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AT-ST Upgrade Set (04017-1/48 for Bandai) 1:48


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AT-ST Upgrade Set (04017-1/48 for Bandai)

1:48 GreenStrawberry

 

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The Imperial Scout Walker was introduced briefly (after a fashion) in the backdrop of Empire, but saw most action in Return of the Jedi, in which it played a large part in the Battle of Endor, receiving a drubbing from those cutesy, furry little tykes, the Ewoks while they assisted our Rebel friends in securing the screen generator complex.  It is a 2-legged smaller armoured All-terrain Transport, mounting some decent firepower with a crew of two and little space for anyone else.

 

Bandai's kit breaks the scale of their main thrust (1:72 for the most part), mainly due to the relatively small size of the subject matter.  This set from our friends at GreenStrawberry is a comprehensive upgrade to the kit detail that will please anyone that's planning on building the kit with a little extra detail.  Supplied in their usual resealable bag with black themed card back, the large Photo-Etch (PE) fret is held in the front, with printed acetate and paper instrument panel sheets sandwiched between the instruction, and a small bag containing short lengths of rod that are used in construction.  You can't accuse them of not giving you everything you need!

 

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Updates begin with the box-like "hips" of the machine, adding a new rear and exhaust ports, with another port under the overhang.  More detail is added on the sides, including replacement in-scale repurposed Flak44 splinter-shrouds, with more on the underside, and moving onto the cabin "head", a set of interior details for the front hatches that can either be seen outside if open, or if closed are visible through the top hatch.  The nose cannons have new hollow muzzles rolled into shape and added instead of the solid styrene parts, and the interior of the roof is detailed with a ring and bezel to the circular top hatch, and faux quilted insulation in the roof area, to which some extra small details are added.  On the roof's outer skin, there are four flanges added to the grab-rail that surrounds the hatch, and a new pair of hinges are fitted to the front vision ports in preparation for the upgraded covers.  The top hatch itself is then skinned with more detail along with a new hinge mechanism, which is where the first piece of rod is used.  The feet are given treaded skins for their undersides, and the side armament has a set of three circular detail parts added to the rear of the assembly.

 

The interior of the cockpit is then the focus of the remaining parts, with a substantial overhaul being made to the instrument panels behind the drivers, which all have paper or acetate backed PE parts added.  The consoles in front of the drivers have the same treatment, as do the monitors above the pilots' heads.  The crew seats are removed and replaced by proper PE seats that are made up from a number of parts each, and have a gentle curve pushed into the backs and a set of seatbelts for your pilot's comfort. The floor in front of the seats is then partially removed and a pair of new foot wells are inserted with "rudder pedals" for each driver.  You can still fit the kit crew members into the seats, but they will need gluing in place due to the prior removal of their mounting lugs.

 

Conclusion

The kit is excellent, but then so is this detail set.  If you're serious about detail then get yourself one of these and you won't be disappointed.  It's worth it just for the cockpit details alone!  As usual with GreenStrawberry, if you follow the Available Here link, you can see some pictures of the brass in situ and unpainted on the model to give you a good idea of what's included.

 

Very highly recommended.

 

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