Post by El Caracho on Nov 5, 2018 16:03:54 GMT
Right after finishing the Cobi Bismarck I went on to assemble the Panlos Brick "T-90", and I must say, the finished model is really massive and very impressive:
The design is really nice, with the usual features you are already familiar with from previous Panlos Brick models:
Detailed interior, a detailed engine, which can be easily detached for "maintenance", and several openable hatches.
Some building steps in the instruction manual seem to use multiple parts where a single part would also have done the job (e.g. two 2x3 plates instead of a single 2x6 plate).
The design is really nice, with the usual features you are already familiar with from previous Panlos Brick models:
Detailed interior, a detailed engine, which can be easily detached for "maintenance", and several openable hatches.
Some building steps in the instruction manual seem to use multiple parts where a single part would also have done the job (e.g. two 2x3 plates instead of a single 2x6 plate).
This doesn't make any sense unless the goal was to increase the overall parts count.
Another thing that didn't really make sense to me was that a lot of "special" parts (like tiles and round plates) are used hidden under layers of regular plates.
Another thing that didn't really make sense to me was that a lot of "special" parts (like tiles and round plates) are used hidden under layers of regular plates.
It's not that these parts enable the model to be opened or taken apart easier at these locations or anything like that, these "special" parts are used for no purpose at all at that position.
This is especially the case at the back of the model and at the fenders above the tracks.
But as you really don't see it on the finished model and it does not influence the overall rigidity of the model in a negative way, it's totally OK with me.
It just looks to me as if the production of this model was rushed without revising the used parts to make a final optimization (a company like Lego would probably have done it).
But if the overall piece count and the cost of the parts is not an issue, it's apparently just fine ...
Maybe it's a weight issue, as tiles and rounded plates do not weigh as much as regular plates ...
...but then again two 2x3 plates probably weigh more than a single 2x6 plate, oh well ...
Or maybe the designers really wanted to simulate the different composite armor layers as realistic as possible???
The triple camouflage pattern looks really cool, and the tank has just a couple of printed parts and no stickers
(which, after hours of attaching the stickers to the Bismarck, was a welcome change).
Quality of the parts:
Btw, this would make a great model to be motorized ...
For some reason, a bunch of minifig soldiers are included in the package, but this tank far from minifig scale ... it's probably at least triple minifig scale!
(The driver's seat is way too big for a minifig, but the seats in the turret are so small even a minifig doesn't properly fit)
Conclusion:
This is a really great and impressive tank model, and I truly enjoyed assembling it. It makes a fantastic display piece.
Highly recommended!
Let's hope Panlos Brick will start a "Historical" collection at some point, as I would really like a German Tiger I tank in this scale :-)
This is especially the case at the back of the model and at the fenders above the tracks.
But as you really don't see it on the finished model and it does not influence the overall rigidity of the model in a negative way, it's totally OK with me.
It just looks to me as if the production of this model was rushed without revising the used parts to make a final optimization (a company like Lego would probably have done it).
But if the overall piece count and the cost of the parts is not an issue, it's apparently just fine ...
Maybe it's a weight issue, as tiles and rounded plates do not weigh as much as regular plates ...
...but then again two 2x3 plates probably weigh more than a single 2x6 plate, oh well ...
Or maybe the designers really wanted to simulate the different composite armor layers as realistic as possible???
The triple camouflage pattern looks really cool, and the tank has just a couple of printed parts and no stickers
(which, after hours of attaching the stickers to the Bismarck, was a welcome change).
Quality of the parts:
- The "Look and feel" is good
- Some printed parts are "green" on black parts, and some are "black" on green parts, but the printed "green" on black parts does not match the actual green brick color
- Clutch is OK (only 2 parts could have had a little more, but still no need for any glue)
- No missing parts
- Only 1 part was not properly deburred (2x2 round plate with 1 stud on top), but nothing a small cutter knife couldn't handle ...
- The clutch of the combination of some axles with some axle holes is either too loose or to tight, so you have to switch around a bit to find some optimal combinations.
- The pins to which the wheels are attached (All of them: road wheels, idler wheels, drive sprocket ...) have too much friction, so my model was not able to move at all.
So if you plan to use this model only as a display piece, it's OK, otherwise you have to substitute the pins with genuine Lego parts, I suppose
Btw, this would make a great model to be motorized ...
For some reason, a bunch of minifig soldiers are included in the package, but this tank far from minifig scale ... it's probably at least triple minifig scale!
(The driver's seat is way too big for a minifig, but the seats in the turret are so small even a minifig doesn't properly fit)
Conclusion:
This is a really great and impressive tank model, and I truly enjoyed assembling it. It makes a fantastic display piece.
Highly recommended!
Let's hope Panlos Brick will start a "Historical" collection at some point, as I would really like a German Tiger I tank in this scale :-)
