Stalwart Mk.2 (FV623) Improvement Set and Royal Artillery Limber

Scorpion Miniature Models, 1/35 scale

Reviewed by Zack Sex

Stock Number and Description	Scorpion Miniature Models Item Nos.: SMM3570A - Stalwart Mk.2 (FV623) Improvement Set. £47.50 SMM3570C - Stalwart Mk.2 (FV623) Royal Artillery Limber. £22.00 plus shipping, both available online from SMM's we store.
Scale:	1/35
Media and Contents:	3d printed resin parts; instructions
Review Type:	First Look
Advantages:	High level of detail; full replacement cab.
Disadvantages:	Some filling and sanding required.
Recommendation:	Highly Recommended.

FirstLook

Model releases and update sets can be a bit like waiting for a bus. You wait for ages, then two or three turn up at once. The Stalwart Mk.2 with crane is a perfect case in point.

Airfix kicked things off with their standard Stalwart kit, closely followed by Inside The Armour (ITA3) with an Atlas crane update set. Not long after, Scorpion Miniature Models (SMM) entered the fray with their own take, and now—just to round things out—Airfix has announced an all-new Stalwart Mk.2 due later this year.
Having already reviewed the ITA3 update, it seemed only fair to give Scorpion Miniature Models’ offering a proper look.

SMM produces an expanding range of British Army vehicles and accessories, and their approach to the Mk.2 (FV623) Limber differs noticeably from ITA3’s. This set comprises cast resin with 3D-printed parts, and the standout feature is undoubtedly the complete replacement cab. The level of detail here is excellent, particularly in the updated cab fittings, internal tubing, and the reinforced wheel rims moulded into the cab interior. It represents a major improvement over the Airfix cab and is well worth considering regardless of which Stalwart variant you intend to build.

The Atlas crane is also well executed, combining printed panels with photo-etched parts to sharpen things up. That said, our sample did require some filling of surface air bubbles, so a little clean-up work should be expected.
The wheel set supplied by SMM is a more robust, chunky interpretation of the Stalwart’s tyres and differs noticeably from the ScaleX 3D-printed wheels previously reviewed. This is not a criticism—just a stylistic difference. Elsewhere, SMM really shines with excellent light guards, exhaust mesh, and very nicely rendered 3D-printed rear water jets.

SMM also deserves high praise for their instructions, which are clear, well laid out, and supported by colour photos of both the model and the real vehicle—always a big plus.