Made a start cleaning up the parts. This kit is stamped 1992 and it actually shows. With all the hype over Accurate Armour products, I have to admit I am disappointed. The detail is a bit lacking, the casting is not very crisp on the upper hull with some parts broken off (and not in the bag it comes in, so not broken in transit).
Overall shot of progress. Note the Resin waste used to brace the rear hull apart to correct the tow in on the resin casting. If I tried to heat it first, the sides would have warped.
I have had to Dremel out parts of the upper hull for the lower to fit.
Very disappointed with quality of the road wheel castings. The moulds on some sets were offset so trimming along the outer rim on both sides resulted in a step in when the waste was removed. I had to fill a few.
One set is badly cast with resin blobs. If you look real close at this photo, you will see, straight out of the mould, the road wheels are not perfectly circular due to the offset of moulds:
A few years back I built AVF Club's M113A1 FSV which is a M113 with a Scorpion turret. It comes with a set of their Scorpion kit's road wheels as the sprues also have turret parts.... I may swap the AFV Club ones in the spares box for these ones.