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US Cougar 6x6 MRAP & Russian GAZ-233014 STS Tiger Resin Wheelsets 1:35


Mike

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US Cougar 6x6 MRAP & Russian GAZ-233014 STS Tiger Resin Wheelsets
1:35 Meng Models


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Meng's broadening of their product range into aftermarket sets for their own products continued apace with these two sets of resin wheels for their recent kits. Both sets arrive in the same style black cardboard box with a tuck-in flap that reveals a bright, almost fluorescent orange interior that as usual with Meng, says quality in no uncertain terms. Every part is individually wrapped in a small heat-formed "pillowcase" bubble-wrap bag that is open one end, but folded over to protect the resin inside. The moulds have been pressure filled, resulting in nice solid castings that have very little in the way of defects, with four small casting blocks that are attached to individual tread blocks to reduce clean-up after their liberation. These points have been placed at the bottoms where the wheel is slightly deformed to mimic the weight of the vehicle pressing down on the tyres, so little will be seen anyway. The weighting has been done in a sympathetic manner, so that the tyres have the prototypical look, rather than need reinflating!


US Cougar 6X6 MRAP Vehicle Wheel Set (SPS-024)
This set contains eight resin wheels, two of which are without their inner hubs for mounting on the side of the vehicle as spares. The remaining six have their inner hubs present and are ready to just glue into place instead of the kit parts when removed from their casting blocks. Detail is superb with sharp aggressive tread pattern, circumferential beading around the shoulder of the tyre, and the ribbing showing through from the internal compartments that permit the tyres to survive small arms fire and still stay partially inflated. There is one slight downside to this set, in that all the tyres have been cast from the same mould, so the raised tyre data will be in the same place on each one when placed on its contact patch. A minor issue, but having seen Meng making a number of moulds to get around this in previous releases, it's a shame they couldn't have continued this format.

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Russian Armoured GAZ-233014 STS Tiger (SPS-025)
Inside the box are five wheels, one of which is provided as tyre and rim only, while the other four have big dustbin-lid style hubs moulded in. An aggressive V-tread pattern is present, as is the various beads and maker's data panels. This set has two different moulds for the mounted tyres, which permits the modeller to have hubs and sidewall detail at different orientation on both sides of the vehicle by using one of each type per side.

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Review sample courtesy of
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