Home > Reviews > Russia > Miniart 1/35 Scale Kit No. 40001 - Soviet Ball Tank “Sharotank”

Soviet Ball Tank “Sharotank”

MiniArt, 1/35 scale

Reviewed by Jason Woollett

Summary

Stock Number and Description	Miniart 1/35 Scale Kit No. 40001 - Soviet Ball Tank “Sharotank”
Scale:	1/35
Media and Contents:	195 parts in grey plastic; two parts in clear; markings for six vehicles.
Price:	AUD$46.00 plus shipping available online from Creative Models Australia
Review Type:	First Look
Advantages:	High quality moulding; interior detail; unique concept!
Disadvantages:
Recommendation:	After so many Paper Panzers being released over the years, I love that Mini Art has decided to release something that’s different, and that the modeller can have some fun with without having to worry about it representing the real thing.

FirstLook

This is the first “what if” subject from Mini Art, who have recently released some great armour kits, some with full interiors and this ball tank is a fascinating addition to their range.

Inside the box, you get 23 light grey sprues of various sizes, a single sprue of clear parts as well as a beautiful printed decal sheet. There are approximately 195 parts to assemble.

Thumbnail panels:

The instruction manual offers colour pictures of the various schemes and provide well laid out, easy to follow assembly processes. The colour charts have references for nine different paint manufacturers, so it should be easy for everyone to match the painting guide with their favourite paint company.

Whilst this is a what–if subject, Mini Art has seen fit to give it a full interior, which is quite visible with the two hatches open. This includes a motor, transmission, radiator, seats, machine guns, cannon as well as ammunition racks filled with rounds.

Besides the paint schemes, the only option is to have the hatches opened or closed.
There is a choice of 6 different schemes, but you could also mix and match the decals to suit your own scheme if you wish. After all, it's all fiction and you can never say never.

From the box you can use the following paint/decal schemes:

Red Army, Summer 1942-43
Red Army, Summer 1942-43
Mobile Checkpoint, 1st Belorussian Front 1944
Captured Combat Vehicle. Wehrmacht unit, Eastern Front 1944
Polish 1st Armoured Brigade in the Red Army 1944
1st Belorussian Front. Battle for Berlin 1945

After so many Paper Panzers being released over the years, I love that Mini Art has decided to release something that’s different, and that the modeller can have some fun with without having to worry about it representing the real thing.

Thanks Mini Art, and I hope you release a lot more what –ifs in this series from other nations as well!

Thanks to MiniArt via Creative Models Australia for the sample www.creativemodels.com.au