This gem from Tamiya will add to the realism of any diorama of German armor or troop support vehicles. I used mine in a Winter diorama setting that was just right for the model. The directions and kit were very well thought out with the parts fitting without any problems. With a little weathering and detailing the model really stands out.

This model is amazing. It fits in any diorama and is a great build. It is easy to manipulate for any project and looks very realistic when finished. I am trying to find an excuse to order another.

THE KIT: To get straight to the point: this is a classic Tamiya kit. What you get is a detailed and cleanly-moulded newly-tooled kit of the Schwimmwagen type 166, and a great driver figure. The vehicle itself consists of over 80 pieces moulded in sand-colored styrene, a die-cut acetate windshield, and a sheet of nylon mesh for the engine air intake. The kit is packaged to Tamiya's normal standards. THE BUILD: I chose to begin the build by detailing the already-excellent engine. Although the kit's engine is fairly simple, so was the real thing. I used a pin vise to create holes to accept some limited wiring, which brought the included engine up to a virtually-complete degree of detail. To avoid masking, I chose to install the engine assembly and paint it at the same time as the rest of the vehicle. As a side note, a small black placard that is placed above the engine is included as a decal; this detail is a very nice touch. The inclusion of a nearly complete engine really adds a lot of value to the kit! After assembling the engine I quickly tackled the rest of the kit. It was fairly involved and features some very delicate assemblies (such as the exhaust, mirror, and windshield) so this kit probably isn't the best choice for novice or young modelers. The nylon engine mesh proved to be challenging, but enough is provided to cut a few extras if necessary. I used Testors orange tube glue on the plastic before gently pressing the mesh (which I carefully creased to shape in advance) into the plastic. Like the mesh, the acetate windshield must be cut out carefully with sharp scissors. The windshield fit perfectly and looks to scale. There was no notable flash present on any parts of the kit, and everything fit perfectly. No sink marks or pin marks were visible anywhere on the kit. I chose to replace the tool clamps with photo etched replacements to add a bit of detail, but the kit otherwise featured a level of detail that should satisfy almost any modeler. OVERALL: This is truly one of Tamiya's very best kits! Its a fairly involved and time-consuming model, especially for the price and small size of the kit. The result is a very detailed and busy representation of a very unique vehicle. This probably won't be the last time I build this kit.