|
Reviewed by Paul Bird
Kit# 30123 1/32 Scale
62 pieces - styrene $25.00 approx.
David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the first couple of Star Wars movies (or more correctly, the second trilogy), reportedly
said of the newest Star Wars movie that "it is just a way to sell more toys." And what great toys! There is even
something for the armour modeller. Or at least the Sci-fi modeller with armour tendencies.
The Trade Federation tanks
get some good coverage in the movie as they wreak havoc across the open fields of Naboo. These tanks, coupled with their robot
crew and support infantry, are the latest addition to the bad guy arsenal in Star Wars.
AMT/Ertl brought their 1/32nd
scale kit of the Trade Federation tank to market just in time for the release of the movie in these parts. I saw the movie
and bumped into the kit soon thereafter (at the time not knowing it was even out). I just had to have it.
One of
the biggest problems in doing a movie subject is trying to find enough reference material to do it right - or at least as
right as a plastic rendition of something that only otherwise resides within a computer somewhere in Hollywood can get. The
box art provides a couple of good colour photos of a decently done model. I also bought an Episode 1 Scrapbook which has a
pretty good picture showing the other side of the vehicle than the model box art rendering.
The scrapbook calls the
vehicle a Federation Armored Attack Tank (AAT). Although I don't recall seeing such a thing in the movie, according to this
source, six droid soldiers can ride on the outside of the vehicle, three each side where the hand-holds are. Anybody out there
want to try scratchbuilding that?
Construction according to the instruction sheet is comprised of six steps (step
5 has a build portion and a painting portion on two separate pages so I'm calling it six steps).
Unfortunately, the
general fit of most parts is pretty poor. Super glue and filler putty are required, as well as good old-fashioned elbow grease
with a variety of sanding tools.
Step one builds up the turret. Probably the worst fit of the entire kit is the turret
top to turret bottom (kit parts #27 & 28). I also had difficulty with the two halves of the main gun. Alignment and fit
were poor.
The second and third steps develop the main hull. There is a rather nasty seam at the front of the hull
when the two halves are mated. This seam is clearly visible on the built example on the side of the box, but the main box
art (movie scene footage) shows this area as quite uniform and smooth. I made an insert piece from plastic card to cover the
miserable seam. The underside pieces, #14 and 20, do not totally conform to their respective mating sections of the hull.
Lots of crazy glue is needed here.
In the fourth step, the turret and side cannon are added to the main hull. All
gun tubes were drilled out at this point. The chin guns, #29 and 30, don't fit all that well (what a surprise!) with the contour
of the hull.
The lower hull with grenade launchers is built and attached in step 5. This is a large semi-circle affair
that really adds dimension to the vehicle. The fit of main and lower hull sub-assemblies is actually pretty good really.
The finished model (kit box art shown, not my model) measures about 12 1/2" long by 10" wide by 5"
high (not including stand).
All in all it's a fun project, but the poor fit of the kit certainly is frustrating at
times. Maybe I'll do the Droid mounted on the Single Trooper Aerial Platform next (when I get more sanding tools).
(Left) The completed AMT Trade Federation Tank, ready to crush the peace-loving residents of Naboo.
|
