Stalin Russian Tank

Lindberg, 1/64 scale

Reviewed by Cookie Sewell
 

Summary

FirstLook

I had heard that Lindberg had released four armor kits in 1971 but never saw one in the flesh. At this year’s AMPS show the indomitable Gene Bagnoli gave one as a gift.

There were four kits in this series: Tiger I, M46 Patton, JS-3 Stalin and Centurion. But from the construction of the kit, they were really self-assembly toys for kids. It has a gear drive with rubber band torsion power in the lower hull and works by being pulled back to wind it up or turning a large gear in the belly.

The rest of it seems to be based on the ancient Aurora JS-3 (IS-3 to most of us today). Details are sparse and it basically only simulates an IS-3. Tracks and wheels are molded together and are not even as good as those on HO scale armor like ROCO or Roskoff models.

But if you are into this scale (like many of Lindberg’s much superior aircraft kits) it is the only game in town.