| US Tank Tools | Hauler (#HLH72138) |
| Article by Doug Chaltry; last updated 12 September 2024 | |
 <<click for larger image>> |
|
| Modeling the Sherman Tank in 1/72nd Scale |
| US Tank Tools | Hauler (#HLH72138) |
| Article by Doug Chaltry; last updated 12 September 2024 | |
<<click for larger image>> |
|
| Those of you who are
familiar with my kit reviews will remember that I am
endlessly complaining about companies that mold a tank's
pioneer tools onto the kit hull, instead of including
them as separate parts. It is one of my biggest pet
peeves in model making. Alternatives are few, and
thankfully, Hauler has released this highly useful,
though very small, set to help us replace the crappy,
molded-on tools. As you can see in the scan above, the
set includes a single collection of the tools that were
commonly mounted on a Sherman tank. Unfortunately (to my
eyes), only a single set of tools is included in the set
(although the photoetched mounting brackets are a double
set, I assume in case we lose some of these incredibly
tiny parts during construction). It's not an incredibly
expensive set, but when you consider the cost of
packaging and shipping, and the fact that most modelers
would like need several sets of these, I really would
have liked to have seen at least two full sets of tools
in the package, if not four. But that is a minor
complaint. The resin tools are expertly cast, though I
think the mattock handle is a little bit too stout; I'll
likely sand that one down, or simply carve my own,
considering its simplicity. While the photoetched parts
are going to be fiddly to attach, and some people would
probably liked to have seen them molded onto the resin
tools directly, I rather appreciate having them separate
like this. It's more realistic, and it will also allow us
to simply attach the empty brackets onto the kit hull
without the tools, to represent missing equipment. All in all, a really nice, and very appreciated set. |
| Modeling the Sherman Tank in 1/72nd Scale |