VIETNAM WAR AMERICKÁ RYCHLÁ HLÍDKOVÁ LOĎ RIVER MK II

American River Mk II fast patrol boat — a brick kit from COBI

A model of a river patrol boat in plastic bricks. The pieces are joined by clicking them together, so you build the model with no glue, no sanding and no paints — the bricks are colored through. It also suits a first kit of this kind. The contents of the package, the number of pieces and the dimensions are stated on the box.

The real subject

PBR type patrol boats were small river craft of American manufacture, deployed in the 1960s and 1970s on the rivers of Southeast Asia. The fiberglass hull had a shallow draft and propulsion was by waterjets rather than propellers, so the craft could work in shallows and among vegetation. The Mk II version differed from the original guise in the layout of the hull and the equipment. The model captures the characteristic open superstructure with the command station and the low silhouette.

Building and display

• Tip the pieces into a bowl bag by bag, not all at once — small pieces are easily lost.
• Build from the bottom up according to the instructions; the hull only holds its shape once the whole lower layer is finished.
• Stand the finished model firmly on a shelf, as on a narrower base it can easily be knocked over.
• Brush dust away with a soft brush; do not wash the bricks under running water.
• The model also suits a grouping with other sets from the same range.

Who the model is for

• For anyone interested in military subjects who does not want to work with glue and paints.
• As a smaller kit for one longer afternoon.
• For collectors who are putting together a themed range in bricks.

The kit is supplied unassembled. No glue, paints or tools are needed to assemble it.