The visual comparison of the Dragon and Bronco kit was pretty damning, the Ausf A looked like something Alan or Zvezda would have produced a decade or more ago. I've not built a Bronco kit and this one certainly will not be my first. Thanks for the excellent review.
At 2:20, the dual MG system looks... wrong. There was a long push-rod, at the right of this area, for pushing the armour flap open. I don't see it on the model. Between the MGs there was an open-sighting bar. That's basically a long metal bar with a dial at the back end. But Bronco assumed it to be a telescope, with a forehead pad at the back end. And finally: the MG portion of the mantlet could be uncoupled from the main gun portion. There was a lock mechanism and barrier between them. I see none of that in the model. Still, all of the above is interior detail, and Bronco make no pretense that their interior is complete. Moving on: At 5:22 the cupola looks OK but is completely lacking the latch mechanisms that hold the hatch halves open. These things are prominent, highly visible box casings that sit between the vision ports under the forward hatch arms. The eight movable vision shutters inside the cupola are confusing to me. Bronco have three part numbers for them: A42, A43, A44. But in reality they were all identical, except for the front one having a sighting bar on it. Why the numbers? In any case: the lip on each shutter, that protrudes out through the vision port, is too short in Bronco's kit. There's an error in the instructions for the cupola hatch. The handle should of course be part of the locking mechanism, on the forward left hatch, but they tell you to attach it on the other one. (This handle had a spring and always returned to be roughly parallel to the hatch edge.) Another cupola problem is that the gap between the hatch halves was covered by an overlapping strip. It was on the left segment, but Bronco put it on the right one.
I bought the kit because I want to build all pz 3 variants. I have an old Azimuth resin kit, which would require more work than this plastic kit as you reviewed it. I recently built the Miniart pz 3 B. It has the same problems. It seems that these manufacturers are using the kind of plastic used for short run kits of the 90’s. Soft but brittle. They MELT upon sanding! Too soft for the glues we use today. Small parts become blobs with a dab of glue. I am Totally there with you. It is a shame that we do not get a decent kit of this type. Thank for the review.
I haven't tried this kit, but I have built their Valentine Mk IX and Hungarian 43M Zrinyi I. Both kits were very detailed and had no fit problems. Suspensions are fully workable on both kits. Only complaint was that the suspension was a little fiddly on the 43M (hard to get the leaf spring parts completely aligned since the locating holes are too big). It's pretty hard to keep all the wheels on the Valentine workable because of the way you attach them to the bogies, but it does come with fully workable tracks (click together), as long as you are careful to not take off too much material when cleaning the track links from sprue attachments. Not sure aboutthe 43M tracks yet. I wouldn't completely write them off. Some of their kits are really good, maybe a little more fiddly than the average Dragon smart kit. I have the KV-85 and Mittlerer Einheits with sPz.B on hold for me. I'll tell you how they turn out when I have them sent.
I'll try at least one more. I have that 35(t) and I'd like to do the Panzer II D and Marder II D as no one else makes them apart from Alan. I'll try again.
thank God you did this Adam, I wanted that kit cause of the pz III build, it looks cool on the box, but up close it looks like crap, what kind of plastic is that? it looks like you can see right through it. yuk. again thank you.
It's really soft plastic. The model can look really good when finished, but be prepared to spend some extra time on it and money on the photo etch upgrades
So Adam, what did you expect from a Bronco kit ? I have two in my stash and I couldn't sell the Panzer II D/E kit for $20 ! The only bidder I got had only built one tank kit. I refused to sell it. Each wheel has 8-10 parts and the drive sprocket assembly,well I lost count when I passed 20 not counting the dozen or so rivets you have to cut off from the sprue and add then assuming you get the sprocket assembled you cover up never to be seen again ! I would happily GIVE it to you if you want it ! I'd love to hear your review of it ! I wouldn't recommend a Bronco kit to my worst enemy. I'm not saying you can't make a decent model of it but I already don't have enough hair to pull out over this kit ! I just want to thank you, brother for feeling the same way I do about them and actually stating it in public.
