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Built Review
148
AFV Club 1/48th Half-Track
1/48th Scale AFV Club Sd.Kfz.251/1 Ausf. C
  • 251AFVClub

by: Ted Hayward [ TED_HAYWARD ]

introduction
Yet another German half-track under the tree this year? This one is far from being a bog standard: look again. It’s quarter scale!
This tiny new addition from our friends at AFV Club promises to herald many more welcome subjects in this increasingly popular scale. I was a reluctant convert before coming to this scale, but my misgivings about loss of detail and unmanageable parts proved unfounded. The detail is as crisp and uncompromising as in most 1/35th scale kits. Doubters should look closely at the cooling jackets on those machine guns, the creases in the leather seats! There are almost exactly the same number of parts -minus the individual torsion bars and rear axle, as in AFV Club’s 1/35th scale 251 Ausf. C kit.

construction
Wrapping that very fragile suspension assembly with those vinyl tracks did give me initial cause for concern –the stub axles are to scale, and tiny! My fears were unfounded -AFV Club designers had prevented any tears or nashing of teeth in two ways: Firstly, by providing the most flexible and supple vinyl tracks, cementable with CA glue. Secondly, the inner roadwheels are connected to one another by small “rings” which give strength to the assembled suspension, align the many wheels together, and remain invisible behind the outer wheels. Brilliant! The design of the suspension assembly does actually allow for one broken axle on each side –just ask me how I know! You will, as with the 1/35th scale kit, have to paint the gauges -a decal or a PE dash face would have been impractical in this scale. Also, for the visually-challenged and (or) the less youthful builder, it would help to enlarge the instructions on a Xerox machine. The diagrams seem a bit cramped, as it’s a smaller instruction sheet. Do take your time fitting the upper hull half to the lower half: One needs to attach the front and rear panels after the hull halves are together -NOT before!

conclusion
Nice bonuses include an assortment of weapons: extra KAR 98 rifles, MG 34 and MG 42 machineguns, and ammunition cans. Two slightly different styles of front air intake covers (early, sharp-cornered and late, round-cornered) are provided. Crisp and trouble-free decals are included for five different vehicles serving on the Eastern and African fronts.
How does it measure up to the tiny Tamiya offerings, you ask? The Tamiya 1/48th scale kits all include a die-cast lower hull. This adds weight and simplifies assembly -just giving the bare minimum of detail to the suspension. The AFV Club suspension is complete in detail, adding parts and complexity. One may argue that Tamiya kits are the perfect choice for beginner modelers, but you could almost buy two of these little AFV Club kits for the same money!
Novice and experienced builders alike will get plenty of satisfaction from these smaller projects, with a little planning and care.
SUMMARY
Highs: Great detail. This kit goes very well with the 1/48 Tamiya kits I already have on the shelf. An enjoyable build at an affordable price! Also, as an added bonus the first 3000 kits include a limited-edition print by the box artist!
Lows: Care will be needed when assembling the hull halves. Also, you'll need to paint the dash instruments.
Verdict: One can’t help but wonder what the future may hold in AFV Club’s new releases. One thing is certain: 2009 will be a very good year for scale armor builders!
  Scale: 1:48
  Mfg. ID:  AF 48007
  Suggested Retail: TBA
  PUBLISHED: Dec 17, 2008
  NATIONALITY: Germany
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 92.73%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 89.68%

Our Thanks to AFV Club!
This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us.

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About Ted Hayward (ted_hayward)
FROM: TAIPEI, TAIWAN / 台灣

From B.C., Canada. Living in Taiwan for past several years. I've been building kits for as long as memory serves -armor, aircraft, cars. Big fan of 1/16th scale armor kits. Currently serving as poster boy for working with CA adhesives in a well-ventilated area. My first kit was the positively awful ...

Copyright ©2021 text by Ted Hayward [ TED_HAYWARD ]. All rights reserved.



Comments

As someone mentioned, just for the record the Tamiya 250 halftrack has a "plastic hull" and only a metal weight inside. Also, there is an instrument decal sheet that works fine in the 250, so painting the instruments is not necessary in that kit. There are lots of aftermarket sets for 1/48 (Hauler, gasoline, voyager, aber, etc) so 1/48 isn't just for beginners. It's the wave of the future! Thanks for the review!
DEC 21, 2008 - 09:44 AM
Wow Ted i've gotta get myself one of these i've already got AFV's 1/48 Tiger I Late so this would probably look great sitting next to it in a small diorama
DEC 21, 2008 - 04:25 PM
Thnx for the review - been waiting for this one for a long time - now wheres that "D" version! And a small question, the cross decal looks a bit out of register, is the whole decal sheet like that? And I wouldnt really call having to paint the instrument panel a low, at least there is one!! cheers Brent
FEB 14, 2009 - 01:21 PM
The decals are fine, but for some reason that photo does look off. My fault. You have good eyes to spot that!
MAR 25, 2009 - 05:20 PM
   
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Photos
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  • 251assembly
  • 251seats
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