Takom 1/35 Chieftain Marksman SPAAG Kit First Look
By Sundiata Cowels
| Date of First Look | September 2016 | Manufacturer | Takom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Chieftain Marksman SPAAG | Scale | 1/35 |
| Kit Number | 2039 | Primary Media | Styrene, Photo-Etch |
| Pros | Unique subject, excellent exterior detailing, six painting options | Cons | No interior |
| Skill Level | Basic | MSRP (USD) | $54.99 |
First Look
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The Chieftain Marksman SPAAG was to be a cost-effective answer to the air defense needs of the MOD; a unit level mobile self propelled anti-aircraft weapon system.
To that end, the defense contractor Marconi, developed a turret armed with two 35mm Oerlikon KDA Cannons that worked in conjunction with a 400 series radar and had a targeting range of 4km. The turret was designed from the beginning to take advantage of the surplus Chieftain Mk5 MBT chassis that were available and according to one demonstration, could be installed and operational within four hours.
Like many great “What Ifs” in history, the MOD decided for some strange reason not to accept the Marksman and the turret/radar system was eventually purchased by Finland to be fitted on surplus T-55 tank chassis.
Takom has released a stunning 1/35 scale kit of this one-of-a kind SPAAG with 16 parts trees (two clear) one fret of photo etched material (grills etc) separate turret components and lower and upper hulls. All told, including tread links, this kit has over 700 parts!
Molded in light grey styrene the kit comes with a well illustrated instruction booklet and a tri-fold painting guide to color your SPAAG in six different camo schemes.
In terms of build quality I would say it was similar to Tamiya; crisp molding with no signs of scratches, pin marks or injection holes. Test fitting the hull parts and lower and upper hulls didn’t reveal any misalignments.
Highlights include:
- Detailed and moveable twin Oerlikon 35mm cannons
- Separate on vehicle equipment
- Photo-etched engine grill and detail parts
- Clear parts for all real life glass items
- Link tread and track
- Fine weld marks on turret
It’s too bad this kit doesn’t have a driver position interior or even a partial interior to the turret- it would have been a nice touch.
As it stands however it is a refreshingly new model from the Cold War era and should not be a problem for modelers of medium to advanced skill. A beginner could tackle it, but they would need to be very patient and careful to keep track of the hundreds of small parts.
Definitely recommended!