NG-007 - Panzer Mark IIIe by Gaming Models, 212 33rd Street SW, Canton, OH 44706.

At Advance The Colors '97, I was fortunate to win a prize in the raffle -- one of fellow Great Lakes member Brian O'Leary's 15mm tanks. Brian takes a different approach to the construction of his Gaming Models vehicles. He actually scratch builds an exact model of the vehicle, and then makes a mold of it to cast in resin. This is quite unlike most companies which sculpt vehicles much like sculpting a figure, which allows for wide variation in scale. The Gaming Models vehicles do not suffer from this. For example, the wheels that are part of the tracks on the Mark III that I have are round -- not oblong, as I have seen on other company's tanks.

As Brian is a modeler by profession, the vehicles he makes reflect his desire for perfection. The Mark III is a very clean and exact reproduction of the real thing. This means a true 15mm (1 /108) casting. This may be a bit of a downside, as other 15mm vehicles on the market tend to run a bit larger. However, the Quality Castings infantry seem to fit them fairly well. Plus, Gaming Models do not suffer from the "smashed" effect that I have seen on both Old Glory and Quality Castings.

The resin used seems to be of a high quality. There are a few pinholes which were easily covered up by a coat of primer. There was very little flash, and the four pieces (turret, chassis, right and left tracks) fit together well. The gun, in this case the 50mm L42, has enough flexibility to keep from breaking, but retains its correct position.

My listing of Gaming Models vehicles and accessories, from Spring 1998, offers five French, 20 German, 16 American, two Soviet, three Japanese, and one British vehicle. These range from tanks, troop carriers, trucks to landing craft. Prices run from $5 for most models, up to $12 for the larger landing craft.

In summary, although Brian is a gaming friend of mine, I still recommend the Gaming Models vehicles over all others in the 15mm scale. The line continues to expand. I would like to see more early war vehicles, including Poles and more French. How about it, Brian?

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