JB Models 1/76th Scale
Vickers MkVI (A/B/C) Tank

Review

Reviewed by Jonathan Aird

JB Models already have a reputation for approaching the unusual subject in AFV modelling, but, so far, their efforts have all been post war subjects - the Australian M113 Fire Support version with a Saladin turret, Saladin, Saracen and so forth. Thankfully, the first World War II offering from this company follows in the same vein - not a Tiger or a Sherman thank goodness, but the humble (and versatile) Vickers Mk VI.

It's a simple little kit, made up of only 35 parts, with four "spare parts" depending on which variant is built (the differences are mainly in the turret - armament and commander's hatch). Any fiddlyness in track assembly has been avoided by using a single moulding with the tracks and running gear all in one piece (quite similar to the approach used by Airfix on their Bren Gun Carrier model). This means that the kit can be assembled in a couple of hours, and painted up in overall green pretty quickly thereafter. For wargames use it could be made a bit heftier either by basing the vehicle or by adding some modelling putty in the bottom half of the main body assembly (or both !).

It's a pretty good match on scale, according to the dimensions given in "Tanks of the world 1915-1945" (Peter Chamberlain & Chris Ellis). The super detailist might think it a little plain - but there's hardly a great choice in this scale for this vehicle - and, anyway, detailing such as stowage can be added quite easily. There are three sets of decals provided, one correct for each variant. An obvious simple conversion is to make the kit up as a Mk VI India Pattern - so you'll need at least four of this model !

At £ 3.50 a kit it's well worth looking at for those gaming early World War II in France and/or the desert campaigns in 20mm scale. Let's get the sales booming and hopefully we'll be rewarded with some other off the beaten track vehicles from JB (and maybe some of the "Big Boys" will learn that there is a market for such things).

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