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OH-58D Kiowa Armament Set (for Academy/MCR kit)

Armycast M&M, 1/35 scale

S u m m a r y :

Catalogue Number:

Armycast Item No. AC 35004 OH-58D Kiowa Armament Set

Scale:

1/35

Contents & Media:

Eight resin and two machined brass parts, and one PE fret of ten pieces.

Price:

Available from Armycast M&M by e-mailing them and using PayPal or bank transfer for payment; see here for contact details & postage rates. Cost is €13.00 plus postage.

Surprisingly, Armycast does not list stockists on its website; although their products are carried by Misterkit of Italy and UMM in the USA.

Click for currency conversion.

Review Type:

First Look.

Advantages:

Very nice detail and good quality parts.

Disadvantages:

The instructions do not illustrate the complete gun installation fitted to the helicopter.

Conclusions:

This armament set is nicely detailed and made of very good quality components.

The instructions are adequate, but either the Academy kit instructions or reference images will be needed to illustrate the layout of the complete gun installation. However, it is a relatively easy matter to find web-images to guide the finishing of this armament set.

I am happy to recommend this set.

Reviewed by Mark Davies


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FirstLook

 

The Company

Armycast M&M’s website introduction gives a brief background of the company's four members. They obviously take pride in their products, and proclaim that they believe “their products will speak to you.” Armycast M&M offer an interesting range of products in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/35 scales; and I encourage readers to take the time to check out their website.


 

The Set

This is the first 1/35-scale set by Armycast M&M that I have reviewed, and despite being a dedicated 1/72nd builder myself, I enjoyed checking this set out. It is both simple and delightfully detailed, in no small measure due to the inclusion of turned barrel and jacket by Master, along with a PE flexible ammunition track by the same company. Armycast are obviously responsible for the resin parts, which are both nicely detailed and of good quality. These provide the receiver, ammo-box, feed cover, feed guide, recoil dampers, gun mount and pylon.

 

  • Armycast 1/35 scale OH-58D Armament Set Review by Mark Davies: Image
  • Armycast 1/35 scale OH-58D Armament Set Review by Mark Davies: Image
  • Armycast 1/35 scale OH-58D Armament Set Review by Mark Davies: Image
  • Armycast 1/35 scale OH-58D Armament Set Review by Mark Davies: Image
  • Armycast 1/35 scale OH-58D Armament Set Review by Mark Davies: Image
  • Armycast 1/35 scale OH-58D Armament Set Review by Mark Davies: Image
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The instructions are well drawn and serve to guide most assembly effectively enough; basically just the gun and its mount. They do state that assembling according to photos is recommended; which obviously means that the builder should find some images since none are provided. No colour call-outs are provided either, so real images will again be needed. The instructions do advise that some sway braces be made from wire for the pylon.

At first I thought the instructions were a little inadequate, as they do not illustrate the location of the ammo-box on the side of the helicopter, or the wiring between the fuselage and gun. Being unfamiliar with Academy’s OH-58 kit I thought I had better do a web-search and take a look at it. After doing so, I came to realise that this set provides replacement parts for the kit, rather than being an add-on set as I had first assumed. In light of this, Armycast’s instructions seem more adequate than I thought initially, although they could still be improved with an illustration of the entire gun installation on the helicopter. Presumably the Academy kit’s instructions provide guidance on this, plus most modellers will source suitable images to help; so it is not a major obstacle. However, Armycast could consider listing URL’s for suitable walk-arounds, or include images and illustrations on their own website.

 

 

C o n c l u s i o n

 

This armament set is nicely detailed and made of very good quality components.

The instructions are adequate, but either the Academy kit instructions or reference images will be needed to illustrate the layout of the complete gun installation. It would be helpful if Armycast were to list URL’s for on-line images, or include some on their own website. However, it is a relatively easy matter to find web-images to guide the finishing of this armament set.

I am happy to recommend this set.

Thanks to Armycast M&M for the review sample


Review Text and Images Copyright © 2013 by Mark Davies
Page Created 8 May, 2013
Last updated 14 May, 2013

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