I didn't know what to expect, my only impressions were from my friends like Hamilkar on TH-cam and most of them aren't as openly critical as I am. It was not the experience I expected for sure. If you're serious I would gladly take that kit. The Panzer II D is one of my favorite vehicles and at some point I'll have to come to grips with the Bronco kit.
Thanks for the review......I guess there's a lemon in all kit manufacturers... I've only heard good things about Bronco so I guess some of their stuff is ok. An interesting variant of the Pz III Please post a video of your T-44 which was probably the first real post war/cold war modern tank.
I will be posting stuff on the T-44. I had heard good things about Bronco, but I hadn't built anything until this. Have you had any personal experience with them? I'd love to hear a good story about them.
Adam, sorry for the long delay in responding...no experience with Bronco, so I can't add much. They're still in business so they must be doing something right.
Oh. Well, that doesn't look as good in real life as it does on the box. I wondered about it when I saw Michael's pics in the Barkas Build, because the plastic did look quite soft and just...strange, being translucent and all. Thanks for the warning and thank you for another great Report.
Thanks for the rant, Adam. I'm with you 100%, as I had the exact same issues with their Staghound and their Buffalo. They are way over engineered and do not have the abilities to make the magic happen. Fiddly parts and wacky instructions made me feel that I've been ripped off. Thanks again
i do not agree with all points you make, but i certainly say that the kit has its flaws. probably i was just a bit more clever to circumnavigate those issues and maintaining my motivation that way. in my opinion it was an enjoyable experience with the exception of the springs in the suspensions, fiddly PE and some mistakes in the instructions. i have seen much worse instructions than those and worse dragon kits (especially some of their recent ones) that are way below this kit. you should probably consider to get rid of the bronco 35(t) since the academy one defeated you already (sorry, i could not resist :P)
I will defeat both of those 35(t)s Michael. And I totally understand your point of view. I think your experience and at times very different motivation causes us to look at these things very different ways. And you're right, we should have combined forces on this one.
i´d say, at some point when you have built and finished the stuff you desire to build, we can do something like this again and present an after action report together.
Great review of the finished kit Adam. You're right about how it just looks so old...it visually reminds me of a Dragon Imperial Series Panzer III and even those are probably better than this. Do not want. Will not get. Also, up here, a 50 is a pass ;) Sorry eh
Their will is there, but not their engineering and technology? They really look different Adam, the Bronco kit looks like being the older one instead for the other way around.... I've got their KV-85....oh dear, what have I got myself into? lol
I've built their Valentine and Zrinyi and liked them so I'm biased. I have the KV-85 on hold. I have read pretty good reviews about it, though. It is more accurate than the Trumpeter KV-85 (Trumpeter put in the wrong turret: they put the asymmetrical IS2 turret in that kit instead of the correct KV85/IS1 turret). And from what I've read, the only way to fix that mistake is to get a turret from an accurate kit to replace the Trumpeter turret. The Bronco KV-85 even comes with PE for the intake grilles. Every other company that I know of that makes KV tanks only includes plastic grilles for the KV series. It comes with an engine also. Suspension is fiddly, apparently. I have run into that problem with the ones I built, but it really wasn't too hard. Here is a build review of it: www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=11377 So you should try it.
I put together the Bronco Flampanzer plus the trailer. All in all just not a great experience. It took me forever. It turned out to be a fairly nice kit but I will never buy another Bronco kit.
Recently tackled this model too, and true enough it is a first class piece of s**t. Suffice it to say three quarters of the way I lost the plot and beat it to plastic pulp. Game over Bronco.
