Italeri 1/35 VW Type 87 'Beetle' w/ Afrika Korps Soldiers
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History
The VW sedan was developed in the 1930s to try and provide a cheap
vehicle for German citizens to own. This never became the case, and most
of the vehicles were used by the army. During the Second World War, the
German armed forces used the car in various roles: sedan, ambulance, and
one even had a gas generator mounted to use various fuels.
Due to its great reliability and simple maintenance this vehicle (later
named 'Beetle') had good results on all fronts. From the basic vehicle
there was developed the full military versions, known as the Kubelwagen
and the amphibious Scwimmwagen, the so called German 'Jeep'.
What's in the kit:
Have you had the feeling that we modelers need a score-card to keep
track of who is selling whose molds under their label. Well, the minute
I opened the tray and lid type box of this kit, bells went off. Hey!.
I have seen this kit before! and even built it. I was sure that it was
the CMK kit reboxed by Italeri. I pulled that kit out of my stash and
lo & behold it is! The only new stuff in the box are the six figures.
The kit contents consist of two trees of very light gray plastic and
the upper body shell part, also in light gray. There is a tree of clear
parts and two trees of light tan parts.
The light gray trees and body shell, plus the clear parts are all of
CMK origin. They come in two cello bags. The light tan parts are by Italeri
I presume as they are molded in Italeri's usual signature color of styrene.
They too have a cello bag - this is unusual for Italeri, because they
usually throw the parts into the box without bags.
The light gray ex-CMK trees do not have any part numbers molded into
the trees next to each part. So, you will have to refer to the parts tree
drawings in the instructions which are numbered. The figure parts have
the numbers on the sprues.
The largest of the light gray trees is marked as letter A on the the
instructions and it holds: front seat cushions, front seat back-rests,
front seat support bars, front and rear bumpers, steering wheel, inside
door panels, shift and brake levers, rear seat full-span seat, rear deck
piece, floor panel, wheel disks, regular type tires and rims without baby-moon
type hubcaps and regular type tires and rims with the hubcaps, the bottom
chassis piece with fenders molded integrally to it and the front axle,
exterior door hands, a siren and windshield wiper blades. (45 parts here).
The second (smaller) light gray tree is marked as letter B on the instructions
ands it holds: an alternate bucket seat for the rear, balloon type desert
tires and rims, notek lamp, an MP40 machine pistol, and some other panels.
(17 parts here).
The upper body shell is all one piece in light gray. It is called out
as letter D on the instructions.
The clear parts are called out as letter C on the instructions and
the sprue holds glass for all the windows and two types of headlight lenses:
open and covered with a slit in the cover for defense against Allied aircraft
seeing the beams.
The first of the light tan trees of figures is marked as letter E on
the instructions. It holds: a kneeling figures parts: separate legs, torso,
arms and head, two standing figures: one with just both his arms separate
and the other with just one arm separate (the other being molded into
him), there are two steel helmets, a soft peaked cap, a pith helmet, a
50 gallon steel oil drum, a shovel, bayonette in a scabbard, a pistol
in a holster, a 98K carbine rifle, a mess kit, a canteen, two gas mask
canisters and a wood stick. The wood stick is meant to be put into the
crouching figures hand to pose him drawing in the sand with it. However,
the box art does not show this figure with the stick - only the instructions
picture it.
The second light tan tree of figure parts is called out as letter F
on the instructions. This tree holds: parts for three more figures. Two
of these figures are molded with just their arms as separate pieces. The
third figure is molded with his torso and legs as separate pieces. His
arms too are separate. Also on this tree are six potato-masher type grenades
(one of which has a belt added to it), two MP40 machine pistols with four
ammo pouches for them.
Two figures are dressed in blouses with jodpher type trousers tucked
into high laced boots, the crouched figure wears a blouse and his pants
are tucked into jack boots, one standing figure is wearing a greatcoat
and has on the high laced boots (yes! it did get very cold in the desert
at night), the fourth figure is dressed in a short sleeved shirt with
shorts and the high laced boots. The final standing figure wears a blouse
with pants gathered at the ankles over low shoes.
The balance of the contents of the kit are the instructions and the
small decal sheet.
The instructions are a large single sheet that accordian folds out
into 10 pages. There is a short history in multiple languages, including
English, and a total of 12 assembly steps. Steps 1 through 9 are for the
Beetle and 10 through 12 for the figures.
Markings drawings and decals are given for four schemes:
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A Beetle with the Afrika Korps, Libya 1942
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A Luftwaffe marked Beetle, serving with Jagdgeswader 53 (the Pikas),
Northern Italy 1944.
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A Beetle assigned to the German Office of Colonial Police, Germany
1941.
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A Beetle in captured British markings, Germany 1945/47.
The decal sheet gives license plate numbers, some tactical and division
markings and even the shipping weight labels that appeared on the doors
of these vehicles at times. Unfortunately, my scanner will not pick up
white marks on a white background. But, believe me folks, the markings
are there on the decal sheet.
Conclusion
I really did not need another of the CMK Beetles - but the figures
are darn nice. Just wished that Italeri had mentioned CMK somewhere on
the box.
Otherwise this is a good kit and if you don't already have the old
CMK kit I recommend this one.
I bought this kit at my local hobby shop.
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