Simple 7TP
First to Fight is a Polish manufacturer focused solely on releasing simple, dedicated for wargaming model kits in “Wrzesień 1939” (“September 1939”) series. Like this 7TP light tank, which just hit the stores. Too simplified for modelling purposes or not? Let's find out.
The Tank
7TP was a Polish light tank, produced from 1935 to the beginning of the World War II. Developed from English 6 ton Vickers Mark E, was a significant improvement over its ancestor. During the Invasion of Poland in 1939, it was a standard tank of the Polish Army, fighting the Germans alongside the TKS and TK-3 tankettes.
In 1:72
Just recently Polish manufacturer First to Fight, known from “September 1939” model series, released a 1:72 7TP kit. It's not the first injection-moulded miniature of this particular vehicle in “gentleman's scale”. About 2002, Mirage Hobby (also from Poland) released a series of kits covering the basic types of 7TP and Vickers E light tanks. Due to heavy unification of moulds, the miniatures were divided into plenty of separate parts, which didn't appeal to everyone. First To Fight product is clearly an opposite of that. Which is quite expected, taking into account fact, that this series of simple models is marketed mostly to wargamers.
The kit
The model in question, catalogue number PL1939-026, represents the single turret 7TP version with early hull. It comes in standard for this series, rather nice looking box. Of course traditionally we also get a few pages long, A4 size brochure with some historical notes (in Polish), but really- who cares? OK, let's be fair- there are also a colour drawings of 7TP camouflage with references to Vallejo paints given (repeated in smaller size at the back of the kit box), so you may care a little.
Inside the cardboard package there are two small sprues from green plastic, clearly moulded without any immediately visible faults. Well, to be perfectly accurate- we get three sprues, but two of them are joined together.
First sprue- marked “B”, contains basic elements of the hull and couple of details. “E” is a home of turret elements and “F” contains suspension parts cast as a single piece module per side, with tracks.
So far so good. Let's look closer on some elements of the kit and complain a bit.
In details
Upper hull- lack of details (rivets, panel lines) on vertical plates. Slanted sides of engine compartment have some for a change, but those are slightly stretched. Purist may want to rework them.
Lower hull with some rivets only on front and back. Bottom without any detail (OK, let it be), sides also (not so OK, but quite understandable due to moulding technology).
Many details were cast together with the hull (for example tools on fenders), therefore we can find only a few small elements on the frame.
Turret parts and the top hull plate. Nice, nothing serious to complain about, move along...
Suspension. As in the other tanks from this series- moulded in one piece module per side. Certainly the weakest point of the kit, which may discourage some modellers. But hey, this is a cheap wargaming set, so what would you expect? Tracks are rather decent, with single row of guide horns. This time the wheels are the worse component- pairs are merged together into thick blocks of plastic.
And that's all. There is no decal sheet in the box, which is quite understandable due to “September '39” theme (tactical markings on Polish military vehicles were painted over just before WWII broke out). There is also no assembly manual present. Well, it sort of is- on the back of the box.
Assembly drawings (First to Fight)
Some may say that the drawings are to small. Granted. Others may wonder, why the FtF even bother with numbering the parts on the sprues, when they don't use that in the instruction drawings? But hey, this is a really simple kit, and matching that few parts isn't really a challenge.
Conclusion
I think the photos speaks for themselves. Nicely moulded, simple kit with some undeniable drawbacks. If you can accept suspension elements moulded with tracks, and are ready to add some rivets- that may be a kit for you. Or if you just want a really simple, fast build and mentioned shortcomings doesn't bother you at all. Otherwise- think twice.
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