Supply trucks are the lifeblood of any army. The Republic of Korea Army in South Korea is no exception, and it started using the K311A1 cargo truck, a variant of the K311, in 2003.
The new Academy 1/35 scale R.O.K. Army K311A1 plastic model kit has a detailed chassis, an optional soft top for the bed, doors that can be positioned open or closed, masks, and a driver figure with a couple of head choices. The kit includes markings for three R.O.K. trucks, two Chilean navy marine corps vehicles, and one for the Philippines army. Interestingly, the box also contains two instruction manuals and one paint guide.
When you open the box, don’t let the two instruction manuals dissuade you. Academy broke the build process down and included large illustrations. Assembly starts with the truck frame, built from rails and cross members. The axle assemblies and drivetrain are then added. While there is no engine, making it a curbside model, the oil pan and transmission are present. I painted the chassis, added the wheels, and set it aside.
The multipart truck bed can be left with an open top or covered with a molded plastic canvas cover. I chose the canvas top, which meant parts B2, B3, B4, and B5 were not used. I glued the tailgate, side rails, and bench seats in place. The bed itself goes together without issues. I painted the assembly and canvas top and glued it to the chassis. Easy!
There’s no reason not to build the figure if it’s included. Unfortunately, outside of the basic build, Academy didn’t include any information about the figure’s uniform—unit patches, armbands, etc. I did my best with the decals and used the optional photo-etched metal sunglasses. (There are also PE eyeglasses if you prefer.)
Similar to the truck bed, many parts comprise the cab. With the doors on hinges, you can pose them open, closed, or leave them operational. The window on the driver’s side can be positioned rolled up or down.
I used the provided masks for the windows and painted the interior before adding the dashboard decals. Then, I positioned the figure behind the wheel and finished building the cab before gluing it to the chassis.
In total, the Academy 1/35 scale R.O.K. Army K311A1 plastic model kit only took me about 12 hours to complete. I finished it in the camo scheme and markings for one of the Republic of Korea trucks in 2020. If you have South Korean armor in your collection or if you are looking to round out a diorama, this is a model for you.