With the recent interest in the modelling pages concerning Warflats, presumably brought about by the recent commemorations of World War 1, I thought I would enter the fray and give my opinion of the this kit. I am keen fan of detail, but, as they say, beware of what you wish for! This kit is not for the faint hearted. The kit comes complete except for wheels. The instructions are on a CD supplied with the kit. They can be printed off. As well as the instructions there are various pictures of some of the more involved construction steps. The instructions are split into three parts, Wagon body, Bogie construction and Final assembly.

I found that it was best to read the instructions two or three times to familiarise myself with the printed off copy of the frets. There are over 250 parts in the body excluding the planking to the deck and tool boxes, and over 100 parts in each bogie.

The model is of the prototype as built in 1918.

I will not go through the method of construction of the kit as this will just be a repetition of the instructions which, coupled with the pictures on the CD, give a clear and concise method of construction. The only criticism I would make is that it would be helpful if the instructions stated 'see photograph number…. ‘so that you definitely get an idea of the correct look of the completed part without searching through the disc.

The skill and patience required comes when constructing the working parts. These being the working jacks, the sprung working suspension on the bogies, the working brake gear. Basically you finish up with a completely working model of a Warflat. The deck is formed of real wood as are the tool boxes which slide underneath the chassis. If you do not feel up to all the exacting detail, the instructions will instruct you to by-pass some sections and save your sanity. However, by persevering you can achieve a very worthwhile model as shown in the photograph. I still have to add transfers. I cannot overemphasise the number of very small parts and patience needed with this kit and I think that the only difference between constructing this kit and the real thing is you do not need ball bearings and a rivet gun.

As Phil Atkinson of Hobby Holidays states at the end of the instructions ‘You are probably cursing the day you decided to build this wagon’ but I must say that it is an excellent and very detailed kit. A copy of this review was sent to Hobby Holidays and Phil Atkinson replied:

Thank you Paul for your comments which I think on the whole is very fair. I must say your model looks good. It was conceived as a kit for an almost museum quality model and as Paul says, not for the faint hearted. As a designer I’m glad to hear that Paul successfully managed to assemble the kit without any problems like many others. However I have a few minor technical corrections. Firstly the kit is actually a RECTANK, the first wagon, that was specifically designed, to carry the WW1 Tank (which I have a true 7mm/ft kit for) and has raised ends. The WARFLAT was made a little later, is longer and perfectly flat (which I also have a kit for). I might also add that the kit can be supplied as a standard kit like other suppliers, with just castings, etches and instructions, but the £145 is for the complete kit inc wheels, every nut, bolt spring, wire, and wood planks.