Somua S35 in 1/72 scale
| Name | Somua (Item No. 79875) |
| Producer | Heller, France |
| Packing | carton box with not very happy picture on the top |
| Type of kit | injection kit |
| Quality | The kit itself is well cast of sand plastic with no flash and other similar defects. The box includes 3 sprue frames with 38 parts of plastic and 2 vinyl tracks that are too simple and are disadvantage of this kit. Other mistake is incorrect skewed shape of all side hatches. Therefore I recommend precise modellers to get them to correct straight shape. I would also recommend to complete kit with scratchbuilt turret hooks, holders and other details on additional fuel tanks and exhaust. I personally would also re-grooved side covers of wheels and try to open some of the hatches or doors. |
| Instruction sheet | Instruction sheet is well-arranged. It includes only one camouflage schema – dark green/ sand, 3 DML, May 1940. |
| Decals | decals are thin and matt usable without problem |
| General Impression | I think that all fans of small scale WW2 tanks should have the model built out of this kit in collection. |
| Note |
This model represents the best French medium
tank. The hull as well as turret of this tank was cast. It was armed with 47 mm
gun and machine gun both mounted in turret. French produced about 500 pieces of
this tank till year 1940. Most of them were captured by Germans and were used
them mainly against partisans. Germans also sold part of them to Italy and
Croatia.
I used Polish book ”Czolgi Francuskie 1940” as the source of info. This book includes few very good reference photos showing nice details and also three color camouflages with thin black lines. |
