Review – MasterBox kit 3599 – “Patrolling” Vietnam War series

Master box have very kindly sent us their Vietnam era set - It’s fair to say that we don’t have enough figures from this era so any release will be gladly received. - lets have a look if they are up to the usual MasterBox standard...
Review – MasterBox kit 3599 –“Patrolling” Vietnam War series

Kit No: 3599

Kit type: Injection Moulded

Sprues: 2 in tan

Scale: 1/35

Available from:  MasterBox Distributors Worldwide

This is the new MasterBox Vietnam War era set; simply called ‘Patrolling’ it’s made up of 5 figures, all on two sprues of tan styrene - let's have a look...

The Box art depicts the four American soldiers talking with a local (to make the 5 figures) the box is split in two, with one half being black while the bottom is white (the same as all MB releases) there is also the ‘air cav’ insignia on the box, anyone who’s watched the film ‘we were soldiers’ will remember seeing this insignia on the huey’s and the soldiers left shoulder.

Body sculpts keep on getting better and more detailed from MasterBox

The two sprues layout - something different from MasterBox - there is 1 sprue just for all of the gear a nice sign of a company trying to up the ante 

When opening the box your meet by two tan coloured sprues in a clear bag, one sprue contains the parts for the figures while the other contains the soldiers ‘kit’ (weapons, Grenades, knifes, helmets, bush hats, bed rolls and back packs etc.)

   
Moulding, in places is very sharp, for example on the M16’s the detail there will look superb under a coat of paint, however in other places it’s a bit soft for example the faces, they will look okay under a bit of careful painting but should the modeller wish there are plenty of replacements out there, but for most they will do the job nicely.

There is a seam on some parts (the shoulders of each figure and around some of back packs) but a swipe of a sharp blade will quickly solve this, very small issue. Each figure is broken down into 6 parts, head, torso, legs and arms (the soldiers have more parts, but this is due to their ‘kit’)   

Each soldier has a back pack, and there are plenty of knifes, grenades, canteens etc. included to give your soldiers that well prepared for anything that might happen ‘look’.

The detail on the uniforms is very nice and will be a joy to paint; there are locating pins and holes on the soldiers to allow for easy placement of their equipment, each soldier is given the option of a steel helmet, or two different ‘bush hats’ a nice touch.

Instructions are provided on the back of the box, and while they may look very complicated, with a bit forward planning are very easy to follow. Numbers are not given on the sprue - but for five figures all you need to do is just work with the back of the box turned to you. Colour call outs are given in Vallejo acrylic paints which are fast becoming a lot of people's favourite paints to use.

The Vietnamese woman is something not seen in every dio and she is well sculpted here

All in all few very very minor little niggles but show me a kit that hasn’t got them? These figures will be the icing on the cake to a Vietnam dio, and will provide a very nice ‘human touch’ to your scene.

Nick Lloyd

Our sincere thanks to MasterBox for the review kit

Check out these pictures form the MasterBox site of the kits constructed without paint