Famo
by Phil Novak
Arriving in a fairly large box, Tamiya’s Famo is one of the most detailed kits I have seen in a long time. It fits together beautifully with very little trouble. All you really have to do is shake the box a little and out pops a kit ready to paint. The instructions are very clear and easy to follow.
With this said the kit, however, is not totally flawless. I had problems getting the hood to sit properly on the radiator and front cab assembly. The part seems to be a little too short to provide a good fit. The engine is very nice indeed consisting of around 19 parts, all of which are superbly detailed. The tracks are excellent reproductions of the real thing and yes, they are workable!
The coupler is another testament to Tamiya’s model making wizardry because it is completely workable, allowing for a wide variety of diorama possibilities. Also interesting are the tool drawers in the side doors of the cargo bay. They are totally breathtaking, especially when you add some tools from Tamiya’s photo-etched Pz IV set. Very nice!
A big surprise that is added is the figures. Tamiya has cleverly made one basic set of figures two by providing different arms to put them in different poses. The front tires are also nice (They’re like the Dragon Wagon’s) made from vinyl and are semi-pneumatic, fitting perfectly around the rim.
Finally, the draw bar is an intriguing piece of equipment as it too is operational. A word on painting – be sure to leave the cargo bed, front cab, engine, tracks and chassis separate for ease of painting.
Tamiya has come up with some good paint schemes and decal options for the kit. A VERY fine kit!