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M8
Greyhound Detail Sets Verlinden Productions
Reviewed by Brett Green
The M8 Greyhound was the most widely used American armoured car of World War Two. This lightweight six-wheeled vehicle was fast and quiet. Its six-cylinder engine delivered 110 horsepower to the rear wheels, propelling the appropriately named Greyhound to a very creditable top speed of 56 mph. The Greyhound’s bite was delivered via a 37mm gun and .30 cal coaxial machine gun. A .50 cal could be mounted on a ring above the turret. Ford built over 8,500 Greyhounds during World War Two. Not surprisingly, most of these vehicles were employed in the reconnaissance role. The M20 Utility Car was basically a Greyhound without a turret. A further 4,000 M20s were produced.
Verlinden’s Update is designed for the Tamiya 1/35 scale Greyhound. This kit is certainly the pick of the two currently on offer, although it is slightly more expensive than the Italeri model. Verlinden’s detail set adds many large and small details to Tamiya’s excellent kit. Update Set No. 1453 contains nearly 60 resin parts and a photo-etched fret with well over 100 items. Copper wire and a small sheet of lead foil is also supplied. The resin parts are cast in Verlinden’s familiar green material. There were no pinholes or other imperfections, but there was some very fine flash present on my sample. Most of the parts are cast on a thin resin block with narrow connectors. A few of the parts are cast onto a slim wafer of resin. Removal and cleanup should be a breeze. The contents of the kit provide structural detail, stowage, weapons and ammunition. Some of the highlights include the headsets, the radio, the extra details for the main armament, the three stowed M1 carbines, driver’s visors, the replacement pioneer tools (also soon to be made available separately), the hollow drinking cups and the nicely detailed .50 cal. This .50 cal is all-resin and very simple to assemble – not the old "fold and curse" version from some years ago. I liked that Verlinden supplied a resin jig to form an in-scale handle for the underside of the barrel. The truly unmistakable feature of this set, however, is the vast amount of ammo storage. There are four racks in copper, with 16 resin 37mm rounds beefed up further with around 75 copper shell-ends. This set will suit modellers who are familiar with photo-etched and resin parts. Although it comprises a large number of small parts, the main skill required for successful assembly will be patience. Highly recommended.
This set provides the full engine and compartment for either the M8 or M20 Tamiya kits. Nearly 50 parts are supplied. The entire set is resin except for a length of copper wire and plastic rod. Parts are cast in "Verlinden Green" resin, and are free from imperfections. The compartment walls, engine fan and fuel tank are all cast onto thin wafers of resin. Detail is very crisp and complete, and the construction sequence looks straightforward. The single-page instructions are quite clear, with a few tips supplementing the small construction diagrams. Painting suggestions are also included. A section of the Tamiya kit’s rear hull floor must be cut out, and most of kit part D32 is also removed. Moderately experienced modellers will not have any trouble with these simple modifications. Verlinden’s engine and compartment adds loads of diorama potential for two of Tamiya’s nicest releases to date. Highly recommended.
Verlinden Productions have a comprehensive website with photos of virtually all their current range and future releases. Worth a visit for aircraft, armour and figure modellers. Thanks to Wim Verlinden from Verlinden Productions for the review sample. Review Copyright © 1999 by Brett
Green
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