STRV-103B S-Tank

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Adam Durrant
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STRV-103B S-Tank

Post by Adam Durrant »

Having a bit of a mental block on the current two GB projects now I am at the painting and weathering stages. Decided I wanted a quick OOB build and this NZ$20 kit has been in the stash for a while. I also bought trumpeter's after market tracks when I first bought the kit as most reviews confirm my own opinion that the rubber band tracks are a bit average!

Was going to do something a bit more impressive and order an AM PE set but really feel the need to just slap something together. The Trumpeter kit of the STRV-103B may be a bit old, but overall detail is OK and it only has about 200 parts!

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Should get started on this this week. If it all goes to hell, at least it wasn't a huge investment :D
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Olivier Carneau
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Post by Olivier Carneau »

Good choix Adam. Details are a bit soft in some areas but the result is fine in the end. I can't comment on the AM tracks but they can't be worse than the rubber band ones.
Enjoy the build. ;)
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Philipp Gross
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Re: STRV-103B S-Tank

Post by Philipp Gross »

Good choice :D RB Model has a very nice metal barrel.

And yet another friendly reminder that I should finally finish mine :oops: :lol:

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Re: STRV-103B S-Tank

Post by Adam Durrant »

Philipp Gross wrote: 08 Oct 2017, 12:30 Good choice :D RB Model has a very nice metal barrel.

And yet another friendly reminder that I should finally finish mine :oops: :lol:

Philipp
Well there goes my OOB plans, purchasing direct from RB is the same cost as ordering local so just bought a barrel...or two...maybe three :?
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Re: STRV-103B S-Tank

Post by Philipp Gross »

Sorry about that :lol:

The barrel is very much worth it though. Beautifully machined piece.

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Adam Durrant
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Re: STRV-103B S-Tank

Post by Adam Durrant »

...and we are underway! I thought I would start with a bit of an "in box" review prior to my build blog, especially as there are only a couple on line.

For a kit released in 2002 the level of detail is OK. Three sprues and a hull tub in green styrene, a sprue of poly caps and two vinyl tracks. Unlike a lot of boxes now a days, this one is pretty empty :D

There is a fair amount of flash on most of the parts, and there are some pretty prominent molding lines and ejector pin marks. One of my barrel halves is a bit warped, I could straighten it with some heat and by attaching it to its other half, but my RB one should be here soon.

The instruction sheet is A4 booklet style printed on gloss paper and is pretty clear and easy to follow. Box art shows an overall "green" colour scheme, side of box shows almost a dark grey colour. I have to be careful here as my box is a bit faded due to age. Instructions call out generic colours, a bit of internet research will be required to get a decent colour match. I'm planning on a winter scheme so olive green/olive drab should suffice with white over the top.

There is a small decal sheet, the film looks thick and mine have yellowed with age so are on the window sill at the moment for a blast of UV light (only advantage of having the "ozone hole" over New Zealand, pity about the skin cancer rate :? )

The vinyl tracks are OK, but only just. The Trumpeter aftermarket tracks (Strv103 Early workable 02055) are worth the investment if you can find them. Mine came from HobbyEasy and were "clearance" stock at about $NZ12. Links come as 84 "pairs" on a sprue for a total of 168 links (supposedly you need 80 per side) with track pins, 20 to a sprue, inner and outer (very similar to ModelKasten tracks).

Managed to get a start last night, both on building track runs and the running gear so will get some pics up soon.

Adam
Last edited by Adam Durrant on 13 Oct 2017, 11:26, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: STRV-103B S-Tank

Post by Adam Durrant »

...out of interest, does anyone know what the vehicles following the two Strv are on the box art? I assume they are APCs and they look like upturned boats on tracks :D
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Re: STRV-103B S-Tank

Post by Olivier Carneau »

The APC are PBV 302, Swedish made APCs. A resin kit by Hobby Fan did exist. I'm not sure it is still available.

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Re: STRV-103B S-Tank

Post by Adam Durrant »

Thanks Olivier....now I want one! Must be my love of boxy little APCs :D
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Re: STRV-103B S-Tank

Post by Philipp Gross »

You know what's even better? the Pbv 301 :mrgreen:
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Yes, that's a Cold War APC on a Panzer 38(t) running gear...or at least the Swedish version of it.

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