1:35 Modern US M1083 FMTV [Armor CaB] Basic (For TRUMPETER 01008)

The real subject

The M1083 FMTV is a present-day American medium tactical cargo truck in flatbed configuration. It serves to supply units and carry materiel, and in later years it received an armored cab, known as the Armor Cab, which gives the crew added protection. The whole FMTV family shares the chassis and the cab and differs mainly in the body.

What the set contains

Photo-etched parts in the basic configuration for the Trumpeter kit numbered 01008. Photo-etched parts are used where the material ought to be thinner than a plastic part can manage: mesh, covers, sheet-metal stiffeners, brackets and similar small items. The exact contents of the fret and the assembly procedure are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building tips

The individual parts are held in the fret by thin tabs; separate them with a sharp blade on a hard surface or with photo-etch scissors. Bend over a sharp edge or in a bending tool, and long parts along the whole length at once. Glue with cyanoacrylate applied on the tip of a wire, and where you need time to position a part, reach for a two-part epoxy. Before painting, degrease the parts and lay on a primer, otherwise the finish will peel off during further handling.

Who it is for

For modelers of modern military subjects who want to take a model as far as the detail goes and who do not mind working with small parts. It pays to go through the procedure in the instructions before you separate the first part from the fret, because the order of assembly matters more here than with plastic. The kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.