Hello, mates!

I bought this morning by my newspapers shop the 7th model of this series: a French AMD (Auto Mitrailleuse de Découverte - Scout Car) 35 Panhard 178.

First here are some photos:

1/43 Eaglemoss/Ixo model - AMD 35 Panhard 178 "91663 - white 51", 3rd Peloton, 6th Cuirassiers Regt, 1st Division Légère Mécanisée - DLM (Mechanized Light Division), Netherlands, 1940.

And now are my comments:

This AMD belongs to the 1st DLM, 6th Cuirassiers Regt (formerly a cavalry regt), 3rd Peloton.

Camo colours: right black outline colours separation, though the dark green used here should have rather been a light brown. But I recently found profiles with this 2 tones green camo so: possible real livery.

Number and cockades: right used here, only one rear turret cockade and "white 51" are ok.

Emblems and units markings: the fighting cock in front of the AMD 35 is OK. The door emblem, a lozenge/diamond (identifying the 3rd Peloton) surrounding the regiment coat of arms should have been GREEN (or blue), as stipulated in mechanized cavalry units manuals, BUT NOT RED !!!

Registration number: "91663" is not accurate. Though belonging to 1st DLM, 6th Cuirassiers, this registration corresponds to the "white 24", a command car equipped with twin radio antennae. I have no documented registration correspundence for the "white 51" illustrated by the model.

Details: horrible lack of all rivets, screws, aso, though characterizing most of French (and others...) AFVs of 1940. The Schuco model, shown hereunder as a captured model renamed by the Germans "PanzerSpähwagen P204(F)", though with approximative camo scheme and a strange shaped main gun (lack of flame-cover), is more accurate regarding rivets details:

1/43 Schuco model - Panzerspähwagen P204(F) - AMD 35

Conclusion: interesting model, but as for the Schneider P16 previously issued, lack of details though at 1/43 scale and approximative historical markings .

Next model, the Opel Maultier.

Happy Easter !!

Jeff