Back in January, 2019, I got this Hobby Boss 1/35 PLA ZTL-11 kit. The box top looked fine but the bottom was crushed. Looks like someone stepped on it. The seller replaced the broken kit with a completely new kit. Here is the broken kit.
I opened the box and found the front of the upper fuselage completely snapped off.
The bottom was cracked in two places.
Here it is taped together. You can see a piece missing from the side of the front upper hull. It wasn't in the bag or the box. Looks like the kit might have already been broken before they bagged it and boxed it up because that missing piece was no where to be found.
I am trying to salvage the kit as it is still mostly complete except that one missing broken piece. I plan to try to make it into a what if build. I have a Revell 1/35 SPz Puma but I mostly only got it for the remote turret. If I can salvage the ZTL-11 I plan to use the Puma turret on it. Only problem is, the ZTL-11 turret ring sits too far forward and looks real goofy.
My plan is to move the turret ring further back so it looks more presentable.
I had to cut off the upper hull section where the turret ring is so I can rebuild it with plastic card. I also removed the engine exhaust vents. They will be placed forward of the new remote turret next to the driver, similar to how the Merkava and M113 placed their engines. Here is the ZTL-11 with the turret ring and exhaust vents removed.
The ZTL-11 is a huge vehicle. In 1/35 it is just under 9.5 inches.
Here it is side by side with a Tamiya 1/35 M1025 for size comparison.