UNIMAX Toys Limited Item # 95015 (Assortment 98000)

FORCES OF VALOR - COMBAT PROVEN MACHINES - action series.

MICRO MILITARY LINEUP

T-72

Iraqi Army

1:72 Scale

Die Cast w small plastic parts.

Currently retails up to $25.00 on auctions.

Unlike on the picture the model doesn’t have weathered paint job, but has a tank commander figure and antenna.  Displays great!

The model represents an Iraqi Army T-72 tank that was the most advance tank in Iraqi armored force.  The Soviet T-72 tank went into production in 1971 and was designed as a mass production tank to complement in service much more complicated and advance T-64 tank (which was never exported) in service with Soviet Army and for export.  Production of T-72 and its variants ended several years ago with over 20,000 built at four Soviet plants as well in Poland, Czechoslovakia and T-72M1 in India and Iraq.  It was also produced in former Yugoslavia as M-84 that was different to T-72 in a number of respects.  Export and licensed variants usually didn’t have all the sophisticated equipment of Soviet originals. 

Although fast, durable, and potent with its 125mm gun, the T-72 proved no match for the U.S. Abrams Battle Tanks and / or British Challenger II Battle Tanks, which simply slaughtered Iraqi armored force.  Though it is very important to remember that Abrams tank went into production 10 and Challenger II 20 years after T-72 and obviously are tanks of a different generation that are much more advance in any aspects.   With a lack of air defense Iraqi tanks became an easy target for Apache Helicopters and A-10 “Thunderbolt II” plane.

Micro Military Lineup is the last addition to the series Forces of Valor by Unimax.  The company entered in die cast military models market (mostly 1:32 scale for ground vehicles) just a few years ago and become well known among collectors. 

First four models that are currently available for sale (Sherman, Churchill, Abrams and T-72) are mostly die cast with small plastic parts, unlike its competitor Dragon Armor series that are mostly plastic with some die cast parts.   It appears to be well-detailed models; all four models have permanently attached tank commander figures.   Models have metal antennas; 360 degree rotating turret with elevating guns and movable tracks (unlike practically all Dragon Armor models), which made of black color rubber or rubber like plastic.

As a collector I was very pleased with addition of these four models to my personal collection and will recommend it to fellow collectors.

The series has a standard packaging box for models from the series, a window box with pictures of eight models from the series (assortment #98000), models attached by two screws to the small plastic base, which attached with wires to the carton base of an insert.