1:35 Chinese PLA ZSL-92A APC

ZSL-92A APC 1:35: photo-etched set (E.T. Model)

A set of photo-etched metal parts for a model of the Chinese ZSL-92A wheeled armored personnel carrier in 1:35 scale. It replaces the plastic parts where their thickness shows most: the fenders and their struts, the covers and grilles, the tool holders, the grab handles and the small equipment. It is not a kit of the vehicle but an addition to a plastic model.

The real subject

The ZSL-92A is the carrier version of the Chinese 6x6 wheeled family, derived from the WZ551 development line. Unlike the combat version with a turret, it carries only a lightly armed superstructure with a heavy machine gun and it is intended above all to move a squad of infantry into the area of combat. Vehicles of this family serve with the People's Liberation Army and also appear on peacekeeping deployments abroad, where they wear striking light finishes. That is a rewarding theme for a modeler who wants something other than another green tank in the display case.

Building tips

Cut the photo-etched parts with a scalpel on a hard surface and make the bends in a bending tool. Apply cyanoacrylate glue with the tip of a wire in a minimal amount. A primer is necessary before painting. On wheeled carriers it pays to give attention to the transition between the wheels and the sides of the hull, where the most dirt collects. A light finish also forgives fewer mistakes than a dark one, so take care over an even coat and fine-tune the shades with filters rather than with a heavy wash.

Who the set is for

• Builders of modern Chinese wheeled equipment in 1:35 scale
• Modelers who want to replace coarse plastic fenders and grilles
• An unconventional display-case theme outside the usual Western equipment
• More experienced modelers with basic photo-etch tools

This is an accessory set, not a kit of the vehicle. The base model, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.