CD Content

Model Miniature (MM) is a French company that normally specializes in small scale resin model kits. However, in conjunction with their release of a 1/72 model kit of a French Buffalo MPCV (MMR-118), MM decided to put their research to further use and release a reference DVD as well.  This review is of MM’s new “Buffalo in Details (With L-ROD Slat Armor)“ Reference DVD (MM-DVD-001). The vehicle photos contained on this DVD cover A1 Buffalos of the French 13^th Engineer Regiment (13eme Regiment du Genie).  For what it's worth, the improved/upgraded Buffs are referred to as A2's, which I believe the French don't use. 

Photograph/Video Quality and Selection

The DVD contains a whopping 444 color photos and five (5) short videos of the French utilized Buffalo MPCV’s, which appear to be the earlier/initial A1 vehicles. The photos are of excellent quality with exceptional color and clarity. In addition, the photo files (in .JPG format) are very large in size; a vast majority being over 3000x2000 pixels.  Those large size files allow extreme close up browsing when using your computer’s image viewing software.  You can easily pick out all of the small details contained in each photograph.

As for the selection of the photos contained on this DVD, we get an awesome selection of images, including pictures of the entire vehicle as well as capturing all the smaller details.  For instance, the excavator arm/rake gets over 40 photos of coverage! 

Besides the photographs, MM also provides a nice “bonus” in the form of five (5) videos (and audio), in the “.MP4” format.  The total running time of all the videos is about 4 ½ minutes and mostly covers the Buff driving around and utilizing its excavator arm.  Although not at a exceptional level of quality, the video provides a very nice and different perspective by allowing us to also see and hear this massive beast in REAL action.

The DVD is organized by subfolders (listed below), which contain similar vehicle photographs/files grouped together.  I’ve also included the number of photos within each folder.

- Arms & Pitchfork =42

- General View =148

- Inside (Interior) =49

- Maquette (MM’s Buffalo 1/72 Model) =15

- Sans (without) Slat (Armor) =83

- Underside =54

- Upside (Top) =36

- Wheels =15

- Miscellaneous =2

Use as Reference

Being that this photo reference DVD on the Buffalo is very comprehensive in coverage, specifically where details of the French vehicles are concerned, this product is a great resource for us modelers and vehicle enthusiasts.  One of the more useful inclusions to this DVD is the fact that MM provides photos of both Buffs with slat armor AND those without that armor.  If one or the other vehicle configurations was not included, I believe the usefulness of the DVD would be lessened because the Buff is fitted out routinely with or without the slat armor.  Nice touch MM!

With all that being said, my first thought right after receiving this DVD review sample was how useful it would be when I model my US Buffalo model kit (by Bronco Models)?  Well that question actually begs another: how is a French vehicle the same/different from a US vehicle? Or others? (The British, Canadian, Italian and Pakistanis also use/used them). Well, I decided to find out. Please note that I only compared the French vehicle photos with some of US and Canuck vehicles, so I cannot comment on how French Buffalos compare to vehicles of the other user countries mentioned above.

After doing so, it is my opinion that although the French A1 vehicles have some slight differences (mostly sundry fittings), the A1 vehicles serving in all three armies are generally the same.  So… that means that this DVD covering the French Buffalo would also be useful for those wishing to model a vehicle serving with us Yanks or our friendly neighbors to the North (Canada). That’s good news as the  two 1/35 model kits available to us, the plastic Bronco Models release and the resin Vajra Miniatures kit, look to designed to be built as US A1 vehicles,(Bronco providing a Canadian Option as well). Regardless, assuming you’re modeling to achieve a high level of accuracy, you should still consult your references and resources.

The references I used for comparison purposes are our WarWheels Buffalo Vehicle Index, Robert Skipper’s “MRAP Walk Around Photo Reference CD: Part 2” and REAL Models’ book “Canadian EROC: Buffalo, Cougar and RG-31” (Modeler Photo Assistant: MPA002) authored by Rick Saucier & Miloslav Hraban.  If interested, you can view my book review at the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society’s (AMPS) website.

Conclusion

Model Miniatures’ "Buffalo in Details with L-Rod Slat Armor" Reference DVD is a great resource for us modelers or even vehicle enthusiasts.  If you need fine detail photos of the “Buff”, this product is definitely for you.  In fact, if you’re planning on building a French Buffalo MPCV model kit, this DVD is a “Must Have”!  You get a staggering number of high quality photos which will be a great help in super-detailing any Buffalo model kit or even if you just want to know more about this unique vehicle.

Recommendation: Highly Recommended*

* A "Must Have" for those planning on building a French Buffalo Model Kit.

Thanks to Julie Ludmann of Model-Miniature for the opportunity to review this DVD.