no fit problems. The rest of the construction went smoothly.
I painted the model overall Floquil Pullman green. I used Floquil weathered black on the road wheels. To simulate the wooden stocks on the British weapons, I painted them with Model Master wood enamel and a Tamiya clear orange overcoat. Model Master gun blue was used for the metal parts on the guns.
Weathering was accomplished with Tamiya weathering pastels. For the markings, I chose a vehicle from the Seventh Armored Division. The decals went on without any problems over a coat of Future floor polish.
The finished model measures close to the dimensions in The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles by Christopher F. Foss. It took only 13 hours to complete my Universal Carrier, and the high level of detail and smooth assembly made it a satisfying project. Painting the combined road wheels and tracks put a temporary damper on my efforts, but overall, I enjoyed building it.
- Tom Foti