1:35 CV3/35 Ansaldo Conversion Set

The real subject

The Italian CV3/35 tankette from Ansaldo, later carried under the designation L3/35, was among the smallest tracked fighting vehicles of its day. The crew numbered two men, the armament was machine guns and the armor protected only against small-arms fire. The machine served the Italian army from the second half of the 1930s and saw a whole range of special-purpose modifications.

What a conversion set is for

A conversion set turns a finished kit into a version the kit maker does not offer in the box. Some of the original parts are removed and replaced by new ones, so the result stands or falls on careful fitting. Which kit in 1:35 scale the set is reckoned for, and what version it will make of the model, is not settled by the name; both are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

• Read the whole of the instructions first, as a conversion usually changes the order of the build.
• Cut the surplus material off with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand away the traces of manufacture.
• Try the assembly dry and true the mating surfaces up as needed.
• Wash and degrease the parts before painting so that the primer holds.
• Bond with super glue, which holds on resin as well as on plastic.
• Fill and sand the transitions between the new and the original parts before you spray.

Who it is for

The set will appeal to modelers interested in Italian interwar and wartime vehicles who want to build a less usual version of the tankette. The small machine has the advantage that even with a conversion the build stays manageable and the finished model takes up the minimum of space on a shelf. Reckon with the work calling for sanding and filling. Conversion sets are usually supplied without the base kit, paints and glue; check the scope of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.