Defender XD Wolf WMIK and Ammo Boxes Sets (for Hobby Boss)
1:35 Eduard (36191 & 36193)
The new Hobby Boss kit filled one of many gaps in the 1:35 British modern AFV list, and a very good kit it is too, with the exception of a few minor issues. Eduard’s new sets improve the detail and add parts that aren’t suitable for production in resin or styrene, but are eminently suitable for Photo-Etched (PE) metal.
Defender XD Wolf WMIK Set (36191)
This large set consists of two frets of PE, and a small sheet of acetate, which has the instrument faces printed upon it. The engine gets a cursory glance with some nicely detailed cylinder heads that have corrugated upper surfaces , TDi and Turbocharged Direct Injection logos almost visible to my tired eyes, but well rendered under magnification.
Moving into the cab, a set of four-point crew harnesses are included, which are missing from the kit seats. The seat bases get small details added, and the front roll-bar receives a new cable-cutter and replacement strengthening strutwork. The original 3-ppint harnesses are also added, hanging redundant to the sides with their intertia reels also depicted. The crew weapons receive new finely detailed racking, which far surpasses the kit effort, new pedals, and finally the instrument binnacle receives a laminated instrument panel, the MFD gets a new mount, as does part C6, which looks like a sat-phone, but could be anything!
Moving to the exterior, a new rear bumper/fender is provided, along with new attachments for the rear rack, which also receives 4 ratchet straps with detailed ratchets to keep any stowage in place. The roll-over bar has a pair of PSP strips added, and the crew weapon station gets a new more detailed ring for the gun to traverse upon. The kit PSP parts receive strapping to hold them on, a beautifully detailed Identification panel, and a set of hinges for the small stowage compartment in front of the rear axle.
The bonnet/hood receives a host of detailed brackets upon which the pioneer tools fix, requiring the modeller to remove the clumsy moulded in “brackets” from the kit parts. The large fasteners for the bonnet are also provided, as are some additional parts for the spare wheel that sits in the middle of the bonnet. A new mesh grille and cleats for the pioneer tools on the right wing are also included.
The big roof mounted .50cal is upgraded significantly with enhanced iron sights, a new hand-grip part (you’ll need some 1mm rod for this), new attachment mount and a full PE ammo box with the mounting tray, which comes with a reasonable rendition of some .50cal ammo within the limitations of PE. The smaller GPMG or Jimpy (phonetic spelling) gets the same treatment, to which is added a carry strap and bipod for when the gun is dismounted in combat.
Defender XD Ammo Boxes(36193)
Although these ammo boxes are aimed at the new Hobby Boss kit, they could be used without their stowage brackets on any British vehicle mounting the Jimpy or the .50cal. You get seven of the smaller ammo boxes, and a staggering 15 of the larger .50cal boxes, plus the straps and mounting rack that sits between the driver and co-driver, with another pair of straps in the rear of the vehicle, where more ammo can be carried.
The boxes are made up from one piece of brass with built in fold-lines, so construction is fairly straight forward. The larger boxes have separate fasteners, while the smaller ones have them built in, to be folded down once complete. There are plenty of spares for personalisation of the vehicle, or for adding to dioramas as you see fit.
Conclusion
These two sets give a degree of finesse and realism that was missed in parts from the original kit due to the limitations of both styrene injection moulding and budget. The set adds all of the small parts that make a vehicle look more like the real thing, such as strapping and bracket work. With care and some additional stowage, a stunning replica of this pugnacious Landy can be constructed.
Recommended
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