Kit: No. 35-001
Scale: 1/35
Manufacturer: Scale Model Studio Bego Co., Ltd., distributed by Platz Co., Ltd., 251-2 Shimizu Kusunokishinden, Shizuoka City, 424-0882, Japan, www.platz-hobby.com
Price: $37.95
Comments: Injection-molded, 123 parts, decals
Pros: Excellent fit, full engine detail, option of up or down convertible top
Cons: Multipiece body may be tricky for beginners

Bego’s Kübelwagen is a welcome surprise. Looking at the box’s contents, you’d swear the kit was produced by Tamiya – inside are individually bagged trees of sharply molded light-tan parts, beautifully printed decals, and a nicely illustrated instruction book. Closer inspection, though, shows Bego’s kit includes details above and beyond a standard kit. An eight-piece engine is included, as are two seated figures in relaxed poses. The decals include markings for five vehicles, the top can be modeled in the up or down position, and full side curtains are included on the tree of clear parts.

The model’s body is assembled from several individual panels; following the instructions closely and double-checking their alignment as you go are critical. Several details are especially well engineered – the kit’s slatted wooden floorboards are separate from the floorpan, making them simple to paint, and the front wheels can be installed in a turned position by removing the alignment pins from parts B23 and B24 on the front suspension. I opened the driver’s door with a razor saw to show off the model’s interior.

Painting instructions calling for Tamiya and Gunze-Sangyo paint codes seem accurate. I painted my Kübel in standard German gray. The decals went on nicely over a coat of Future. A coat of clear flat and an artist’s-oil wash finished things off.

I spent a couple of weekends building my Kübelwagen, and the finished model looks great in my soft-skin AFV collection. I’ll make sure to keep an eye out for future offerings from Bego.

– Matthew Usher