This is the oldest WW1 AFV plastic kit by far: I guess it's soon 40 years old. I think most of us has seen it, one time or another. But how good - or bad - is it? Well, despite it's age it is still a fine kit. The moulds are showing their age, and there are some ugly sink-marks to be filled in, but the details are still sharp. For example, the rivets are wonderful - although too plentiful: see this article by David Maynard. But there are a number of smaller problems, and one big.

Let's start with the big one. Funnily enough, despite the boxart and averything, the kit does not portray a Mk I, with the exception of the tail-wheel assembly. The kit shows a Mk II!

Some history first. After the debut of the tank in 1916, it was decided that the Mk I needed some major redesign, and this work would eventually end up with the much improved Mk IV. But to keep the assembly lines going it was decided that a short series of modified Mk I:s would be produced. This modified Mk I was called Mk II, and there were only some minor modifications: the manhole hatch was raised somewhat, a hatch added to the drivers cab, the steering wheel assembly was completely discarded, and the drivers cab made smaller, to provide for trackspuds attached to every sixth link - to improve traction. After 50 of these Mk II:s had been produced, the tank was modified again, and 50 more were produced. This was the Mk III. The armour was increased, but otherwise the outward differences were small: a silencer was now provided - it had also been used on late-productions Mk II:s - and on late-productions Mk III:s a short version of the 6 pdr-gun was used on the "Males", while the "Females" employed the same MG sponsons as the Mk IV.  (For more info on this tank, click here! And you could also get this excellent book.)

So there we have it: what you get in the kit is a late-production Mk II! That is, if you discard the steering wheels. If not, you get a hybrid that has never existed.

In general, this is a fine kit, that has aged well. There are a couple of sink-marks here and there, but nothing disastrous. AS you can see on this photo, the level of detail is fine, and the details themselves are sharp. (You can see a couple of the sink-marks on the big side part.) You can also see a couple of the problems, at least if  you are building a Mk I: the hatch in the drivers cab, the triangular raised hatch on the roof, and the lack of MG hatch and pistol port on the inside of the gun sponson. In short: it's still a fine kit!

So when you build the kit, you must first decide what version it is supposed to be! Then three things must be done, regardless if you are doing a Mk I, a Mk II or a Mk III. Firstly, the hatch in the Drivers cab roof must be filled in, and the sides of the cab detailed: with rivets, pistol ports and a small sighting aperture. Secondly, the gun domes must be provided with an aperture for the sighting apparatus, and thirdly - as mentioned - a small MG hatch must be added to the inside of the sponsons. (See this photo.) Other small details changes, common to all three variants, and all pretty optional, depending on hwo picky you want to be, is to replace the kits towing hawser on the front - it should be a sort of double construction - and perhaps adding two driving lights on the inside front of the sponsons.

Then you make your pick! Of these Marks, the easiest to model is actually the Mk III. The only modifications, besides the removal of the Wheeled Tail and adding details connected to this, is the shortening of the gun. You could also actually keep the long gun, as the short variant was only used on late-production Mk III:s. 

	Mk I	Mk II	Mk III
Drivers Cab Width	Broad	Narrow	Narrow
Steering Wheel Assembly?	Yes	No	No
Roof Hatch	Round	Raised	Raised
Exhaust Arrangement	Triangular Shields	Triangular Shields	Silencer
Track Spuds?	No	Yes	Yes
6-pdr type	Long	Long	Short

The changes concering the drivers cab and the new roof hatch, is evident from this plan. And you must of course consult Hans van Oerles excellent article on correcting the Airfix kit, which has excellent plans for everything, including the track spuds! So what about the Wheeled Tail? Well, it must be removed if you want to make a Mk II or III. And the holes in the sides should be filled in, while the holes in the rear end plate must be masked off, one with a small, square plate, the other with a box, positioned off center to the left. (See this photo.)

If you are doing the Mk I, the roof of the drivers cab should be given two, really thin, slightly forward-pointing periscopes, and then you must give the Wheeled Tail a thorough going-over. Kit part no.37 is a good basis for the job, but it's simply a bit too crude and inaccurate as is. What needs to be done is pretty self-evident if you study this photo. (And here is my own Mk I "Male" being built.)

There you have it! an old but still very enjoyable kit, with much potential. With this one kit you really get the opportunity to build one of three variants: the Mk I, the Mk II and the Mk III. And you could use it as basis for conversions, either to a supply tank, with blanked off sponsons, or as a Wireless Tank, with a big aerial. (By the way: remeber that Matador makes an excellent conversion kit for that last variant, and for a female Mk II, complete with track spuds, torpedo beams and all.) But that's another story.

Whoever made this kit so long ago, can still feel proud.