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Maybach HL120 Engine w/Repair Crew (35331) For Panzer III/IV Family of Tanks 1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd Maybach gained the favour of the RLM and acquired the monopoly of producing all AFV power plants and spares for the Nazi war effort during WWII. As a company they were wedded to petrol for fuel and water for cooling, and instead of concentrating on a small number of designs that could be utilised in many vehicles, they obsessed with different variations on the theme, which often went into production after insufficient testing, resulting in unreliability that garnered them a reputation for producing poor motors. They were also pressured to manufacture more complete power packs instead of keeping those already in the field supplied with spares, which was another huge problem that led to some serious issues with servicing and availability of vehicles, which worsened the further the front-line was from the factories outside Berlin. Maybach had licensing agreements with other factories, and for the HL120 they worked with Nordbau in Berlin, MAN in Nurnberg and Maschinenfabrik Bahn Bedarf in Nordhausen, having to spread their subcontracting further afield after March 1944 when the Allied bombers were concentrating their efforts firmly (and successfully) on destroying Germany’s manufacturing capability. The HL120 was a high performance 12 Litre V-12 petrol engine that was used in the Panzer III and IV, but also other vehicles based upon those chassis, such as the StuG III & IV, Nashorn and Flak variants, with two units being used in each Ferdinand. In an unusual case of commonality of parts, the HL120 did share some components with the similar HL108, but this was a rarity, and it was this lack of interoperability that played a significant part in the problems of the WWII German supply train that continued to deteriorate as defeat loomed. The Kit The set arrives in a shrink-wrapped figure-sized box, and inside are five sprues in grey styrene, two each for the figures and engine, plus another for tools and accessories that are included. In addition, there is a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) in a card envelope, a small decal sheet and instruction sheet in full colour. We’ve seen some of the sprues before in MiniArt’s engine and crane set, and the detail is excellent throughout. Construction begins with the toolboxes, one in the closed position, the other wide open with the tools on display. The tools are a combination of PE and styrene parts, some using both mediums for bladed tools with wooden handles, and there are plenty on hand, with painting instructions given on the rear of the box. The open box has PE outer lids, and the closed box has the hinge details enhanced with a PE strip on each end, and there are decals for the top of the box lids. The engine is started by building up the block from six elements, with a choice of first-motion parts, and an insert with two accompanying panels that fit into the V between the cylinder banks. The heads are topped off with curved covers and oil filler caps, and another choice of a fly-wheel or clutch housing fitted over the front of the engine. The ancillaries are added to the bottom of the engine along with the exhaust manifolds, with another layer of parts completing the lower side of the block, to be flipped over and have a similar process complete the topside, including the turbocharger in between the cylinder banks with a decal, and a choice of layers of pulleys and belts at the rear. The two repair crew figures are on their own sprues, and both are depicted leaning over the engine with their hands reaching in, tinkering with something. The gentleman in full uniform is almost straddling the engine like a jockey, while the chap in his vest is inclined to one side, leaning in from the engine deck to complete the job. Paint codes are supplied for Vallejo, Mr Color, AK RealColor, Mission, AMMO, and Tamiya plus swatches and colour names that should provide more than enough information to make informed paint choices. Conclusion If you’ve bought an exterior only kit and begun to regret it, want to detail another manufacturer’s kit, or just want an engine to add to a diorama, this set provides lots of detail, with the two mechanics and their tool boxes adding an extra layer of interest. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of