1:35 Italian tank M 40 75/18 (italeri)

The real subject

The designation M40 belongs to an Italian tracked chassis of the early 1940s, and the pair of numbers 75/18 describes the armament: a 75 mm howitzer whose barrel is eighteen calibers long. The weapon was carried by a low superstructure with no rotating turret, which lowered the vehicle markedly and simplified it. The machine is commonly listed in the literature under the Italian designation Semovente. The short barrel and the low silhouette match the role such vehicles fulfilled: supporting infantry with direct fire at short range.

What the set contains

Photo-etched metal parts in 1:35 scale intended for the Italeri kit. They replace the places where a plastic part comes out of production thicker than the reality: the fenders and their brackets, the grilles, the tool mounts, the eyes and the small hardware on the superstructure and on the running gear.

• Photo-etched metal parts in 1:35 scale
• Intended for the kit of the Italian M40 vehicle from Italeri
• Thin sheets, grilles and mounts in the right thickness
• It refines the surface of the superstructure and the running gear

Building and painting tips

Cut the individual parts out of the fret with a sharp blade on a hard surface and level the burrs with a fine file. Make the bends along the marked scores and use a straight edge, otherwise a long sheet will ripple. Cyanoacrylate glue in small drops belongs on metal; the excess is hard to remove and leaves a matte stain. Degrease the parts before painting and apply a base color. Italian vehicles of the period will take dust and wear on the surface, so a wash into the corners and a dry brush along the edges of the metal parts will come out well.

Who it is for

For modelers who build Italian vehicles in 1:35 scale and do not want to settle for the thickness of plastic sheet. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.