Revell 1/144 US vehicles kit - a review

I recently bought some of the Revell 1/144 plastic US WW2 vehicle kits, it uses the vehicles that are in their landing ship model. The kit comes with two each of:

• M4 Sherman;
• M8 Greyhound armoured car;
• 6-wheel truck.

The models go together pretty well although care is needed when cutting the pieces out of the sprue as the connection s to the sprue are short and thicker than I would have expected.

First some pictures of the completed models then I will compare with another make for each one.

Here is a comparison of the Takara Sherman with the Revell model. Overall very similar in size on all dimensions.

The truck is compared to a New Millennium models truck, again fits in well in terms of all dimensions.

Finally the M8 is compared to an Arrowhead model. I don't have any Takara M8s any more but I did when I first made an Arrowhead model and they were almost identical in size. Compares well in terms of size although a bit shorter on the length than the Arrowhead model. (NB then Revell model has the turret cast as part of the model so does not move).

Other than the size comparisons there is a common observation for all three of the models in the kit, while they are pretty good on the detailing there is not as much surface detail in comparison to the other makes in each case. However at less than £9 for the kit containing 6 models it is certainly good value for money and it is not easy to get hold of the Takara Sherman these days.


For an easy way to see all my WW2 posts check out the WW2 Summary page.

E75 standard tank (Tiger III)

Another CDG 3D printed model I bought for the fun of it rather than for wargaming. The CDG model is a E75 standard tank with 105mm KwK. L/68 gun. Like many of the larger experimental large German tanks the sprue is at the front of the model and so much easier to remove which is useful as the resin is a bit glass like and can be brittle when removing sprue.

A comparison with the Takara King Tiger. The chassis is very similar - from what I can make out it would have been based on the same basic design but a different approach to manufacturing that would have simplified the build. The gun is the main difference. The CDG model is made with a 105mm gun although it also seems from some articles that the tank may have also used the same 88mm gun as the King Tiger.

In case of interest, links to my other experimental and prototype tank posts:

T28 super heavy tank (USA)
Tortoise A39
Boarhound armoured car (Shapeways)
TOG 2 heavy tank
T-100z
T-100Y
KV5
KV 220
T44/ 85
Prototype Tiger 1, Ausf H2
Dicker Max and Sturer Emil
Neubanfahrzeug
Panzer VII Löwe (Lion)
JgPz E 75 "Jagd Panther II"
Panther Coelian Flakzwilling 44

For an easy way to see all my WW2 posts check out the WW2 Summary page.

German captured Shermans

I had a spare Takara Sherman Firefly and a Gramodels Sherman (a resin kit) that I had bought as a test model but was not quite the same size as my Takara models so made them into captured tanks. I added German crosses in a layout from a picture of an actual captured Sherman.

A few closer shots of the Gramodels tank as that will be less familiar to people than the Takara model I suspect

And some comparisons to the Takara model. Gramodels are supposed to be 1/150 but the size differences are not the same on all dimensions. On height and width they are very similar but the Gramodels version is quite a bit shorter on the body length.

For an easy way to see all my WW2 posts check out the WW2 Summary page.

Panther Coelian Flakzwilling 44

One more resin kit made from my last batch of purchases. This is the prototype German flak tank, the Panther Coelian Flakzwilling 44.  Quite a nice kit with good detail and well cast so did not require any excessive effort to make.

In case of interest, links to my other experimental and prototype tank posts:

T28 super heavy tank (USA)
Tortoise A39
Boarhound armoured car (Shapeways)
TOG 2 heavy tank
T-100z
T-100Y
KV5
KV 220
T44/ 85
Prototype Tiger 1, Ausf H2
Dicker Max and Sturer Emil
Neubanfahrzeug
Panzer VII Löwe (Lion)
JgPz E 75 "Jagd Panther II"

For an easy way to see all my WW2 posts check out the WW2 Summary page.

Tiger (P) VK 4501

I did a post a while back on 653. Schwere Panzerjägerabteilung with my Elefant platoons and the special HQ troops used by this unit. The HQ command tank was a Tiger (P) VK 4501 (i.e. the Porsche Tiger 1) and I was using a Takara model. I have been looking for the case special from the CanDo series 8 which actually has the right markings for this unit plus then the same manufacturer as my Elefants. I finally got one last week when someone was selling off their collection.

Although it is a case special this is something I want to keep so I tidied up the painting on the equipment on the vehicles sides, gave it a wash of Agrax Earthshade and some mud effect on the wheels.

And here it is...

next to one of the CanDo Elefants:

And lastly a comparison with the Takara model - the Takara version is about the same on length and width but is much lower (far better detail on the CanDo model too):

For an easy way to see all my WW2 posts check out the WW2 Summary page.

Russian T44/ 85 tank

My latest CDG 3D printed resin model. A Russian T44/85 tank. Apparently development started in 1943 and about 2000 were built by 1945 but it was then overtaken by the T55. A nice clean model and takes much less effort than other CDG models I have made.

Comparison to a T34/85 (Takara version):

In case of interest, links to my other experimental and prototype tank posts:

T28 super heavy tank (USA)
Tortoise A39
Boarhound armoured car (Shapeways)
TOG 2 heavy tank
T-100z
T-100Y
KV5
KV 220
Prototype Tiger 1, Ausf H2
Dicker Max and Sturer Emil
Neubanfahrzeug
Panzer VII Löwe (Lion)
JgPz E 75 "Jagd Panther II"

For an easy way to see all my WW2 posts check out the WW2 Summary page.