The kit is composed of a resin hull, running gear, wheels and tools. Also, there are a brass photo etched fret (for the headlight guards) and a decal sheet with markings for either a US Army or a Brazilian vehicle. The turret is from the Bronco Models Staghound Kit (CB 35011).  BVM provide the full Bronco Models Sprue E for the turret, less parts E 31 and E 35 (Staghound drive shafts) and 2 periscopes from Sprue F.  Scans of the BVM instructions are above.

The BVM instruction sheet steps 1 through 4 deal with the assembly of the hull. The hull, running gear, ancillary storage bins and tools were very easy and quick to assemble.  I did not use the photo etched headlight guards provided in the kit but I used some Italeri Sherman parts from another modeling project instead.

The BVM instruction sheet step 5 deals with the turret assembly and is a copy of the Bronco instructions. However, if you want an accurate model of the T 17 turret the following changes should be made:

1. Carve off the 2 inch smoke mortar on the right side and re-contour the turret to match the left side.  I squash molded the right lifting lug using the existing left hand lifting lug.

2. Carve off the .30 caliber machine gun mount leaving only the rear lifting lug.

3. Re-contour the left hand side turret below the commander’s hatch hinge attachment points. There should be two narrow bulges, one under each hinge location, rather than the single bulge that is on the Bronco Staghound turret.

4. Save the British Number 19 Wireless Set for another project.  Scrounge a US SCR series radio.

5. Attach grab handles to the turret hatches. I used Italeri Sherman parts again.

6. The resin pistol ports need to be contoured into the turret using putty.

The turret assembly is more involved than the hull assembly. I have attached an overhead photo showing the differences between the  Bronco turret and the T17 turret with the changes listed above.  In the photo above, the modified turret is on the right.

Step 6 of the instructions is for the final assembly and the only additions I made were clear plastic windshields and stretched sprue supports for the driver’s and hull gunner’s visors.  I did not use the Decals provided by BVM since I decided to model the T17 undergoing tests at Aberdeen Proving Grounds.  All photographic evidence I gathered indicated the use of blue drab registration numbers rather than the white numbers provided.  I used blue-drab Archer Fine Transfers for the registration numbers and white Ultracast Decals for the T17 makings on my Model.