Prefab model 1/48 light armored car Ba-20M late conical turret ACE 48109 BA-20. The BA-20 light armored car was created in 1936 on the basis of the GAZ-M1 passenger car and had a drive only on the rear axle. In 1938, the BA-20 was improved and received the designation Ba-20M. A conical tower, radio station 71-TK-3 with a pin antenna was installed on it. A third person - a radio operator - was introduced to the crew. The highway range was increased to 450 km. The weight of the machine reached 2.52 tons. BA-20 is a light armored car of the Red Army of the 1930s. The GAZ-M1 passenger car was used as the basis (chassis) for creation. The kit includes: - Plastic parts on six sprues; - Rubber parts; - Decal; - assembly and painting instructions. The length of the model is 8.9 cm.
Features of the ACE 48109 kit
scale: 1:48
length: 89 mm
difficulty of assembly: difficult
glue and paints included: no
material: plastic
decal: yes
rubber parts: yes
Country of manufacture: Ukraine Role Model: The BA-20 Armored Car (Broneawtomobil) was developed in 1934 for use by headquarters, intelligence and communications units. It was derived from the civilian GAZ-M1 "Emka", which itself was a variant of the Ford design that GAZ produced under license in Nizhny Novgorod. Production of the BA-20 began in 1935: the chassis was manufactured in Nizhny Novgorod, and the body at the Viksin factory, where final assembly also took place. BA-20 was mainly used as a reconnaissance vehicle. The tires were filled with foam to protect against bullet and shrapnel damage. The BA-20ShD variant could work on the railway network. For this, the wheels were replaced with rail ones. On some BA-20s, the DP-28 MG was replaced by a flamethrower. The car was transferred to the Republican side during the Spanish Civil War, but was mainly used by the Red Army. The BA-20 flew its first combat mission against Japan at Chalkin Gol in 1939. The Soviet Union also used the machine during the invasion of Poland and during the Winter War against Finland. Finland captured 18 BA-20s and used them as PA-6s. Soviet production ceased in 1941 after more than 4,800 units had left the factory. Like most automotive armored vehicles, the BA-20 drove on roads. The lack of four-wheel drive, high ground pressure and a weak engine did not allow it to be used off-road. The armor was only effective against shrapnel and small arms, and the 7.62 mm machine gun was not enough to hold its own against such vehicles. The BA-20 was replaced by the BA-64B. The BA-20 is often confused with the very similar FAI machine. The main difference is the flat roof of the BA-20 versus the twin domes for the driver and passenger on the FAI roof. Early BA-20s had the same cylindrical turret as the FAI, later machines had a conical turret. Kit: Like the original, the ACE is also derived from the GAS-M1. The kit contains 5 small sprues, 4 rubber tires and a small sticker sheet. There are also clear instructions for construction. This only applies to the latest build, but both turrets are included. The first impression of molded parts with knurling and anti-adhesion in many places makes you put the kit down immediately. But it's worth watching again! The detailing of the car's exterior is pretty good, and after all, the original is no engineering marvel. However, everything is shown closed. Ambitious model builders may want to open the radiator caps or doors to give the car some personality. There may even be an accessory kit or two. As already mentioned, stickers are very rare and do not make a special impression. However, the vehicles are not too widely marked. The manual, which only shows the BA-20 in isometric view for each paint option, provides 3 paint options: BA-20 "325" of the Red Army, May 1942 4BO (green) above all
BA-20 German Police (SD?) Ukraine Summer 1942 (sand yellow with green meander camo)
BA-20 Wehrmacht Winter 1942 (winter camouflage, white over tank gray) Conclusion: A nice little kit from ACE that needs some preparation (degreasing, deburring) but should be done quickly. The price is also okay.
