Ally Oop!!!

Alex Clark returns with a new SmallScale Chaffee.

OKB Grigorov are a Bulgarian manufacturer that up until this release had focused on resin kits, conversions and details parts, along with a number of etched metal sets. This is their first foray into injection moulded kits and I was pleased to hear when announced that it wasn’t to be a short-run kit. Short-run kits usually suffer from softer moulded detail due to the use relatively soft moulds, but this kit was to be created using steel moulds for both longevity and improved crispness of detail on the kit.

The M24 itself is an American light tank, originating during the latter part of the Second World War. It replaced the earlier M3 Stuart light tank and had improvements in many areas. Even from its appearance it can be seen to have a much more modern look to it compared to its predecessor, and it was a highly successful design. It was used for many years after the war, seeing action in Korea, Algeria and also in one of the Indochina conflicts.

The Kit

The kit was designed using CAD and features sharp, fine detail over its entirety. There is virtually no flash present and the delicate detail is clear to see. There are actually two kits available, the standard all plastic one and a premium ‘Mammoth Edition’ version that includes a turned brass barrel, several small etched sets and resin idler wheels that include lightening holes (these are missing from the plastic versions). I had a preproduction test shot of the kit, so there were no instructions included but assembly is mostly straightforward and it’s obvious where most of the parts go. To see how the kit would turn out without any further additions, I decided from the start to build it out-of-the-box, with the exception of adding wire grab handles and the aerial.

Hull