Home > Reviews > Figures > Miniart 1/35 scale Kit No. 35261; Soviet Ammo Boxes with Shells

Soviet Ammo Boxes with Shells

Miniart, 1/35 scale

Reviewed by Cookie Sewell

Summary

Stock No.

Miniart 1/35 scale Kit No. 35535; Oil and Petrol Cans 1930s-1940s

Contents and Media:

254 parts in grey styrene

Price:

US$21.95

Scale:

1/35

Review Type:

First Look

Advantages:

Nicely done variety of shell types and cases, including the common but little seen 45mm canister rounds; decal sheet provides proper stencils for all types of ammo in the kit.

Disadvantages:

Little of note.

Recommendation:

Highly Recommended to anyone building Soviet WWII artillery, armor or softskins.


FirstLook

When ammo is provided with a kit (other than most of those now coming with interiors) the companies have been somewhat stingy with only two to four rounds being the norm. Separate ammo sets have been available for some time, but this is the first complete one that seems to cover just about all major types of Soviet artillery projectiles short of the 203mm or 280mm ones.

Each sprue in the kit (all are duplicated) provides for one crate with proper mounts and a full selection of ammunition rounds to populate it. Also a number of empty shell casings are included as well for use in either dioramas or lying on the floor of a tank or SP gun.

The 45mm sprue provides for a choice of either five AP rounds or five canister rounds; these were very common in the units with 45mm guns or tanks with 45mm 20-K armament so for the first time in my memory you can now show them. Two expended casings are included.

The combination 57mm and 76mm sprue offers one crate and a choice of three different types of ammunition: 57mm AP, 76mm HE-FRAG and 76mm “arrow shell” AP rounds. One empty HE-FRAG casing and one empty 57mm casing are included.

 The 85mm sprue offers five rounds, two HE-FRAG, two “arrow shells” and one empty casing.

The 100mm sprue offers three rounds: one HE-FRAG, one AP, and one empty casing. In this case you will need the rounds from the other sprue to provide for a complete two-round crate.

 The same arrangement is provided for the 122mm sprue, but in this case you use one propellant casing and one projectile (either HE-FRAG or AP) in one crate.

The 152mm sprue provides the same arrangement as the 122mm one in which case one propellant casing and one projectile (either HE-FRAG or AP) goes in one crate.

Finishing directions include a painting key on the directions and a decal placement schematic on the back of the box. A nice sheet with a LARGE amount of small decals is provided to mark all of the rounds and their crates.

While this set will not fully “bomb up” any vehicle or artillery piece, it provides a great way to put the models into action by either firing or loading this ammo into the vehicles.

Overall this is a lot of ammo in one small box!

Cookie Sewell



Sprue Layout

B             26x2       45mm shells and boxes

C             23x2       57mm and 76m shells and boxes

D             22x2       85mm shells and crates

E              18x2       100mm shells and crates

F              18x2       122mm shells and crates

G             20x2       152mm shells and crates