The diminutive TKS and its two-man crew performed reconnaissance and infantry support for the Polish army in the 1930s. Light armor and a single machine gun for defense put the tankette at a severe disadvantage and many were lost during the German invasion of Poland.
IBG packs a ton of detail into this tiny model — finished it’s about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide — including the engine and cooling system.
The power plant and associated systems built quickly thanks to a low parts count and good fits.
The tiny suspension and road wheels also went together quickly aided by clear locators. I was impressed by how well molded and crisp the bolt heads on the running gear are in this kit.
After attaching the suspension to the bathtub-style hull, I started on the tracks. They are link-and-length with sections top and bottom joined by individual links around the idler and drive sprocket. This presented the only problem I had building the TKS as the number of links given in the instructions didn’t come out quite right. I added a few links and they came together nicely.
Most of the small, finely molded interior parts, such as the control pedals and the exhaust manifold, required careful clipping to remove them from the sprue. But light mold seams and the absence of flash made cleanup a breeze.
All of the hatches can be posed open, so it pays to spend extra time painting the interior. I left the engine bay closed, but opened the crew hatches on the roof.
After sealing the vehicle, I painted the camouflage and figures. The soldiers are a great addition to the kit; posed as if using the Hotchkiss heavy machine gun as an antiaircraft weapon from outside, they make a small diorama straight from the box.
I enjoyed building this kit and had it finished in about 23 hours over a weekend. Despite the small parts and fiddly tracks, the sharp locators and good fits make this a straightforward build; any modelers with a few kits under their belts shouldn’t have problems.
Note: A version of this review appeared in the April 2019 issue.