From what I've heard, Bronco has lost all the great designers who engineered their previous kits. I've built several earlier Bronco kits, and they have all been outstanding. Looking at this, and especially their newest kit, the Stug D, it's clear someone doesn't know what they're doing. The Stug D is RIDDLED with inaccuracies and flat out blunders. Go with Dragon on that one, is my advice!
thanks Adam for sharing this with the community. On the other hand, not bad for a $20 kit (ok ok I turn the jokes off). Adam as I said, thanks on the review, abd I share your opinion, it looks terrible, abd badly tooled. I would not pay more theb $20 for that kit
You're very welcome. My goal is to share my opinions. Sometimes I may be a little too harsh, but at least that's how I'd tell my friends about it, so that's how I handle these.
I'd like it if more Modelers, especially guys who post VLOGS (semi professionals) would learn words. I mean 'locator pins' etc. PLUS terminology around the vehicle's parts more than just words like 'turret' learn what the parts of a tank are! Big words like Bogey, vision equipment etc.! Adam is one of the better ones! Is it just about seeing how many models we can build? It's just annoying, and it detracts from the credibility of the review
Bronco's Panzer II Ausf. D is magnificent!
The visual comparison of the Dragon and Bronco kit was pretty damning, the Ausf A looked like something Alan or Zvezda would have produced a decade or more ago. I've not built a Bronco kit and this one certainly will not be my first. Thanks for the excellent review.
I thought exactly that too. It's too bad, I was excited for it.
Good, strong pow. ... and when you see these kits side by side, you know where you put your dough at the counter. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Guido, yeah the truth is right there for all to see. Once I primed the III A it looked better at least.
At 2:20, the dual MG system looks... wrong.
There was a long push-rod, at the right of this area, for pushing the armour flap open. I don't see it on the model.
Between the MGs there was an open-sighting bar. That's basically a long metal bar with a dial at the back end. But Bronco assumed it to be a telescope, with a forehead pad at the back end.
And finally: the MG portion of the mantlet could be uncoupled from the main gun portion. There was a lock mechanism and barrier between them. I see none of that in the model.
Still, all of the above is interior detail, and Bronco make no pretense that their interior is complete. Moving on:
At 5:22 the cupola looks OK but is completely lacking the latch mechanisms that hold the hatch halves open. These things are prominent, highly visible box casings that sit between the vision ports under the forward hatch arms.
The eight movable vision shutters inside the cupola are confusing to me. Bronco have three part numbers for them: A42, A43, A44. But in reality they were all identical, except for the front one having a sighting bar on it. Why the numbers? In any case: the lip on each shutter, that protrudes out through the vision port, is too short in Bronco's kit.
There's an error in the instructions for the cupola hatch. The handle should of course be part of the locking mechanism, on the forward left hatch, but they tell you to attach it on the other one. (This handle had a spring and always returned to be roughly parallel to the hatch edge.)
Another cupola problem is that the gap between the hatch halves was covered by an overlapping strip. It was on the left segment, but Bronco put it on the right one.
Thanks Adam on the Review of the Bronco Panzer 111.
I bought the kit because I want to build all pz 3 variants. I have an old Azimuth resin kit, which would require more work than this plastic kit as you reviewed it. I recently built the Miniart pz 3 B. It has the same problems. It seems that these manufacturers are using the kind of plastic used for short run kits of the 90’s. Soft but brittle. They MELT upon sanding! Too soft for the glues we use today. Small parts become blobs with a dab of glue. I am Totally there with you. It is a shame that we do not get a decent kit of this type. Thank for the review.
I haven't tried this kit, but I have built their Valentine Mk IX and Hungarian 43M Zrinyi I. Both kits were very detailed and had no fit problems. Suspensions are fully workable on both kits. Only complaint was that the suspension was a little fiddly on the 43M (hard to get the leaf spring parts completely aligned since the locating holes are too big). It's pretty hard to keep all the wheels on the Valentine workable because of the way you attach them to the bogies, but it does come with fully workable tracks (click together), as long as you are careful to not take off too much material when cleaning the track links from sprue attachments. Not sure aboutthe 43M tracks yet.
I wouldn't completely write them off. Some of their kits are really good, maybe a little more fiddly than the average Dragon smart kit.
I have the KV-85 and Mittlerer Einheits with sPz.B on hold for me. I'll tell you how they turn out when I have them sent.
