ESCI – 8361 – 8050 – MK 3 Valentine (MK. III Valentine)

Description:

MK 3 Valentine (MK. III Valentine)

Unassembled plastic model kit in 1/72 scale of a British WWII Valentine tank (Tank, Infantry, Mk III, Valentine) an infantry tank produced in over 8000 units and which served specially during the British North African campaign and in the Eastern Front through the lend-lease program (over 2000).

ESCI Tooled the Valentine kit in 1976. The kit initially included a single piece tracks of not great quality. Despite the tracks, quality of the kit is very high, with options to open all hatches or even engine deck, though no engine or interior detail is provided in the kit. ESCI or ESCI-Ertl always sold this kit using the MarK III, it’s correct if you think that Valentine designation was “Tank, Infantry, Mark III” for the Valentine I and II variants, but if the brand wanted to mean Valentine III which had a redesigned turret, then it’s not correct. The ESCI kit can be turn into a nice Valentine I or II though it lacks of one external feature very common in the Valentine II series, a external extra fuel tank for dessert warfare. This, and the early type tracks, incline the balance to a Valentine I tank, as Italeri entitled when re-released this kit.

ESCI-Ertl introduced link and length tracks for this kit, since they are bit too thick is hard to fit them with the front fender and the kit needs sanding to achieve this parts to fit. The kit also has side skirts, these were of several parts (5) but ESCI provided it as a single piece. In war situations is common to see pictures of this side plates misaligned because battleworn but kit doesn’t allow this as it is. This side skirts were often removed in battle and that’s an option when building the kit too. When Italeri re-released this kit as Italeri – 7013 – Valentine Mk.I the link-and-length tracks were kept.

Only Fujimi (1/76 scale), Armourfast and Plastic Soldier Company has a 1/72 scale Valentine tank in their catalogue, so over 40 years after release, the ESCI kit remains as the best option unless you are looking for gamers models, for what the PSC kit is excellent choice.