Welcome to the forum, Kip. Good to have you aboard.
We’re talking about German WW2 AFV right? The kings of unnecessary complexity of dubious value? The idea they wouldn’t do something like that brightened by day given they frequently made so many unique changes during AFV production.
I’ll skip the MiniArt Puma with a Dragon Puma in the stash & a Ryefield Model Puma on order. However, even if the MiniArt interior is pure vaporware the kit should build up very nicely when buttoned up and look great.
I’m not offering the definitive verdict on this kit. If you read closely and use your vocabulary skills, I have said no available evidence supports this firewall. I called it bogus for that reason. It will remain bogus until minimart - or anyone else - can produce better evidence.
You will also recall I said unequivocally that I am open to better evidence.
I’m not spoiling for a fight, but this puma interior by minimart has perplexed me since they announced it. Perhaps in their instructions they will credit their sources. I would be eternally grateful to them. Since no known pumas exist today, perhaps they found one.
But as a non-engineer, the cutout makes no sense either production-wise (more complex, ergo more expensive) or design wise (why not just use a 251/250 style wheel?). And if the firewall is questionable, then what else may be open to wrong interpretation?
Let’s see, it’s an open forum and where we are supposed to share ideas.
I would contend you are since you came on here as a brand-new member with a rant about the kit and are offering no evidence of your own that it is incorrect.
I can read and use vocabulary just fine. Lastly, get over it. It is just a model. Most people won’t care either way if it is totally accurate or not.
Just to throw my hat in the ring, Miniart, Dragon, and RFM have this cutout in the fuel tank. I simply find it interesting that the 234 variants offered by these companies have this cutout. This doesn’t prove anything, they may have just copied Dragon, but it’s worth noting.
Can you provide us with photos of the fuel tank from your research? I can’t seem to find any of the fuel tank from any 234 variant. However, that’s just with a Google search, if I had access to the nuts and bolts book I would take a look at that.
BTW, I wasn’t sure that RFM had the cutout, but AHHQ has released an open box review of the kit for those who are interested.
Edit: Please don’t feel like we’re jumping on your case, we’re (at least I am) just after evidence and such. Statements without evidence behind them spark doubt, and, since you are new here, no one can back up your credibility. Again, I’m not saying that you’re lying or anything, just that evidence helps.
Nuts&Bolts 40. Page 175. Very clear photo of rear driver position in a 234/4 at Fort Benning USA. Compare to miniarts concept versus the photo. Not even close.
Sdkfz. 234 by progress on page 16 a photo from bovington’s 234/3. Inconclusive, but has pretty much the same construction as previous.
Kagero #20 Sd.Krzysztof 234 has several photos of the rear driver area. None correspond to the miniart kit. Pages 41-42.
Jentz has nothing on interior changes in the 234 series.
Now to be fair. A photo taken by a friend of mine of the bovington 234/3 appears to show a cutout near the rear wall. Unfortunately I cannot establish the depth and location or location of the firewall to the steering wheel. The shot was taken through the front visor opening so depth of field is limited.
That;s all I can dig out on short notice. Like I have stated, I’d be glad to be proven wrong. But I need evidence.
Alright, thank you for providing that. Could you provide a photo of that page from the Nuts & Bolts book? I don’t doubt you I’m just curious myself.
Completely hypothetical question with absolutely no proof behind it; is it possible that these fuel tanks were replaced by the museum in, let’s say, a restoration? They may not have known about that or maybe there were two types, maybe a later version without the cutout and an earlier version with. Again, jsut hypothetical, but could that have possibly happened?
I’ll try. But I’m a bit of Luddite when it comes to these type of things.
As to the museums… oh hell yeah plastic modeling is rife with examples of perfectly measure museum pieces that included astounding mistakes when museums rebuilt them.
That parts are missing or replaced would not surprise me at all. I’m also willing to bet that the puma kits we’re seeing now probably share some lineage. If there is a mistake it might be repeated by several companies sharing measurements. By that same token they might all be right. I’d just like to square that with what I do know.
Let me see is I can be a teenager and get your pic.
Thanks for the pics! Personally, I don’t think the fuel tank is in the photos from Nuts & Bolts. The reason I say that is that the fuel tank sticks out over the pedals and half of the steering wheel arm. When you look at the Bovington photo and compare it to the rear wall you can see the differences, i.e. the mounting arms for the fuel tank (?) and rivets that aren’t on the fuel tank. The fuel tank is smooth expect for one vertical indentation.
When you look at the second photo, which is the steering wheel from above, it really highlights the fact that the fuel tank isn’t there.
Just for an example, you can see how the steering wheel fits over the fuel tank on my Dragon Puma build from last year:
I have teen granddaughters that navigate this electronic quagmire far better than myself. I cut my eye teeth on rotary dial phones and party lines.
I completely see what you’re talking about. I concede that it appears the 234/4 is missing significant parts. But doesn’t that seem to be a small fuel tank for a vehicle with a 12 cylinder diesel?
Anyway I stand corrected. Not a problem, but I wish we could get a comprehensive interior view of all four variants. But these pics lead me to believe that the missing tank (fuel,oil or bourbon) is correct in the kits.
@Jkrudge Kip, likewise I have enjoyed the conversation as well. You’ve provided several outstanding points and questions regarding the Puma plus excellent photos.
If my attempt at jest, rubbed the wrong way, I fully apologize.
