MD-3 US Navy Tow Tractor (Early Version) & US Navy Tow-Bar

Brengun, 1/144 scale

Reviewed by Mark Davies

Eduard's 1/72 Avia B.534 IV serie Weekend Edition is available online from Squadron.com

Carrier deck scenes can make for very appealing dioramas, in part because naval aviation subjects are themselves interesting to many, but also because they permit a lot to be included in a small area without compromising realism. Brengun’s MD-3 tow tractor kit lends itself perfectly to this type of use, as does the separate tow-bar set that accompanies it (but only one two-bat per set versus two tractor kits per box).

Tow Tractor

The kit comes in a small end-opening box with pasted-on artwork featuring a photo of the finished model. The instructions lack a parts map and use a diagrammatic format that is easy enough to follow. The few written instructions are in English, as are the colour call-outs (some generic and some with FS-595 numbers). Although not described as such in the box art or on Brengun’s website, the instructions do state that the kit represents an early version MD-3.

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The resin parts come enclosed in a stapled cellophane bag, with the PE fret and photo-foil further enclosed in a bag of their own. The resin components are cleanly cast and easily removed from their blocks. The PE fret is of equally good quality, and the small decal sheet is well printed with some very small markings. Although not stated on the box or Brengun’s website, there are in fact two complete kits included.

Assembly appears to be quite straightforward, but care is obviously necessary, as there are several small resin and PE parts. The result should be a nicely detailed model. I have included three images from Brengun’s website of the assembled but unpainted spotting dolly, and a scan of the kit’s instructions.

For those interested, Brengun also offer an MD-3 Fire Tractor variant in the same small scale, with some obvious similarities to the kit described here. It seems a missed opportunity not to have offered this boxing as a Tow Tractor and Fire Tractor instead of two identical kits.

Tow Bar

The single tow-bar comes in a small cellophane bag stapled to a card header along with instructions and a black backing paper. The simple instructions provide drawings indicating how the two resin shafts combine with PE fixtures to make the V-shaped tow-bar.

The rein shafts should be straightforward to remove from their casting blocks and clean up. In the case or the PE Fret some of the parts are very small to remove and handle, whilst others will require serious care when being folded to shape.

The result should be a highly detailed tow bar to compliment eh tractor reviewed above; although I feel two tow-bars per set would have made more sense to compliment the two tow-tractor kits per box.

Tow Tractor - This is a generally simple but quite highly detailed kit enabling two complete MD-3 models to be built. They are fine as models in their own right, but probably best used as part of a modern US carrier deck diorama.

Tow-Bar – An apparently simple kit that will need some very delicate care during assembly due to the tiny PE parts, some of which must be folded. With care, a highly detailed two-bar should result. Two tow-bars per set would better compliment the twin kit tractor boxing in my opinion however.
I am happy to recommend them both highly.

Thanks to Brengun for the review sample.

Review Text Copyright © 2015 by Mark Davies
Page Created 21 December, 2015
Last updated 21 December, 2015

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