Review
This release from MiniArt is provided in a cardboard tray, with a card lid. The contents are packed in 2 plastic bags, which concerns me a little as the finesse of many pieces could easily be damaged or broken. The moulding appear to be clean in all respects, and due to MiniArt releasing huge numbers of differing variants the parts are on a very large number of sprues which means you have good access for removal and the issue becomes finding the correct sprue to begin with.
This release of the Stuart is the same as the previous release minus the interior detail. That does mean that there is quite a lot of interior detail present on moulded surfaces. The main body of the tank is made up of a lot of flat panels which has enabled MiniArt to provide some excellent moulded detail, but it will make construction more challenging than it could have been. The saviour of this approach is the inclusion of a firewall between the engine and crew compartment, which will help you get all of your angles correct. One of the issues with MiniArt releasing both interior and non-interior kits means that a lot of the hatch detail which has been provided separately all needs to be added in the closed position as there is nothing of not within. That said, it does mean that things such as vision hatches could be open making for a nice display if figures are included. What I will say is a plus of this approach is that the modellers gets a very nicely detailed hull that when weathered should really make all of the represented detail pop.
The suspension units are all built of individual parts, however this high level of detail still locks the undercarriage in a neutral position. A visual examination of the undercarriage parts did not reveal any inaccuracies that I could see, but I am not an expert. The tracks for this release are link and length and I feel that this is a very good compromise between rubber band and individual link tracks. My reasoning for this is that while clean up and construction takes a little bit longer you get far superior detail and a much more natural look to the tracks on the vehicle. But I do except that this is not so important on vehicles with live tracks. A quick input at this point, is that while the instructions seem extremely busy once you take a good look at them you realise it is not as busy as it first appears and covers placement of parts very well.
The turret of the model has been approached in the same way as the hull, as you get a separate top and bottom with a lot of flat panels in-between. You do not have any support structure in this area and so when placing parts check twice and glue once. In effect what MiniArt has given you here is an excellent level of detail at the cost of ease of construction. With that said, I think most will appreciate this level of detail. The breach of the main gun is very nicely detailed and gives you something to look at if you leave the hatch open, plus of course you have the interior wall detail replicated as well. The machine guns mounted on the vehicle are very well tackled and while you could replace the barrels I am not sure that the improved detail will be worth the effort and cost.
MiniArt has provided 4 finishing options for this release, which are as follows:
Royal Tank Regiment, British Army, Egypt, Summer 1941
2nd Armoured Division, South Carolina, USA, Autumn 1941
1st Armoured Division, Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA, Autumn 1941
1st Armoured Division, Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA, Autumn 1941
Conclusion
This release from MiniArt does have the potential to build up into a very nicely detailed Stuart, but it will in no way be the easiest Stuart kit to build. That is because the exceptionally high level of surface detail has come at the cost of ease of construction, and so this means that the modeller has to decide what is most important to them - detail or ease of build. If its detail that appeals to you then this is one to look at
