Kit: No. MV1
Scale: 1/24
Manufacturer: Hasegawa, imported by Dragon Models USA, 1315 John Reed Court, City of Industry, CA 91745, 866-365-8721, www.dragonmodelsusa.com
Price: $26.95
Comments: Injection-molded, 149 parts (9 vinyl), decals
Pros: Good detail, good fit, accurate for early WWII Willys version
Cons: Some engine details are hollow on bottoms, fit and detail of driver figure are poor

Even before World War II, U. S. military leaders requested a small lightweight vehicle that could travel almost anywhere. Though both Ford and Willys Overland were designing such vehicles, the Bantam car company was the only one to build a prototype before the deadline. Generals liked Bantam’s design, but felt that the shaky company could not produce enough vehicles, so Willys and Ford developed similar prototypes.

The Army liked Willys’ best, especially its four-cylinder engine. Willys received the contract, but it turned out that even it was not able to produce enough vehicles, so Ford started producing the jeep, too.

Where the name “jeep” came from is still a mystery. Perhaps it was a phonetic version of the designation GP (for general purpose); perhaps it was named after a popular character with amazing capabilities in E.C. Segar’s “Thimble Theater” comic strip, Eugene the Jeep.

Hasegawa’s jeep is well-molded in olive-drab styrene and features a fully detailed engine compartment. The tires are molded in a hard vinyl material, and vinyl “keepers” are used to attach the wheels to the axles. Decals are provided for four subjects, including three WWII jeeps and an interesting post-war blue U.S. Air Force air police vehicle. One multi-piece driver figure is included.

I like to assemble as much of a kit as I can before painting, but the engine and its compartment were a challenge. I started with the motor and built it pretty much as the instructions show, but I would have been better off painting the parts before assembly. The engine is quite detailed and accurate, lacking only the wiring and fuel lines. One disappointment: Many of the engine parts have hollow bottoms, noticeable if you pick up the model and look from below.

I started building subassemblies, planning to bring them together when I had painted them. I used Tamiya acrylics to paint the model. I painted the whole engine assembly medium gray, then picked out the various components in the appropriate colors. The chassis and all of the body parts were painted olive drab, lightened with 30-percent desert yellow. The seat cushions were dry-brushed with desert yellow to lighten them and enhance the detail.

I added the decals over a brushed-on coat of Future floor polish while the kit was still in subassemblies. The decals responded well to Micro Sol and even the large hood star snuggled down over the detail. Everything was then given a coat of Polly Scale clear flat.

When they were dry, I brought the subassemblies together. To ensure everything aligns properly on the suspension, the axles mount to the frame on pegs rather than being supported by the springs. The most noticeable difference between the Willys and Ford Jeeps was the style of the frame’s first main cross member. The Willys’ cross member is tubular, while on a Ford it is a U channel. Hasegawa’s jeep is the Willys version.

In step six, Hasegawa would have you mount the muffler to the chassis before the body is in place. Installed this way, the muffler would be supported only by a small attachment point at the engine. It’s best to wait until the body is on the frame before attaching the muffler. Installing the body over the frame with the motor attached required some maneuvering, but it was possible, as the instructions show.

I assembled the driver figure but was not impressed with fit or detail, so I put it aside.

I finished the reflectors by covering them with discs of silver Mylar (from a potato-chip bag) glued on with Future floor polish and coated with Tamiya clear red. The windshield and headlight lenses were also attached with Future. Once everything was assembled, the vehicle was given a thinned oil-paint wash and dry-brushing of the base color lightened with white.

My finished model matched the dimensions given on an Australian web site: Ecars.com (www.ebroadcast.com.au/ecars/Jeep/MB/MB.html).

The finished model looks great and took only about 18 hours to build. I’m curious about the 1/24 scale, though. Maybe it’s a trick to get car modelers interested in military vehicles!

– John Plzak