WWI British Tank Mk.IV Male Tamiya Review

I am very happy to be one of the first to get my hands on Tamiya’s new WWI addition. On the next day of the 100th year anniversary of the start of the World War 1, the kit arrived at my doorstep.

Tamiya’s introduction about the model:
During WWI, much of Western Europe was reduced to a massive battlefield criss-crossed by a seemingly unending network of trenches. The original British
Mk.I tank was developed to break the deadlock; the Mk.IV was a later model based on many of the same design principle, and of which around 1,000 were produced starting in March 1917. A “Male” variant was developed to smash through enemy lines and in addition to machine guns it utilized large 6-pounder guns, in contrast to the separate Female variant equipped with only machine guns for armament. The Mk.IV saw a variety of action, including a mass deployment of around 400 at the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917, additionally prevailing in the world’s first tank on tank battle with the German A7V in April 1918.
My part of the review:
First impressions of the box, before I open it is that it looks kinda glossy, compared to other Tamiya boxes, but that might be due to its unusual color. It is brown-ish, and overall it looks a bit more fancy.
I doubt that many will be interested in the box, so onto the internals.
The box, unexpectedly /at least for me/ wasn’t that crowded. The parts are thin, light sprues, in yellow color.
The first impression is that there are three sealed small envelopes. They contain the tracks, which are made to be as simple as possible, due to the fact that they will be movable. You need 87 parts per track.

The second contains the engine, screws, small screw driver, battery holder, liquid /Tamiya grease/, cables and wire, chain and metal parts /drive sprokets/.

The third one contains plastic gears hich are meant to be used in the mechanics of the model. For those, there is a separate sheet for attachment instructions. These needs to be attached to the metal ones from the first envelope via screws.

Plastic parts on the sprues: All of those are typical Tamiya crisp and clean detailing. No flaws. At least I haven’t noted one.
A sprues – two equal sprues. Wheels and sprokets are there. Next to them, connected are P sprues. Those are the main guns and some small hull parts.

B sprue – this contains hull parts. They are meant to shape the outer look of the tank.

C sprue – this is a single sprue with the side panels. They are shaped in the tank silhouette and give the overall impression of the size of the model.

E sprue – again outer parts, mostly turret parts, or at least the parts that shape the gun holders, because its hard to say that thins tank has a turret. In the instructions they are marked as sponsons. I wouldn’t dare to suggest the proper word.

D sprue – that is the biggest of them all and holds the bottom and the top of the superstracture. Fuel tank box, exhaust, ditching rails and some accessories, doors etc.

The instruction sheets are two – one black and white and one colored sheet with pictures of the real tank for reference. These includes inner parts details, outer parts pictures and so on. They are a nice reference, especially for those who doesn’t have literature on that particular subject. Camouflages are on the colored sheet too.

They are as follows:
A – Glamorgan, G Battalion, Location unknown, 1918
B – H45 Hyacinth, H Battalion, near Ribercourt, France, November 1917
C – B28 Black Arrow II, W Battalion, Fontaine-Notre-Dame, France, November 1917

On all of those there are decals to be placed. Decal sheet itself are looking nice, although I expect to be thicker then other companies, since that is a well know fact for Tamiya’s line.
There are additional sheet with stickers for the engine operations. Some of the modelers won’t be installing the engine and I suggest most of them, so I won’t be describing that sheet.

The black and white instruction sheet is the well known Tamiya sheet, with all the info provided and well described. The matter of fact is, that all the model is typical Tamiya, which can only means one thing – it worth every penny.

I didn’t noted anything wrong with it during the unboxing, and if the build is as I expect it, this will be a wonderful kit. From what I see so far, I can recommend it to everybody out there interested in WWI machines.
100 year anniversery of the Great War will give us a lot to think and a lot to build! Takom’s two additions to that line with directly competitive Male/Female tanks will be reviewed separately. So far I want to say:
Go for the Tamiya! I won’t regret it!

Video Unboxing can be found here: