OOB Review of Trumpeter 05573 1/35 JS-4 Tank Model
Key points for the out-of-box build of Trumpeter JS-4 Tank Model:
1. The fit between the road wheel swing arms and the hull is extremely poor. After intalling each swing arm, the height is different — crooked and uneven. The instructions do not provide a comparison diagram, so you can only use the painting guide as a positioning reference. This is the biggest and most serious problem with this model. More than half of the out-of-box build time was spent on this issue. It is the main problem with this kit.
2. The first pair of road wheel swing arms (B16) is different from the others (A1). Be careful not to install them incorrectly.
3. The driver's hatch periscope (C8) should not be installed on the hatch (E45) first and then attached to the hull, otherwise it will be too wide to fit. The correct method is to install the hatch on the hull first, then install the periscope from the bottom. Before doing this, do not close up the upper and lower hull, otherwise you will have to cut off the lower half of the periscope.
4. Part C1 is very small. You need 16 of them, but only 16 are provided — not a single spare. Whether cutting them off or sanding them, you must be extremely careful to avoid losing them. The solution is to leave a longer section of the sprue gate when cutting from the runner, install the part, and then cut off the excess gate. For parts this tiny, don't even think about sanding them — if you send one flying, it's not worth it.
5. Parts C3 and C4 have the same problem as C1, and the solution is the same as C1.
6. B6 can be left out entirely, because you can't see it even if you install it (it will be covered by B13).
7. Forget about PE6 — don't bother installing it. It doesn't matter whether you install it or not, and it won't fit anyway.
8. No plastic gun barrel is provided. The metal barrel is too heavy. It is recommended to fix it at one angle and glue it firmly. Advanced builders can add counterweight at the rear with CA glue.
9. The tracks are all-metal individual link tracks with a hard material. Cutting and sanding the gates is extremely laborious. If possible, it is recommended to replace them with 3D-printed tracks or metal tracks.
Personal Summary and Evaluation:
The build difficulty of Trumpeter 05573 1/35 JS-4 Tank Model is very high, especially the height positioning of the road wheel swing arms and the assembly of the tracks. Some parts are extremely small — whether cutting them or picking them up with tweezers, you must be very careful to avoid losing them. Not recommended for beginners or less experienced modelers.
Next issue, let's take a look at the OOB Review of TAKOM 2209 1/35 T28 Super Heavy Tank
The above content is translated from the WeChat Official Account of moxingfans - Static Model Enthusiast, moxingfans.com – Scale Model Fans, a veteran vertical website for static military scale models launched in late 2014, with nearly 12 years of operation. It mainly focuses on armoured fighting vehicle subjects.