The directions for Verlinden's new detail set consist of six steps, six illustrations and one black and white photograph printed on a single sheet of paper. The line drawings are clear and helpful. The photo (provided as a numbered parts map) is grainy, but it's just enough to be adequate for identifying each of the pieces. There are no painting instructions. A color photo of the completed kit on the box top is particularly useful for seeing just how everything should look when assembled.

There are no photoetched items. The 17 resin parts are well cast and free of pinholes or other casting imperfections. They include a firewall, floor, transmission, instrument panel, driver's seat, brake housings, storage box, various electrical boxes, gauges and other parts. A fire extinguisher and a finely detailed gas mask container are cast on the firewall. Steering levers are cast with the floorplate in a stowed position. The seat is detailed front and back. A small bulkhead includes 3 molded-on foot pedals. Some of the parts are quite small--I immediately lost the gear shifter in the rug as soon as I cut it from its casting plug. I made a substitute from scrap plastic.

There are no details for the underside of the upper hull. However, once the interior is installed and the vehicle completed, it's difficult to notice this omission through the driver's hatches.

Some minor modification to the Tamiya kit is necessary to make everything fit. As mentioned in the directions, you'll need to cut away the raised portions of 4 of the idler wheel suspension arm mounts from the inside of the lower hull. This is to allow space to insert the floor plate into the hull. BEFORE you start cutting away plastic from the inside of the lower hull, I suggest that the suspension arms (from the Wespe Kit) should first be cemented to the hull and allowed to completely set before continuing.

Aside from preparing the lower hull, you'll also need to sand down some of the larger resin pieces to remove extra material. Test fit everything! I had to spend some time sanding the underside of the floorplate and the back of the firewall. Pay extra attention to part 17. It's too thick as provided and will need quite a bit of sanding to make it fit into the front of the lower hull. Take care so as not to damage the triangular support that's cast with the piece. Don't forget the storage box (part 12). You'll need to remove enough material from its rear face,otherwise it will interfere with proper placement of the transmission. The transmission axle (pt. 11) also needs trimming. I don't know if it's accurate, but the gauge panel on top of my kit's transmission just barely clears the upper hull. It's a very tight space, so spend time testing the fit here before reaching for the superglue. If everything is properly sanded and trimmed, you'll end up with the completed driver's compartment fitting snug into the lower hull.

Verlinden's detail set provides a nice addition to Tamiya's excellent Wespe kit and definitely worth the investment. With a little time spent preparing some of the parts, you'll soon have a nice driver's compartment for your Wespe. When you're done, you'll begin to appreciate how cramped conditions were for Wespe drivers!