Model: Sd Kfz 165 Hummel
Publisher: Modelik, 9/03
Scale: 1:25
Format: Hardcopy
Designer: Waldemar Rychard
What a difference a year makes - having been underwhelmed by Modelik's Pz IV the Hummel model is in a different class. The Hummel was an interim solution to provide mobile artillery for the Wehrmacht. It was based on a modified Pz IV chassis with an open top gun compartment - think of an Su-76 with a 150mm gun. The name Hummel was actually banned by Adolf Hitler because he thought it inappropriate that a fighting vehicle should be called "Bumble bee" (thanks Achtung Panzer).
Fourteen pages of cardstock, 6 pages of frames and roll up parts on 80gsm, 4 pages of Polish instructions and 5 pages of construction diagrams. The instructions are pretty comprehensive even if you (as I do) have to figure out the construction from the diagrams.
Print quality is excellent, very fine lines and accurate colour registration.
The model represents an Eastern front Hummel in 1944 (if I can figure out the Polish correctly). The print colour might seem a little dark for dunkelgelb but I think most people could live with it. There's no weathering on the model as we expect to find on the Halinski kits.
There is a partial interior - it seems as if Modelik's policy is to provide something underneath the opening hatches without modelling the whole interior - the Jagdpanzer IV is similar. In the Hummel's case there is a transmission but no engine model. The open fighting/gun compartment has a lot of internal detail. The complete 150mm howitser installation is modelled right down to the trunion supports - seriously impressive.
The suspension and tracks appear to be accurately modelled. There is a choice of building the tracks from 2 bands of card or built up from individual links. The build by link design looks simpler than Halinski's but appears to give a good result.
I don't think this is a beginner's model but should be fine for someone with some experience. There aren't any other kits around of the Hummel and this model seems to me a good step before taking on something really hard like Halinski's Panther. I'm really looking forward to building this one.
Instructions: A (based on the diagrams - can't judge on the text)
Paper quality: B
Level of detail: A
Printing quality: A
Artwork: B (weathering would be nice)
Value for money: B
Skill level: Intermediate to expert
Publisher: Modelik, 9/03
Scale: 1:25
Format: Hardcopy
Designer: Waldemar Rychard
What a difference a year makes - having been underwhelmed by Modelik's Pz IV the Hummel model is in a different class. The Hummel was an interim solution to provide mobile artillery for the Wehrmacht. It was based on a modified Pz IV chassis with an open top gun compartment - think of an Su-76 with a 150mm gun. The name Hummel was actually banned by Adolf Hitler because he thought it inappropriate that a fighting vehicle should be called "Bumble bee" (thanks Achtung Panzer).
Fourteen pages of cardstock, 6 pages of frames and roll up parts on 80gsm, 4 pages of Polish instructions and 5 pages of construction diagrams. The instructions are pretty comprehensive even if you (as I do) have to figure out the construction from the diagrams.
Print quality is excellent, very fine lines and accurate colour registration.
The model represents an Eastern front Hummel in 1944 (if I can figure out the Polish correctly). The print colour might seem a little dark for dunkelgelb but I think most people could live with it. There's no weathering on the model as we expect to find on the Halinski kits.
There is a partial interior - it seems as if Modelik's policy is to provide something underneath the opening hatches without modelling the whole interior - the Jagdpanzer IV is similar. In the Hummel's case there is a transmission but no engine model. The open fighting/gun compartment has a lot of internal detail. The complete 150mm howitser installation is modelled right down to the trunion supports - seriously impressive.
The suspension and tracks appear to be accurately modelled. There is a choice of building the tracks from 2 bands of card or built up from individual links. The build by link design looks simpler than Halinski's but appears to give a good result.
I don't think this is a beginner's model but should be fine for someone with some experience. There aren't any other kits around of the Hummel and this model seems to me a good step before taking on something really hard like Halinski's Panther. I'm really looking forward to building this one.
Instructions: A (based on the diagrams - can't judge on the text)
Paper quality: B
Level of detail: A
Printing quality: A
Artwork: B (weathering would be nice)
Value for money: B
Skill level: Intermediate to expert