Trumpeter 1/35 Chinese Tank Transporter

History

Armies around the world have one common problem with tanks - you can't easily move them over moderate distances without undue wear and tear on the tracks (and the roads!) as well as burning up loads of fuel. If you are a tivy nation, this isn't much of a problem, but China is rather large - even East Germany (when the iron curtain was still up) couldn't afford to tie up its roads with tanks - these were either moved by road transport or by rail.

It goes without saying therefore that weapons producing nations also provide their own means of moving those weapons wherever and whenever they're needed, and those countries that purchase arms from them also purchase the means to move them about as well.

The Kit

The Trumpeter 50 ton Tank Transporter kit is as impressive to look at as the Tamiya Dragon Wagon. While simpler in real life (this vehicle wasn't really designed to operate under combat conditions), the kit reflects the simplicity in design without compromising details.

Molded in medium green styrene (with the exception of the engine tree which is molded in International Eye-Popping Orange!), the kit features a prime mover that is as detailed under the hood as it is outside. The trailer is a nice wood and steel flatbed design allowing for easy loading and unloading. The molding of the flatbed is nicely done. The winch module that rests on the truck frame between the cab and the trailer is as detailed as the Tamiya Dragon Wagon.

What you don't see in the photos on the right are the duplicate parts trees. There are 12 trees with 653 parts total to assemble this kit! Also not pictured here are the 24 rubber tires and the photo-etched grilles that are also included.

Conclusions

So why would you want to build a Chinese tank transporter? If you have more that one Tamiya T-55A kit on your shelf (and if you're reading this article, you probably do), you'll want a little variety in your modeling. Since the Chinese have no-doubt exported this machine to other countries, it shouldn't be a big surprise to see a Vietnamese T-55A on the trailer, or perhaps a Nigerian T-55A. With the Warrior 1/35 T-55 tank crew figures (reviewed elsewhere in this issue), this transporter lofting a Tamiya T-55A would make a nice vignette.

This kit is recommended!

My sincere thanks to Stevens International for this review sample.