Internet Modeler : First Look : Armor RSS News Feed

Master Box 1/72 British Mk.I Tanks

By Matt Bittner

Introduction

The British Mk.I tank of WW1 was one of the first operational tanks ever. It entered service in August of 1916 and saw action that September. While originally called a "landship" it was the first to be named "tank" to hide its true use. The difference between a "Male" and a "Female" resides only in the guns used within the sponsons. The "Male" used one 6 pounder gun per sponson, while the "Female" used two Vickers machine guns per sponson instead (for a total of four machine guns in the sponsons).

The Kits

Both the "Male" and "Female" Master Box 1/72 British Mk.Is contain the same sprue that consistings of the main hull parts, the same "rubber band" tracks, along with a photoetch fret for the anti-grenade screen that sits on top of the tank as well as a small piece for the "tail". The other larger sprue is different between the two tanks, with the Male containing the parts for the cannon and the Female containing half of the Vickers. The Female also contains an extra sprue for the other two Vickers guns and turrets.

The first three instruction steps have you build up the body of the tank while the fourth step has you build the springs for the "tail".

Steps five and six has you finish the tail while steps seven and eight have you assemble the tread "guides".

Steps nine and ten you build up the entire tank, which includes the tail and the "cuppola". Step eleven is adding the finishing touches to the tank's body.

Steps 12-17 will be the ones you deviate for dependent on if you build the Male or Female. Granted, just the parts will be different, but these steps have you assemble the guns to the turrets, the turrets to the sponsons, the roofs to the sponsons and the sponsons to the tank.

The last steps you assemble the grenade screen and add the tracks. Now your Mk.I is ready for painting.

Conclusion

This is an excellent kit, everything I've read and seen about the Master Box Mk.Is leave me with the feeling you can't get much better than these kits. The only concern I have is if they will sit correctly - I've seen a few built where they either are "nose" or "tail" heavy. They should sit pretty squarely on the bottom of the tracks. But that doesn't make these any less excellent than they are. From all the other 1/72 Mk.Is on the market these are by far the best.

Many  thanks to both Master Box and Dragon Models USA for sending these in for review.