MiniArt 1/35 Italian Tank Crew

This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped end opening type box that is quite blousy for it’s contents.
The box  art shows 5 Italian tank crewmen against an all white background. Next to them it says that the box contains an unassembled model of 5 figures in 63 parts.

Two of the figures are posed as seated. They are wearing black leather crash helmets with ear flaps and goggles on them, khaki overalls, black shoes with a lot of brown dust on them, belts with pistol holsters and bandoliers strung across their chests.
The third figure is standing and wears a black leather crash helmet, his goggles are strung from his neck. He has a long black leather coat on with a belt and pistol holster, a bandolier strung across his chest. He has khaki trousers bloused into knee high black leather boots that are also covered with brown dust. His coat has a yellow chevron on the right sleeve, indicating he is a sergeant.

The fourth figure is also standing with his hands in his hips. He wears a grey green side cap with goggles and dark blue coveralls with black gloves tucked into a pocket on the left knee. His black shoes are also covered with brown dust and he has a bandolier slung across his chest.

The fifth figure is standing. He wears a grey green side cap (bustina), a short black double breasted leather jacket, grey green jodpher pants tucked into high black leather boots. He has a gray green shirt with a black neck tie. His hands are tucked into his jacket pockets. There is a pair of binoculars slung from his neck. He has a map case and a pistol holster on his belt. His insignias are that of a lieutenant.

The back of the box has full color repeats of the figure illustrations on the box art, with arrows and numbers pointing at parts of them indicating  the part numbers needed and the colors to paint things. Below these illustrations is a listing of Valllejo, Testor, Tamiya, Humbrol, Revell and Mr. Color brands of paints suggested to use to complete the figures.


Inside the box are 2 gray trees of parts in a sealed cello with a sheet that has the parts tree illustrations on it. The parts trees are not alphabetized or numbered, so modelers will have to constantly refer to these drawings to find the parts they need for assembly. This will make for a little more work to assemble the kit.

The first gray tree holds: the leutnant’s parts. He is divided into separate arms, legs, torso and head. Also separate are his jacket bottom halves, binoculars, pistol holster, bustila hat and map case.

The standing sergeant in the long black leather coat is also on this tree. He is divided into separate arms , legs, torso and head. Also separate are his black leather crash helmet, ear flaps, the bottom halves of his coat, pistol holster and 2 pouches for the bandolier (25 parts on this tree)

The second gray parts tree holds the remaining 3 figures. The standing figure in the dark blue coveralls is divided into separate arms, legs, torso and head with separate goggles, side cap, pistol holster, bandolier pouches and gloves.
The first seated figure is also divided into separate arms, legs, torso and head. His leather crash helmet, ear flaps, goggles, pistol holster and bandolier pouches are separate.
The second seated figure is divided the same with the same separate gear.(37 parts on this tree)

The molding and detail on these figures is very good.

Highly recommended.

My kit was courtesy of my wallet, but a little on the pricey side.

Ray Mehlberger

May 2012

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