is not a real big fan of pre-painted minis, and he positively despises randomly-packed "collectable" ones - so why is he writing this article?
Here are some pictures of the newly arrived AMC 10RC rénové, the updated version of France's wheeled tank destroyer.
This armored car entered service with the French army in 1981; this updated version appears to incorporate at least the improvements added for the 1991 Gulf War.
This model - part of the Master Fighter line - is sold fully painted and ready to display. (Not to be confused with the AMX 10-RC resin kit, which Gaso.line also produces in another product range.)
The model comes in a glossy white box, with color photo printed on the lid. Several layers of foam cushion the vehicle, plus a piece of clear plastic protects the turret-mounted machinegun. A crew figure is separate. Two wire aerials are also provided (which I forgot to add until after I took the pictures... sorry...
My sample had some minor damage: the (thermal imaging device?) had fallen off, and a grab ring on the turret had broken. Fortunately, both were quickly repaired with the aid of superglue.
The turret hatch can be posed, so I chose to stand the hatch fully open and glue the crew figure in place. The aerials easily slip into place, as well.
The vehicle's six wheels rotate (which may be an inconvenience on the tabletop - you may want to glue the axles). The turret also rotates, but cannot be removed.
Besides the camo paint job, markings include front and rear "license plates," a recognition number on the right front, driving lights, silver paint for the driving mirrors and vision blocks, and correct colors for stowage items (bags, cables, tools).
I noticed a slight gap between the side armor panels and the main hull, but that may reflect the real-life vehicle.
Wargamers thinking to deploy this model to the tabletop should consider that the model includes several delicate parts, such as grab rings at the back of the hull and on the turret, driver's mirrors in front, and the machinegun. Although you can safely handle the model by touching only the sides, when using this vehicle in a game, sooner or later the delicate bits are going to get knocked around... so if you are determined to keep yours pristine, better leave it on the display shelf.
Vehicle is about 19cm long, measured from tip of the gun barrel to tip of the last grab ring. The hull is roughly 12cm x 6cm.