1:87 Mark IV Male

Model 1:87 Mark IV Male (Hauler)

The Mark IV Male in 1:87 scale is a model of a vehicle in its own right, not an accessory set. The 1:87 scale corresponds to railroad H0, so the model can be placed in a module with track, on a flatcar or in a tiny diorama with figures and buildings of the same size, with no recalculating. A sister version, the Female, with the same hull and different armament, exists as well.

The real subject

The Mark IV was a British heavy tank of the First World War with a characteristic rhomboid outline and a track running around the whole hull; the shape came out of the requirement to get across wide trenches. The designation Male meant the version with guns in the side sponsons, that is a machine intended to destroy fortified firing positions. Male and Female were deployed together so that they would complement each other.

Building and painting tips

In 1:87 scale the whole tank is smaller than an inch, so the main work lies in accuracy, not in the number of parts. Before you start gluing, put the model together dry and find the order in which you will not have to reach with tweezers into places already finished. Work over a tray with raised edges; a part that falls on the floor in this scale is very hard to find. Seal the base with a primer applied in a thin coat, as a heavy spray in a small scale will flood the engraving. Choose the weathering with restraint: in 1:87 it is enough to suggest dust and mud on the running gear, while an overdone wash visually dirties the whole of a small model.

Who the model is for

• H0 railroad modelers who want military hardware in the right size for a scene.
• Collectors of First World War hardware for whom 1:35 takes up too much room.
• Builders of small dioramas and display-case scenes.
• More experienced hands; a tiny scale forgives less than a large one.

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.