In-boxed & video build Pt.1: 1/35th scale Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf.B From Tamiya.

Tamiya's 35th scale Panzer I hit the shelves recently; a cheap kit & an easy build beckoned as Clayton Ockerby took a look at the plastic, then the build process in photos & video in Part I of his video today...

In-boxed & video build Pt.1: 1/35th scale Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf.B From Tamiya.

From Tamiya

Kit No. 35388

1/35th scale

Plastic kit including one figure.

Length: 123mm, Width: 60mm.

Decals included three different markings for the Polish, French, & Russian fronts.

Price: $25 USD from Hobbylink Japan

If you are like me, you were probably a little caught off guard when Tamiya announced the latest release in their 35th scale armour range, the early War Panzer 1 Ausf B. It just kind of appeared with very little promotion or fanfare.

When Tamiya releases just about anything, it’s guaranteed to sell simply because of the reputation they have gained for producing quality kits. Generally speaking, it’s a manageable parts count that offers the modeller a predictable and trouble-free build. The Panzer 1 was the one missing WWII German mainstream tank from the Tamiya catalogue, so in a lot of ways this release makes sense. Although us armour modellers can be a fickle bunch and can be inclined to favour some of the heavy hitters over the early war subjects.

 

The plastic:

At a glance, the parts look nicely resolved across the sprues, with a number of uncharacteristically small parts for a Tamiya kit. The jack block and the antenna bracket have a timber grain in the sculpt, which should be appealing under paint.

The sprues—these parts you will see in more detail in the build video

The tracks come in a link and length style, as seems to be the way with a lot of modern releases. The uniform for the tank commander figure has a natural look to the fold in the fabric and offers a choice of headwear; however, it is a little sterile in nature.

22 steps are noted through the instructions sheet with a choice of 3 schemes. All of which are in the Panzer Grey around 1939-1941.

Three different markings for the Polish, French, & Russian fronts.

I’ll be doing something a little different with mine, but for the sake of the review, I’m going to build it for you and highlight some of the highs and lows of the kit as I go in the hope that it helps you with your own build.

Conclusion:
The German Tank Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf.B isn’t going to appeal to every modeller because, as I mentioned, these early war subjects can often be overlooked for their bigger and more formidable brothers, but the Panzer I played a unique and important part in the evolution of tank development and warfare.

The Pros:
This release was the missing piece of the German armour puzzle under the Tamiya banner
Interesting Pre-War vehicle at an Affordable price point
Great detail in the running gear, timber textures, and tow cable.

The Cons:
There are some uncharacteristic tiny parts that some might find tricky to handle.
The link and length tracks were a little awkward to work with
And I noted it as a pro as being an interesting vehicle; however, it may have limited appeal.

I built the Takom dual boxing of this tank a few years ago and still feel that model has the edge on this Tamiya kit for options and inclusions (I mean, you got an A and B version in that kit). However, it can be hard to find, so for many, this kit may be the easier option.

I have pre-painted some of the assemblies during the build phase, and I'll highlight the reasons as to why I did that in the next video, but for now I'll take you through the construction steps to get this kit to the primer stage.

Fear not of Panzer grey isn’t your flavour, because these little beauties saw a pre-war war 3-tone scheme, and in case you hadn’t guessed already, that is the angle I’ll be taking with this one.

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Before my conclusion below, check out my video on my Workbench Hobbies YT page...

Stay tuned for the painting guide in step II at this link...

Clayton Ockerby

You can pick this kit up from Hobbylink Japan for $25 USD at this link

See more of Clayton's amazing works on his YouTube Channel, his modelling portal "Workbench Hobbies" or his FB page