Tracked APC BTR-50PK - 1/72
| Name | BTR-50PK tracked armored transporter /Kit # 72146/ |
| Producer | ACE Model, Ukraine |
| Packing | heavy ziplock plastic bag in cardboard box. Excellent box art. |
| Type of kit | injection-molded, white, limited-run styrene plastic. 1/72 scale AFV. No etched brass parts as in some other ACE models. |
| Quality | Four sprues. One sprue of link & length tracks, well molded with little flash. A sprue of hull bottom and engine area with very good bottom details on the hull bottom, an often neglected area. A sprue of the hull top and sides. A sprue of the wheels and suspension arms. All parts are molded and cast very well and equal or superior to most other injection molded models. Pioneer tools and other small parts are molded very delicately and sprue attachments are small making parts removal easier. Some of the sprues are common to the other BTR-50 variant kits and PT-76 kit by ACE. |
| Instruction sheet | Instructions are the exploded-view type and appear well drawn and clear. Parts numbers are noted on the sprue diagrams, so cross-referencing will need to be done during construction. |
| Decals | Though a small sheet, water-slide decal markings are included for seven vehicles: two Soviet, North Vietnam, Slovenian, Finish, and East Germany. The instructions show painting instructions and location of the markings. |
| General Impression & Note |
In the box this looks to be a very good model kit of an interesting and important vehicle. This APC was quite an innovative design and departure from the halftrack APC’s of WW2 in being fully tracked as well as amphibious. It is derived from the amphibious PT-76 tank. The original BTR-50 released was open top. In the 1950’s it was given an armored roof and air filtration system as NBC protection. Carrying twenty-infantry egress was out the top, not very convenient and safe in combat. Besides the markings for European vehicles Egypt and Syria also used these in the 1967 war. Also available is the 1/72 BTR-50PU, Catalogue number 72147. With a little work and references the early open top variant may be constructed. For further information, scans of all the part sprues and reference photos please visit the ACE website at: http://www.acemodel.com.ua/?p=catalogue&state=1&type=1&per=&t=&l=en&from=30 |
