Reviews : Trumpeter Sd.Kfz.184 Elephant

This model of an armored behemoth is well-detailed, with rivets and protuberances properly scaled. The bottom half of the model went together very nicely. The superstructure was a great fit as well. The area forward of the gun mantlet went together OK but not great, with a few small gaps between surfaces that needed filling. There is a track option in the kit for either a nice single piece rubber track for each side (the option I chose) or hard black plastic sections that would take some time to build up. Decals include 3 black crosses, 3 sets of numbers, and a couple of (I believe) unit insignia. The decals worked very well and only had to sit in water for a few seconds before being ready for application. Included in the kit were some extra bits including tow cable ends and some other hardware. No antennae were included so I scratch built a couple. The biggest fault I found with this kit were the instructions. They were not very clear and sometimes pictured a part or two floating in space and thus would take me a few minutes to figure out where they belonged. All in all, a nice, enjoyable build depicting an angular brute of an armored vehicle.

The molding of this kit is first rate. The detail on everything is outstanding, and very delicate. The kit is perfectly accurate in size, shape and details. The chassis is highly complex, and it allows the modeler to fully articulate the wheels, so as to easily display the vehicle traversing uneven terrain (this also makes it very challenging while assembling). The fighting compartment is highly detailed, with all hatches open (though the hatches themselves are molded as very thick single parts, which will need care in separating). The tracks are molded in link and length hard plastic and are highly detailed. The kit also comes with a small fret of photoetched brass parts, and a short length of string to use for the tow cables. Decals for one vehicle example. This is an excellent kit.