Nato Armored All-Terrain Vehicle

NATO Armored All-Terrain Vehicle - a plastic brick set from COBI

This item is not a plastic model from injection-molded sprues but a construction set of plastic bricks. The parts clip together, so no glue, knife or paints are needed to build it; the picture instructions and a little time are enough. The set belongs to the COBI military range and represents an armored all-terrain vehicle used in the armed forces of the NATO states. The exact number of parts and the make-up of the package are stated on the packaging.

The real subject

Armored all-terrain vehicles form a category of lightly armored wheeled equipment intended to carry a crew and for reconnaissance, liaison and the escort of convoys in demanding terrain. Compared with tracked equipment they offer higher transit speed and simpler maintenance, and the armor is aimed mainly at protection against fragments and small arms fire. The model is a stylized rendering of this category; the name specifies neither a particular type, nor a manufacturer, nor an army.

Building tips

Sort the bricks by color and size and the build then runs smoothly with the instructions. The joints are firm; when taking them apart, a lever or flat tweezers helps to avoid damaging the printed surfaces. No painting is necessary. If you want to unify the model with a matte varnish or add dust weathering, try the product first on a brick that does not show, because the plastic of the bricks behaves differently from ordinary modeling polystyrene. The finished set is firm enough to be picked up and carried around.

Who the kit is for

• For anyone interested in contemporary military equipment who does not want to glue and spray.
• For beginners and younger builders.
• For collectors of the military range of brick sets.
• As a gift or an addition to a play collection of vehicles.

The set is supplied unassembled. The bricks are colored, and glue and paints are neither needed nor included in the package.