Construction Guide: German Assault Pioneer Team & Goliath Set
Kit No# 35357
Released Feb 2018
This new 1/35 scale model from Tamiya recreates the tracked remote-controlled mine used by the Germans in WWII called the "Goliath". It was a diminutive tracked vehicle about 1.5m long that could carry up to 60kg of light explosives and was remotely controlled via 3 cables that spooled out of its rear. Some 7,564 were produced in all, split between 12V battery and gas engine-powered variants. They were largely deployed by assault pioneer (Sturmpionier) units and were hoped to give the advantage of surprise. They were used on all fronts including German counters to the allied invasions in Normandy.
We have already looked at this set in our in-box review:
In-boxed: Tamiya's German Assault Pioneer Team & Goliath Set in 1/35th scale
Today we put the set together and show you the figures included so you can get a better look at them and see the fit and the construction process. I'll start at the start, building the Goliath first, then a look at each of the pioneers included.
Step 1: This first step sees the early construction of the body of the Goliath. The notches on the kit are a helpful guide for placement.
The inside frame keeps this kit rigid and aligned. The notches of the body fit inside the horizontal shapes without a problem, but make sure you do not get the internal structure upside down, dry-fit first remember!
Step 2: the internal form is added to with the running gear and the return and drive sprockets here.
Here on the right, you see the side suspensions and the notches that they sit correctly onto to make sure they are positioned just right. It sure takes the guesswork out of the placement of these as there really isn't room for error here as the kit itself is so small. On the left below you see the sides in their right place.
Theswingarmsofthe return rollers here on the Goliath on the right show how they sit correctly. Get this right on the kit and your wheels sit properly huh!
Step 3: We next move to the return rollers (we just saw these) and the oval-shaped metal "bumper bar" for a better word on the rear that the remote control cable travels through.
You can see on the picture below the rear "bumper bar" that is moulded in half, but must be carefully aligned together to make that oval shape You can also see the rudimentary opening of the remote control wire drumcompartment and the thickness of the door that covers it. This is the weakest part of the kit for me, you couldhowever make your door part with some metal sheet replacement.
Step 4: Let's make tracks! we next move on to the tiniest of indie link tracks and single links that make the corners to give us a pretty simple tracked construction.
I know that this is the worst way to do this, but to give you an idea of how these tracks look and how many you need for each side I removed them from the sprues. They are TINY and just be careful when removing them unless you want to hear that PING! ...and then have to go searching on your similar tan wood covered floor for them (true story).
The tracks took only about fifteen minutes for each tank, you see them before on the left, and after on the right, follow the instructions and you can't go wrong if you pay attention to the curved three and four-part links and placement of the original larger track runs.
Here you can see the Goliaths ready to literally roll, notice the sagging module into the top of the track runs and the flat bottom tracks by Tamiya? Noiyce...
A view from the sides and round the Goliath. I am really impressed by the surface detail of the rivets and bolts, the tiny tracks and how they sit with the coils on the suspension topping it off.
These two pictures and references are around the wrong way - but you get the picture...
Step 5: The cable for the remote control needed some work, as the ones that you see close up are in a twisted, double wire type. The brass wire you get on the kit is a single wire, so I went to work.
I fixed the two wires (I cut the length in half) and gripped them tightly in the chuck of the power drill I used to twist the wire...
I held the other end of the wire with the pliers I had, then twisted ever so slowly by the drill while you hold the wire tightly till it became taught and straight.
Here is the end result - not bad!
Next, like any drum of cable, I fixed a hole into it so the wire could remain in place while I wrapped it around the drum tightly.
Twisted to the drum it was ready to roll.
A full covering wrap of the drum left me pretty happy with the outcome. You COULD just leave these wires untwisted, it is up to you, but I think this is pretty close to the real thing (take in mind just how small this tracked tankette really is.
Step 6: The remote controller is next - looking very much like the real thing, the two supplied (one for each Goliath) needed a hole to be drilled into them for the signal wire to be inserted.
I simply used a pointed scribe to make the hole in the remote for the twisted cable.
Detail of the controls of the real thing.
...and here we are, with the cover open, maybe a bit far, but to show you how it looks inside the drum compartment with the control in the pioneer's hand.
Step 7: Lastly the "lid" of the hatch goes into place, you should cut off the tabs on the end of the plastic so it sits snugly in place.
Here is your pioneer - ready to go hunting an enemy tank!
Figures: We next look at the figures of the "Commander", "Soldier A" and "Soldier B"
"Commander": the man in command, is seen on one of his knees (as the Borgias should) holding his optical lenses to his eyes looking at - or for the - targets off in the not too distant battlefield.
Here he is all put together - his optical glasses can be put into place after he is constructed so you can paint them separately if you like (on the left) and on the right with his binoculars engaged.
A walk around of the figure here shows him from every angle, his Mp-40 will need a strap over his shoulder if you want it to sit realistically without any make-believe physics. I was impressed by not just this soldier's, but all of these guy's fit and the wrinkles in the clothing, their faces, weapons, ammo and equipment pouches they have with them.
"Soldier A": Lying down on the ground, we see this Pioneer soldier prone holding the choice of the remote controller (Fernsteuerung) in one hand, with his Kar 98 rifle strapped over his shoulder, or as he is seen here with his rifle in his hand.
I say there is a choice because you have two remote controls with the kit, one for each Goliath. So you could well have them both controlling a tracked mine each, something the kit really doesn't mention but I thought it was an option here.
The pioneer is made from seven parts of tan plastic. His face and hands are quite detailed which is nice, as they are exposed here as he leans down to the side and reaches forward to support himself.
"Soldier B": This soldier is seen on his knees (the proletariat know their place) holding his optical lenses to his eyes looking at - or for the - targets off in the not too distant battlefield.
The figure is made from seven parts, and like rest of the plastic is tan and well moulded. His face has some nice and realistic features, and his clothing is moulded without seams down the sides and with small recesses to hold some of the bulkier items which attach to his body like his canteen/flask.
This is a great little set, although I do think that it is a little weird not showing a latter war goliath and set of soldiers to accomas these as these soldiers look very early to-mid-war in their uniform choices.
Here they are all made up, they took only a few hours of easy modelling, and a few improvements to the kit that you could add will bring out the most in your tracked mine tank-hunting diorama.
Another typical, and by that I mean very nice - kit from Tamiya.
Here are some pictures of the Goliath that I saw a recent model show - These look OK but I think most of you can do better than this!
