Tamiya 1/48 scale Greyhound armored car

Kit: No. 32551
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Tamiya, available from Tamiya America, 800-826-4922, www.tamiyausa.com
Price: $27
Comments: Injection-molded, 124 parts and cast-metal chassis, decals
Pros: Good detail; interesting figure included
Cons: Lack of interior detail (especially turret); simplified .50-caliber machine gun
Issue Published: March 2008

Tamiya continues to expand its impressive line of 1/48 scale armor kits, this time with a U.S. M8 armored car. Molded in dark olive plastic, the parts show excellent detail. Typical of Tamiya's 1/48 scale kits, a cast-metal chassis is included; it doesn't add anything to the detail of the kit, but it does add some weight to the finished model. The kit includes an optional machine-gun ring mount for the turret. As M8s were often seen with missing fenders, Tamiya has left these as separate parts so you can easily depict any Greyhound you want.

A small errata sheet correcting Step 7 is enclosed with the otherwise excellent instructions. The decal sheet provides a choice of two markings. A standing figure also is included.

I began assembly with the chassis. I recommend painting the pre-primed, cast-metal chassis olive drab before installation, as it may be difficult to cover with the running gear in place.

Tamiya provides the main drive-train parts as a single, cast piece, making it almost impossible to mount the six wheels out of alignment. There is nothing provided in the way of interior parts for the hull, but little of the inside is seen after the turret is on (unless you opened the forward hatches).

Optional parts are provided for mine racks or storage bins on the hull sides. I left off the wheels and lightly tacked the fenders in position until after the main painting.

The turret is quickly assembled. Again, no interior detail except for the guns and basic turret basket. The .50-caliber machine gun for the turret ring mount lacks detail, especially at the rear, and the .50-caliber ammo box is molded without a bottom.

Once everything was assembled I painted with Tamiya olive drab, then lightened the olive drab with Tamiya dark yellow and highlighted main panels.

The decals went on easily over a coat of Future, with only a little Solvaset needed to snug them to the details. Diluted Tamiya buff and earth were used to weather the model, followed by a wash and dry-brushing with oil paints.

The finished model matches exactly the dimensions in David Doyle's Standard Catalog of U.S. Military Vehicles.
It only took about 12 hours to finish my little Greyhound. This kit could easily be built by a beginner, and the finished model would make an excellent addition to anyone's 1/48 scale military vehicle collection.