Kit: No. 35201
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Tamiya, imported by Tamiya America, 2 Orion, Aliso Viejo, CA, 800-826-4922, www.tamiyausa.com
Price: $14.99
Comments: Injection-molded, 53 parts, decals
Pros: Good detail overall, fine interior, easy to assemble, two figures included
Cons: Convertible top too short, no foot pedals

The Kübelwagen was born by mating the Volkswagen chassis and engine with a body more suited for military use. The production run of the German equivalent of the jeep was 37,320, and it saw action on every front of World War II.

Tamiya has a long history with the Kübelwagen, previously producing it in 1/35 and 1/16 scales. This Kübelwagen is molded in desert yellow. The front doors can be positioned open or closed. Included are figures of a Luftwaffe officer and pilot, and decal options for two Army vehicles and two Luftwaffe vehicles. A map and road signs are printed on the side of the kit box and can be cut out and used in dioramas. Painting suggestions for the vehicle and figures are printed on the back of the box.

Painting many of the parts before assembly saved time and trouble. The chassis floor has no foot pedals, but they would be difficult to see on such a small model. Dry-fitting the major pieces of the body revealed no fit problems. Small ejector pin marks on the seat back and inside of the door were easy to clean up.

Part No. A12 was a cover used only in cold weather, but if you don’t install it, there will be a large gap between the opened canvas top and the engine deck.

I modeled JG3’s vehicle with the tri-color camouflage scheme. The color scheme is Tamiya dark yellow, followed by an airbrushed pattern of hull red and dark green. I used Floquil weathered black on the tires and Tamiya khaki on the seats. A sludge-wash mix of dark gray and brown simulates the dirt and exhaust coming from airplane engines. A thinned coat of Floquil grime represents the ever-present dust.

The decals went on without problems, but the black stencils and the numbers are translucent and nearly disappear against dark colors.

The finished model scales close to the measurements in my main reference, Schiffer Publishing’s Kübelwagen & Schwimmwagen. It’s tiny, only 3″ long! I spent nine hours completing it, a pleasant one-day project to add to my Luftwaffe hardstand.

– Tom Foti