Introduction

The following introduction is from Military-Today.com:

The Luftvärns kanonvagn 90 or LvKv 90 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun was developed in early 90s. This vehicle is also referred as the CV 9040 AA. Around 30 of these vehicles are in service with the Swedish Army. The LvKv90 is armed with the Bofors L70B 40 mm gun. This gun is fed from box-shaped magazines, containing 24 rounds each. Magazine is reloaded manually within 20seconds. The LvKv 90 fires programmable proximity fused fragmentation rounds against air targets and HE-FRAG and AP rounds against ground targets. Maximum effective range against air targets is 4 km.

Secondary armament consists of coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun. It is used for self-defense against enemy infantry

The LvKv 90 is fitted with modern fire control system. Vehicle radar has maximum detection range of 14 km. The LvKv has a friend-or-foe identification system and can track up to 6 targets simultaneously.

Front armor of the LvKv 90 provides protection against armor-piercing rounds fired from small caliber cannons. All-round protection is against small arms fire and artillery shell splinters. Vehicle is fitted with NBC protection and automatic fire suppression systems.

The LvKv 90 is based on the CV 90 IFV chassis. Vehicle is powered by the SAAB-Scania DS14 diesel engine, developing 550 horsepower. The LvKv 90 is fully amphibious after fitting a floatation kit. On water it is propelled by its tracks.

Variants

LvKv 90 TD, technology demonstrator to prepare for upgrades to the existing fleet. It has a number of improvements and is capable of firing on the move.

LvKv 90 C, up armored variant, intended for international peace keeping operations.

Review

The kit arrives in a cardboard tray with a cardboard lid. Upon examination the sprues are individually packaged in plastic bags, and well protected by the packaging. There is also segmented areas of the carton that adds further protection for some elements. An examination of the various parts reveals a well designed model, with a good level of detail and no obvious moulding issues.

Starting in the usual area of the lower hull, the tub is a single piece moulding, with a good level of moulded on detail and provided that no distortions have occurred during transportation or production you are provided with a good starting point. I will admit that this model caught me out a little bit, due to the rear panel being the starting point with a huge rear access door to which a very large number of parts are added, resulting in a very detailed area of the model. Once this is added to the lower hull you should have a rigid construction to which the upper hull is quickly added. Moulding on the upper hull is of a very good standard. I was pleased to find tow cables, tools, grab handles all supplied as separate parts, and a minimal amount of photo etch used in the area for the clamps of some of the tools. The drivers hatch is a separate part, and so could be displayed as desired provided you have something to place in the hole if you have the hatch open. I will confess to being a little disappointed in the drivers periscope lenses not having been moulded in clear plastic, but otherwise everything in this area of the model meets expectations.

Moving on the the suspension, you have swing arms which are locked into the model for a level surface, however those modellers who are displaying the model on an uneven surface, it will not be that hard of a task, to set the suspension arms in the position desired. The seven road wheels down each side have been nicely tackled, providing the modeller with a good level of detail that appears to be accurate when reviewed against on line images. The only part that catches me out and could easily be damaged when removing from the sprue, are rings that attach to both inner and outer faces of the wheels and which I believe replicate the fine rim beyond the solid tyre. Drive an idler wheels should not cause any issues what so ever, and again appear accurate to on line reference. A star of this model as far as I am concerned are the tracks, which while not intended to be workable, provide small pins that sit into small recesses and so making construction of the individual links easier than could be expected, and just need to be set with some glue when the orientation has been achieved. Not content with finishing there you are provided with separate rubber track pads in injection moulded plastic which I suspect if the link set was sold separately would knock you for £20 or more. The result of this is the hull and suspension with tracks that rate highly with me on this model, and I am also pleased not to find unduly large amounts of photo etch being used.

Moving on to the turret of the vehicle, the turret is moulded in two halves (Top and bottom),and has a good level of detail moulded in place. The gun is provided in a manner that it can be elevated depressed. I do have one concern, in that the gun housing is moulded in two halves and will likely have a mating joint that will need to be hidden. My first real big disappointment with this model is the gun, which has been moulded in two halves, which is bad enough in an ordinary barrel but this has a corrugated sleeve which will make hiding the join especially difficult. The huge radar housing has been tackled in a simplistic manner, and so making addition to the model an easy prospect for the modeller. The two hatches on the turret are separate parts, and so could be left open or closed as the modeller desires, but you will again need to consider what you are going to use to hide the empty interior. I am again disappointed to find that the periscopes have not been moulded in clear plastic, however I am very pleased with the level of detail. There are some very small photo etch parts that need to be added to the turret, and is the one area where adding this detail may prove a headache. There are a number of antenna/aerials that mount to the turret and the hull, and Hobby Boss has supplied these as moulded parts. I myself would be unlikely to use the parts as provided as they are as I feel plastic aerials are hard to make look realistic. I however, am very pleased that the moulded parts take away the guess work as to the correct length of the aerial.

ICM has provided two finishing options for this model, which despite only around 30 vehicles being in service no specific data has been provided on what the finished vehicles represent. The all green version offered is I have to say a tad dull. However, the splinter pattern in black, green and white should I believe result in a pleasing model that is well worth the effort.

Conclusion

This offering from Hobby Boss in 1/35th scale of an LvKv 90C is for the most part a very nice model representing a vehicle of which there are few inexistence. I have two disappointments in the kit, a minor one - that is the lack of clear lenses for the periscopes, with my major gripe being the barrel being moulded in two halves including the corrugated sleeve which will be a royal pain to hide the join. The exceptional addition to this kit are the individual track links which clip together with separate track pads, which should meet with approval from all modellers regardless of which camp they fall into, where tracks are normally concerned.