I'll try at least one more. I have that 35(t) and I'd like to do the Panzer II D and Marder II D as no one else makes them apart from Alan. I'll try again.
thank God you did this Adam, I wanted that kit cause of the pz III build, it looks cool on the box, but up close it looks like crap, what kind of plastic is that? it looks like you can see right through it. yuk. again thank you.
It's really soft plastic.
The model can look really good when finished, but be prepared to spend some extra time on it and money on the photo etch upgrades
After building three Bronco kits they are on my DO NOT BUY AGAIN list.
That's my stance. I had a chance to review the new StuG from Bronco and I passed.
Interesant review. Thanks for sharing Adam!
Thanks Jose.
I stopped complaining on my Dragon pz3, after I saw this video.
Adam, I like the look of this vehicle and bronco can be a challenge "lol" but it will look great under a coat of paint.
It looks great with Badger primer on it actually. Smart man.
I agree with you I've bought several Bronco kits and had nothing but issues with every one of them ..
Thank's for a great and honest review
You're very welcome. Just because I get the kits for free to review doesn't mean I'm going to let these guys slide.
So Adam, what did you expect from a Bronco kit ? I have two in my stash and I couldn't sell the Panzer II D/E kit for $20 ! The only bidder I got had only built one tank kit. I refused to sell it. Each wheel has 8-10 parts and the drive sprocket assembly,well I lost count when I passed 20 not counting the dozen or so rivets you have to cut off from the sprue and add then assuming you get the sprocket assembled you cover up never to be seen again ! I would happily GIVE it to you if you want it ! I'd love to hear your review of it ! I wouldn't recommend a Bronco kit to my worst enemy. I'm not saying you can't make a decent model of it but I already don't have enough hair to pull out over this kit ! I just want to thank you, brother for feeling the same way I do about them and actually stating it in public.
I would buy it for 20. I've built way more than 1 kit, if you are worried about that
I didn't know what to expect, my only impressions were from my friends like Hamilkar on TH-cam and most of them aren't as openly critical as I am. It was not the experience I expected for sure. If you're serious I would gladly take that kit. The Panzer II D is one of my favorite vehicles and at some point I'll have to come to grips with the Bronco kit.
Thanks for the review......I guess there's a lemon in all kit manufacturers... I've only heard good things about Bronco so I guess some of their stuff is ok.
An interesting variant of the Pz III
Please post a video of your T-44 which was probably the first real post war/cold war modern tank.
I will be posting stuff on the T-44. I had heard good things about Bronco, but I hadn't built anything until this. Have you had any personal experience with them? I'd love to hear a good story about them.
Adam, sorry for the long delay in responding...no experience with Bronco, so I can't add much. They're still in business so they must be doing something right.
Oh. Well, that doesn't look as good in real life as it does on the box. I wondered about it when I saw Michael's pics in the Barkas Build, because the plastic did look quite soft and just...strange, being translucent and all. Thanks for the warning and thank you for another great Report.
You're most welcome. IT looks better in paint, but it still sapped my mojo.
The plastic looks like orange box quality. Is it kind of like that?
It's a bit like that yes.
Thanks for the rant, Adam. I'm with you 100%, as I had the exact same issues with their Staghound and their Buffalo. They are way over engineered and do not have the abilities to make the magic happen. Fiddly parts and wacky instructions made me feel that I've been ripped off. Thanks again
I'm glad I'm not the only one. Thanks for watching.
i do not agree with all points you make, but i certainly say that the kit has its flaws. probably i was just a bit more clever to circumnavigate those issues and maintaining my motivation that way. in my opinion it was an enjoyable experience with the exception of the springs in the suspensions, fiddly PE and some mistakes in the instructions. i have seen much worse instructions than those and worse dragon kits (especially some of their recent ones) that are way below this kit.
you should probably consider to get rid of the bronco 35(t) since the academy one defeated you already (sorry, i could not resist :P)
I will defeat both of those 35(t)s Michael. And I totally understand your point of view. I think your experience and at times very different motivation causes us to look at these things very different ways. And you're right, we should have combined forces on this one.
i´d say, at some point when you have built and finished the stuff you desire to build, we can do something like this again and present an after action report together.
