1/72 SKOT 1 (OT-64) APC - ARMO Jadar - Workbench Part 1

Time for less known and seen vehicle... The OT-64 SKOT is an amphibious armored personnel carrier (8x8), developed jointly by Poland and Czechoslovakia. The first prototype was built in 1959. OT-64 SKOT entered service with Polish and Czechoslovak armies in 1963. It was produced until early 1970s.
SKOT was also exported to Algeria, Cambodia, India, Iraq, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Syria, Uganda and Uruguay. The total number of vehicles produced in different variants came up to 4,500. List of all variants can be found HERE

SKOT-1 model kit from ARMO Jadar (72006) represents earliest, unarmed variant made for Polish Army.  It had crew of two (driver & commander) and could transport up to sixteen soldiers.

1/72 SKOT  1 - Armo - box

Model kit is made exclusively from resin, without any photo etched parts. Instructions sheet is very simplified, so I just skipped it here.  

1/72 SKOT  1 - Armo - parts

Quality of casting is good, without holes or trapped air bubbles. However some details are simplified or not really accurate, when compared to real vehicle photos.
I started installing propellers' guards

1/72 SKOT  1 - Armo - hull rear

and suspension parts

1/72 SKOT  1 - Armo

followed by exhaust pipe (after drilling out the tip)

1/72 SKOT  1 - Armo

Now into the problems... Crew hatches are molded close, so I'll have to take care of it. The biggest issues are on the front of SKOT:

1/72 SKOT 1 - Armo - front

This huge horizontal piece is supposed to be rod connecting wave guard's arms - wrong size and shape.
Below are two squarish blobs, which are meant to be headlights' covers - too thick.
Here you can compare these elements to real vehicle (source wikipedia.org):

OT-64 SKOT 2A (source wikipedia.org)

to be continued soon...