Hummel

ESCI Kit 8013; ESCI/Revell # H2312; ESCI/Ertl # 8314

This is the kit which started all the excitement for the Nashorn/Hummel project. It began with a question on the Braille Scale discussion group about what is the easiest way to convert this kit to a Nashorn, and then evolved into a "how-to" on how to accurize and super-detail this Hummel kit. And it certainly does need it. I feel that this is one of ESCI's poorest kits, but believe it or not, it actually does have some things going for it.

Sprue 1 front.

Sprue 1 back.

Sprue 2 front.

Sprue 2 back.

Let's list the deficiencies: the walls are very thick; the wheels are single instead of double; the tools are molded onto the hull very flat; the gun is poorly detailed; the fighting compartment is poorly detailed; the tow cable is molded onto the hull; the return rollers are horrible; only one hatch is open; the engine intakes are molded solid; the figures are very stiff, and not proportioned correctly; and finally the chassis is very poorly detailed. I am sure that others will find other faults as well.

But what does this kit have going for it? The shape of the fighting compartment is basically correct (although the back slopes down too sharply), and the dimensions are accurate, according to Panzers at Saumur, No. 3. Also, the treadplate pattern in the fenders is good, and the figures, although a little weak, are better than none at all.

The front hull is the late version, and yet the style of exhaust pipe included with the kit, was only seen on some early versions. Basically, this kit is a scratch-builder's kit. Because the shape and dimensions are accurate, it provides a pretty good foundation for someone to build on and make a high quality Hummel.

The tracks are horrible, of course, unless you buy the ESCI/Ertl version of the kit, which includes hard styrene link and length track. The decals in my kit are too old to really evaluate, but they look like they gave four different versions, which was unusual.

Again, although it's a fairly poor kit, it has the potential to be turned into a masterpeice.