Review
MiniArt are really getting on a roll with the 234 family of vehicles, and this latest release with interior lives up to previous offerings. It arrives in a cardboard tray, with separate card lid. Inside the contents are packaged in a single plastic bag with the exception of the instruction booklet. The decals are packaged in with the clear sprue - something that I do not approve of, but the photo etch in the card envelope is something that I do approve of and is a good method of protection. An examination of the contents reveals no obvious concerns, with reasonable sized gate which are not overly excessive except where the large mouldings are concerned due to requirements.
As with all previous interior detail releases of the 234, the detail is good throughout but the ability to see it in this version is not great due to it being closed up with the turret mount. The floor at the rear under the engine allows you to see the hidden interior axle detail, and this could be viewed if the engine access hatches are left off or open above it. You of course have also got a very highly detailed engine, which will restrict the view of the axle detail. The crew areas of the vehicle can be viewed via
the large side doors, and the access hatch above the driver. Most of the interior detail will be next to impossible to observe in this offering, so it may be a case of you know that it is there or you get creative as to how to expose the interior detail. YOu are given details within the instructions on adding details such as battery cables and earthing straps should they be desired. Interior details such as the radios, driver’s instruments are all very nicely detailed within the release. Switching back to the engine for the moment, MiniArt has provided details for cables and pipes that run around the engine. I do highly comment them for this for providing this detail, but I would have liked then to have also provided a page showing the accurate bending of these elements ideally in scale plans.
Moving to the exterior of the model, you of course have a large number of options as to which panels are open, closed or ajar. The armoured viewing ports can be set as open or closed. The storage boxes around the exterior of the vehicle can also be shown open or closed. The tools that are attached on the outside are nicely detailed and have some photo etched clamp detail - which is this case despite being small in size should be easy to utilise. Jerry cans stored on the exterior are now the usual high end detail options, being supplied in 2 halves with a photo etch fret in between to replicate the weld. The 3 grab handle design that allow 2 to be carried at once, the pouring cap is also a separate item. The attachments to the vehicle are provided in a single photo etched frame, which will enable the modeller to opt for a jerry can in place or an accurate depiction of a mounting point minus the jerry can. A star antenna is included in photo etch, a design that I like but a jig for accurate folding of it would have been a nice inclusion.
The Luchs turret is quite a cramped area, but that has not prevented MiniArt from throwing the kitchen sink at it. Separate wall panels are the order of the day, and this has allowed the modeller to add the details to these walls on the interior prior to being put together as I do not believe that this detail would be able to be added if the turret sides had to be added prior. Detail is also present on the interior roof of the model, but I doubt that that will be viewable, unless you have the rear turret hatch open which I believe was dropped for loading and for removal of the main gun. As you would expect that main and support weapon are well detailed both inside and out, and you are provided with the option of a fully moulded barrel or a photo etch flash guard for those who can roll cones.
The suspension arms of this release have been very well tackled by MiniArt as they provide a high level of detail without making them impossible to assemble. The steering pivot point can be left free or secured in the position of choice. Also the vertical movement of the suspension arms can be left free or secured as desired. The wheels themselves have been provided using the sliced versions, that means that you have excellent tread detail, as well as side wall detail. The wheel hubs are also very well detailed, and the only thing that you need to be wary of with this approach is to make sure that you carefully clean up the mating surfaces so that they close up properly.
MiniArt has provided 2 finishing options for this release, and these are:
Presumably 17th Panzer-Division. Czechoslovakia, Spring 1945
Hypothetical Winter Camouflage, 17th Panzer Division
Conclusion
This release from MiniArt again offers the modeller an exceptional level of detail on the interior of the model, which while stunning the modeller will need to get creative when it comes to displaying all that lovely detail. The details on the exterior of the model are high end as you would expect, but the manipulation of the axle and steering geometry really stand out as stunning details which while not idiot proof with a little care it should be easily achieved. Those modeller that are always complaining that this, that and the other are missing, I cannot see anything that should be obviously included as missing. For me details such as the headset included for the Commander in the turret, including detail for you to add the cable for the headset mark this release as one of the star model releases of recent times. The only negative that I can come up with, is that while all of the detail for plumbing for the engine and details such as battery cables are indicated in the instruction booklet, it would have been nice if a instruction area was included in scale showing you how to bend these pipes and cables as some are quite complex.