Review
This offering from Zvezda arrives in one of its end opening cartons, with an interior cardboard flip top tray. Inside the sprues are packaged in 2 plastic bags, with the clear sprue packaged with the decal sheet - the practice of which I do not approve, due to the risk of damage to the decals. An examination of the contents reveals no obvious issues, with good access for removal, small gates between sprue and moulding. There are some flow marks that have caused no deformation to the parts, and there are also the usual small ejector pin marks - some of which may need to be addressed. The clear sprue shares the high quality moulding properties and are very thin. The decal sheet has excellent colour properties, almost non-existent carrier film on the larger decals with it only being visible on the data stencils. The decals are nice and thin, only just being able to detect when running a finger over them.
Zvezda has provided an engine and gearbox for this offering, which has plenty of detail for the casual modeller with Zvezda remembering to add items such as the battery. The more discerning modeller will likely wish to add pipe and cable detail to lift the engine further and there does appear to be plenty of on-line images to support this endeavour. The chassis of the model is a multi part offering, but there is a part included in that, that will enable the chassis to definitely be assembled in the orientation intended. Again with the underside of the vehicle, there is room to add cables and pipes if you are so inclined. The wheels or more specifically the tyres are moulded in 2 halves and I am pleased with the tread detail provided, is pleasing to the eye and I believe appropriate for a WW2 period. The tread is seen on a number of museum examples of WW2 vehicles, but if you know differently then please shout out. The axles and steering mechanisms are pleasing both as regards assembly and look and I am very pleased to see that the front wheels can be shown turned in any direction, but will obviously be better set when a decision is made as to how you want them. The steering rack also allows for this steering potential without the need for surgery or separate parts.
The cab interior appears to be reasonably detailed for a vehicle of this period, I would have liked the seats to show some wear and tear, but I have seen this achieved via the use of tissue paper and PVA glue. I would have liked to have seen decals for the dial pinnacles as I feel this is beneficial, but again this leaves room for the after market providers to release offerings to dress your model up. Moving to the rear of the vehicle, and I like that you have separate interior and exterior walls. Bench boards are provided that can be shown up or down, and stowed stretchers are provided. I do feel that the detail as regards the stretcher could be better, and I would have also liked to have seen a patient as an option for inclusion in the model. A fire extinguisher and medicine box is provided, and so the needed detail is present but there is room to refine it. If you wish to show off the engine bay Zvezda has made the effort to allow realistic showing of it, with reasonable detail inside and out.
Specific areas of this release I wish to mention is the drive shafts - have separate universal joints at the ends and so articulate correctly. The bull bars on the front of the vehicle are exceptionally well detailed for plastic parts. The jerry cans on the model are assembled using an unusual approach, but it does have the required 3 grab handles that made these container so popular right up until today. The tools that go on the exterior of the model have been moulded separately from the carrier and so making them easier to paint and display good detail. The doors around the entire vehicle can be assembled open or closed and they have separate interior and exterior panels and so hiding any ejector pins marks that would have been visible. A nicely detailed Soviet soldier has been included in the release, but no mention is made of it in the instructions, I however, see no reason why this figure cannot be used as the driver for this model. With a little modification so that it represents an American GI rather than a Soviet soldier. Two finishing options have been included with this release:
1477th Motor Ambulance Company of the U.S. Army, UK forces in advance sections communication zone logistic agency Autumn 1944
546 Motor Ambulance Company of the U.S. Army, Allied Forces Operation in Normandy July 1944
The result of all this is to my mind a very pleasing model of a US ambulance that I am sure will have many happy modellers, as it offers a lot of detail for a reasonable price and is an excellent example of how far Zvezda has come.