I jumped back into the hobby after 30 years and tried my hand on this kit after the Tamiya Early Production Sherman. I did a great deal of research to include reading this article - http://www.usarmymodels.com/MANUFACTURERS/Italeri/italeri225.html Cons - The tracks are horrible, they're so stiff I broke the idler wheel trying to get them on. There are plenty of after market products that will enhance the model. The detail on the pioneer tools and the .50 cal machine gun isn't the best so those could be replaced as well. The weld seem around the pistol port is wrong and the hull and turret are too smooth for cast metal. The decals are geared towards World of Tanks and really are of no use at all. Lastly, the commander figure is useless, stiff and awkward. Pros - If you want to get a relatively cheap kit and work on improving your skills you can't beat the price. I used the liquid glue method to rough up the surface and fixed the weld seem on the turret and pistol port. For its age it holds up well with some additions. I like the look of the 76mm Sherman and overall I was happy with the kit. Yeah there are more expensive alternatives that are better, but if you coming back into the fold, it's a decent kit to hone or develop your techniques. It went together just fine and isn't as bad as some people say it is.