Trasporto Truppe Corazzato Renault Saviem VAB 4x4 Francese

Recensione del Modello Heller in Scala 1:72

The armoured troop transport VAB 4x4 by Heller represents an APC of 2nd Company, 2nd reggimento fanteria della legione straniera francese. This unit was part of the Division Daquet francese which fought in the 1991 Gulf War. Division Daquet was among the troops which penetrated most deeply into Iraq. Veicoli francesi used in the Gulf War were originally painted in the trecolore "Centre Ouest" camouflage pattern for Central e Western Europe, the light green e black camouflage patches of which were covered con sandcoloured paint. This camouflage pattern was unique to Division Daquet. The regulation desert camouflage pattern requires that the black camouflage patches are only partially overpainted con sandcoloured paint.

Valutazione

• Excellent choice of subject, the VAB 4x4 is a standard vehicle dell’armata francese, ed it has many interesting variants.
• Only 39 parts, the VAB can be built in less than an hour. Significantly more time may be spent superdetailing the vehicle con scratchbuilt replacement parts ed accessories.
• The kit incluces all windows of the VAB. The model should be airbrushed prior to final assembly, otherwise the windows need to be masked.
• One of the tre roof hatches of the fighting compartment, e the armoured shutters in front of the windows may be modelled in the open o closed position. However, when the hatches are open, enough light falls inside to reveal that the vehicle has no crew o interior.
• According to the instructions, the torretta mitragliatrice shall be permanently glued to the hull. This is not strictly necessary. The torretta stays on even without glue. With a little extra effort, the torretta could be secured from inside the vehicle in such a way that it still turns.
• Compatibile con ESCI, Hasegawa, e Revell.

• The hatch della torretta mitragliatrice is modelled in the closed position, unfortunately. It will require some modelling effort to scratchbuild an open hatch. If suitable crew soldatini were available, this modification would be well worth the extra work.
• The splash board (No. 21) is modelled in the open position. To modelt he splash board in the stowed position, the clear top section needs to be cut off.
• The tire tread does not represent the Michelin tire used on the VAB, e which is shown correctly sulla copertina della scatola. When viewed from the side, the tire looks like a re-tread.
• The large tires of the VAB are not deformed at all, although one would expect some flattening due to the vehicle’s battle weight of 13 t. Purists may want to flatten the tires appropriately, using a hotplate o heated spatula. Replacement wheels made from resin o metal are another option.
• The tow hooks at the front e rear, as well as the lift hooks on the hull sides are missing. These parts may be scratchbuilt from brass wire.
• The antenna mount on the driver’s side cannot be identified correctly in the instructions. In section 6 of the instructions there seems to be a black antenna mount above e to the right of the driver’s door, but this part has not been included in the kit. If this is the correct antenna location, a small antenna mount may be scratchbuilt from plastic sprue o brass, e the antenna inserted into it.
• The cast-on handholds next to the doors should be replaced by more realistic parts made from brass wire.
• Unfortunately, the windshield wipers are not included in the kit, e they have not been cast into the clear windshield parts as can be seen on some other kits.
• The painting sulla copertina della scatola shows the VAB con external stowage on the roof which has not been included in the kit, unfortunately. Camouflage netting, sleeping bags, ed aerial recognition panels can be made from tissue paper e tied to the roof con thread.
• The instructions only show the bicolore desert camouflage pattern used during the Gulf War. Anyone interested in painting the VAB in the more common trecolore camouflage pattern of the Franco-German Brigade, will have to find painting instructions elsewhere.
• The kit includes no decalcomanie for a VAB of the Franco-German Brigade. Manufacturers often sell their scale models con a meagre selection of decalcomanie, e they completely overlook the market potential of a particular kit. If the VAB were available con a complete set of license plates e tactical markings of an entire plotone fanteria meccanizzata francese, many collezionisti e giocatori wargame would raise entire units rather than just build a single vehicle.
• Guidatore e capocarro are not included. None of the popular manufacturers offer fanteria francese e vehicle crew in scala 1:72 yet. Modellers e giocatori wargame will have to improvise o look for small run resin o metal models of truppe francesi.
• Heller’s VAB scales out 14 cm longer e 11 cm wider than the original. The vehicle’s wheelbase is 14 cm too long as well. These discrepancies amount to less than one percent, e they will hardly be noticeable to the casual observer.

The VAB amphibious armoured transport by Heller is a nice model for wargames e dioramisti interested in the modern armata francese. The VAB has over 50 variants, many of which may be built from this kit. A waterline model of the VAB may be created by cutting the hull at the waterline e mounting the vehicle on a river base.

Heller Modellismo

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– Pubblicato: 09.02.2005 – Aggiornato: 21.02.2005
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