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AmTech 1/48th Tank Ta-183

By Allan Wanta

History

Oh heck, there isn't any. What a shame, guess I'll just have to build the kit and be quiet. What has been said in previous articles is the similarity to the design of the MiG-15, I reserve my opinion on that one. Didn't think it looked like the MiG at first, but then I guess if I imagine hard enough an apple can look sorta like an orange.

The Kit

Unless you've been hiding under a rock the past year or so, you might have heard tell of a new American company called AmTech. At first glance it appears they've takenover some old projects left undone from the departing AMT-Ertl Company. Although this may be partially true, I doubt that AMT-Ertl would have done this wonderful a job on this kit. Yes, a lot has been said about the quality and engineering that went into the Ta-183 kit. From the individually packaged sprues, to the wild luft '46 paint schemes, it says 'we've done our homework'.

I will probably repeat the same lines written by other build reviews on this kit, so let's touch on a couple areas that may or may not be problems for you, I suspect you WILL buy one of these kits, right?

Get the vacuformed canopy marketed by Squadron, the lovely interior needs to be shown to its full potential.

Add a bit of weight behind the cockpit bulkhead just in case. I've not heard of any tail sitting, but it doesn't hurt.

Replace the funky stick that's supposed to be the engine exhaust cone for the Heinkel engine with one from a DML/Revell He-162 for more realism. Add a pitot tube made of sprue or better yet brass tubing, I'd rather see that than the main gear doorretraction arms to tell you the truth.

The version I've done is entirely fictional, but with a Me-163 being captured and similarly marked, one never knows. Some French markings were made on an Alps printer as well as the Air Ministry numbers, it's a 'what if' scenario.

Conclusion

You honestly have to look hard to find any faults with this kit; I'm on my second one as we speak. And all those paint schemes have to be done, plus after market stuff will probably come out soon with more

Future releases include some 1/72nd scale Ju-88's, and some other promising titles. Keep it in America boys, buy one of these and have fun, even if you dislike doing sci-fi. The Fun-O-Meter rates this a 10, difficulty a 3, Coolness a 9.5. No unfair judging with this one!