Bishop Mk.I

by Wojtek Duda - mcwojtekk(at)aol.com

Manufacturer:ESCI Kit #8044, Aurora/ESCI Kit #6221, Revell Kit #H2344, Esci/Ertl Kit #8365 Esci/Ertl Set #8619

The Bishop kit correctly uses the same hull as the ESCI Valentine Mk.II. This is nice as most of the tools are separate, all hatches are molded open (even the engine access doors, but there is no engine) and the hull has nice rivets, hinges etc. The kit lacks the tow hook at the back of the hull - Bishops used to tow an ammo trailer, the same that comes with the ESCI 25 pdr. gun. As you can see, I started to paint the wheels on my kit already.

The new "turret" is nice too, with open hatch, and good gun detail - unfortunately, the big doors at the back of the "turret" are molded as shut. There are no figures included, and I would recommend getting an additional ESCI 25 pdr. kit for these and for the ammo trailer.

The very good hard plastic tracks from the kit represent the early type Valentine tracks, somehow appropriate for an early Mk.II vehicle, but I don't know if they were used on Bishops - my reference photos are from Italy or later and show only late style tracks, however the tracks were probably exchanged during the war - I guess there were vehicles with early type tracks in Africa.

So, overall a very, very fine kit with only some minor problems - recommended.