RPM models - any good?

[Gav G]

I was just browsing eBay and found this 1/35 Lorraine 37L by RPM. 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ARMOURED-CARRIER-Tracteur-blinde-Lorraine-37L-RPM-35052-SCALE-1-35-/112216032938?epid=1486184394&hash=item1a2098c6aa:g:kxEAAOSwal5YMfWS

 

Are these kits any good?  It's quite difficult to find any information or pictures of builds of completed kits. I like the idea of building something a bit different and £12.25 isn't going to break the bank but then again I don't want to waste money on complete garbage.

 

Thanks!

[Black Knight]

Thats dirt cheap for an RPM kit

Can't help with 1/35, I've only built some of their 1/72 WW1 vehicles.

The 1/72 were full of details; a full engine for the truck, lots of extra parts for different versions. Moulding quality was high; no flash, very little moulding edge to remove, no release pin marks to fill

But their instructions !!??!! One exploded diagram for one vehicle, another was better with about 6 diagrams but there are no location pins/holes on the parts so the parts can fit anywhere

I've yet to finish a Renault FT - the suspension is in as many parts as the real one. Good tweezers and a magnifier is order of the day. But thats the detail.

I'd say; go for it, you may regret buying it as you build it, but not when its done

[Sairou]

I'm not sure that they're that good, especially track-wise. Would probably recommend to someone who doesn't mind doing a bit of extra work to get it looking good.

[Black Knight]

This is their 1/72 Mack Bulldog; I added the three soldiers and the load

 

Underneath; almost all those details were separate parts

 

Similarly underneath one of their 1/72 Ford Model T ambulances;

Separate diff, drive shafts, steering components, spring units. I actually left some parts off this.

 

A different ambulance, just to show how small these are for to be putting in such detailing; next to the 1/76 Airfix K2 ambulance

 

 

[Sairou]

Oh I would specify I have only ever heard about their 1/35 kits, the 72nd ones usually looked fine to me

[Kingsman]

They're a little bit crude by the latest standards, but many of their models are unique in injection moulded plastic.  The Lorraine tractor variants, for example.  Although didn't I see that Bronco or someone had announced one of the Lorraine-based SPGs recently?

 

I had one of their little Polish tankettes (no bigger than 1/76 anyway!) and I was quite impressed, although I never built it.  Can't comment on the Braille Scale offerings.