Geez that bronco's plastics looks like....cheap. Oh btw can't wait for your Miniart T44 after action report Adam. Cheers.
Great review of the finished kit Adam. You're right about how it just looks so old...it visually reminds me of a Dragon Imperial Series Panzer III and even those are probably better than this. Do not want. Will not get.
Also, up here, a 50 is a pass ;) Sorry eh
Yeah, I'd pass on anything Bronco, but you're a solid builder so I'd like to see what you think of their stuff.
Their will is there, but not their engineering and technology?
They really look different Adam, the Bronco kit looks like being the older one instead for the other way around....
I've got their KV-85....oh dear, what have I got myself into? lol
I've built their Valentine and Zrinyi and liked them so I'm biased.
I have the KV-85 on hold. I have read pretty good reviews about it, though. It is more accurate than the Trumpeter KV-85 (Trumpeter put in the wrong turret: they put the asymmetrical IS2 turret in that kit instead of the correct KV85/IS1 turret). And from what I've read, the only way to fix that mistake is to get a turret from an accurate kit to replace the Trumpeter turret.
The Bronco KV-85 even comes with PE for the intake grilles. Every other company that I know of that makes KV tanks only includes plastic grilles for the KV series. It comes with an engine also.
Suspension is fiddly, apparently. I have run into that problem with the ones I built, but it really wasn't too hard.
Here is a build review of it: www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=11377
So you should try it.
+Erich von Manstein,
Cheers mate, appreciated! 👍
I put together the Bronco Flampanzer plus the trailer. All in all just not a great experience. It took me forever. It turned out to be a fairly nice kit but I will never buy another Bronco kit.
Same here, it seemed to turn out well, but was not a good experience.
Great model
Recently tackled this model too, and true enough it is a first class piece of s**t. Suffice it to say three quarters of the way I lost the plot and beat it to plastic pulp. Game over Bronco.
Amen. It was a true pig. Hated it.
Glad that I did not buy this kit.I'll wait for the Takom KT's to come out.
I'm hoping to review one of those.
Yep.......giving this one a wide berth, pretty sure i'll find something far better to build.
From what I've heard, Bronco has lost all the great designers who engineered their previous kits. I've built several earlier Bronco kits, and they have all been outstanding. Looking at this, and especially their newest kit, the Stug D, it's clear someone doesn't know what they're doing. The Stug D is RIDDLED with inaccuracies and flat out blunders. Go with Dragon on that one, is my advice!
Could you recommend a solid German WWII Bronco kit? I'd love to have a Panzer II D, is that a tolerable kit?
thanks Adam for sharing this with the community. On the other hand, not bad for a $20 kit (ok ok I turn the jokes off).
Adam as I said, thanks on the review, abd I share your opinion, it looks terrible, abd badly tooled. I would not pay more theb $20 for that kit
You're very welcome. My goal is to share my opinions. Sometimes I may be a little too harsh, but at least that's how I'd tell my friends about it, so that's how I handle these.
I may be a little harsh, but I take away from this video, in addition to my own experience, to never buy another Bronco kit.
That's how I feel now. I have one, the 35(t) befehls in the stash. But I don't plan to buy any more.
I'd like it if more Modelers, especially guys who post VLOGS (semi professionals) would learn words. I mean 'locator pins' etc. PLUS terminology around the vehicle's parts more than just words like 'turret' learn what the parts of a tank are! Big words like Bogey, vision equipment etc.! Adam is one of the better ones!
Is it just about seeing how many models we can build? It's just annoying, and it detracts from the credibility of the review
Geez that bronco's plastics looks like....cheap. Oh btw can't wait for your Miniart T44 after action report Adam. Cheers.
It is bad plastic, MiniArt T-44 is about 2/3 done as of right now. Going really well actually.