CAPTURED FRENCH TANKS
Ukrainian firm ICM pleased many fans of French armour with the release of its 1/35 FCM 36 in 2020. Now the kit returns with three new liveries, depicting vehicles pressed into service by the Germans.
Germany’s Wehrmacht was masterful at repurposing tanks and other vehicles captured in France and elsewhere. The fact has been explored by ICM, which has re-issued its 2020 tooling of the FCM 36 light tank as kit 35337 – FCM 36 French Light Tank in German Service. While the stytrene parts remain the same, they are now accompanied by new decals for three examples captured by the Germans in 1940 and operated as so-called Beutepanzers (trophy tanks).
The first option is painted in overall Panzer Grey, while the following two sport four-colour liveries comprising light and dark green, brown and tan, and still show traces of their French identities. The unifying factor though is that they all wear early-war German crosses in different styles.
The kit itself is lovely, with crisp moulding, separate tools and hatches, and towing chain that builds from individual links, flexible enough to enable interlocking.
See below for the colour scheme sheets; the kit is available in the UK from importer Hannants for £28.40. Visit: www.hannants.co.uk
