Hobby Boss 1/35 PLA ZTD-05 AAAV Kit First Look
By Dave Manter
| Date of Review | June 2013 | Manufacturer | Hobby Boss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | PLA ZTD-05 AAAV | Scale | 1/35 |
| Kit Number | 82484 | Primary Media | Styrene, photo etch |
| Pros | New subject, moveable flaps | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $61.99 |
First Look
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The new 05 series amphibious fighting vehicle is similar to the U.S. Expeditionary Fight Vehicle in concept. The vehicle was designed to be launched at sea, from an amphibious assault ship 10km or more offshore.
The most distinctive feature of the 05 series is the hydraulically actuated bow and transom flaps, the bow and transom flaps together with the bottom of the hull can form a planning surface, allowing the vehicle to go faster by using its speed and hull-shape to lift the front part of the hull out of the water, thus greatly reducing the hydrodynamic drag on the vehicle.
The ZTD-05 is armed with a fully stabilized 105mm rifled gun mounted on a welded 3 man turret. The gun is specially modified to reduce recoil to allow firing while swimming. Secondary weapons include a 7.62mm machine gun, a 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun mounted on the roof of the turret and 2 sets of four-barrel smoke grenade launchers mounted on the side of the turret. The vehicle has a crew of four.
The HobbyBoss kit of the Chinese PLA ZTD-05 AAAV consists of over 800 parts on 32 sprues of tan or brown colored styrene. The majority of the parts are for the individual track links as the center guide horn is supplied as a separate part. Also included are 16 photo etch detail parts, 8 brass tubes and markings for 3 vehicles. The decals are very well printed.
Construction begins with lower hull and running gear. Let me just say that this vehicle is huge! The hull itself is 10" long without the front or rear flaps! Fit of all the main components is great. The individual track links feature wonderful detail, but please be aware that the center guide horns are provided as separate pieces. Assemble will be easy but time consuming due to the number of parts.
After assembling the hull with all of its details, the next step is the construction of the front and rear flaps. Take your time here as these can be made to be workable after construction. The final steps have you constructing the turret. HobbyBoss have molded the turret basket as a single piece and there are virtually no seam lines to clean up. Outstanding!
HobbyBoss adds another modern Chinese vehicle to its line up with this kit and if you are interested in modern vehicles you will want one of these! Great details, very cool painting options and it's HUGE! What more could you want?
My sincere thanks to Squadron/MMD for this review sample!