Italeri's 1/35 2.5 ton 6x6 truck By Kent Kirkpatrick

2.5 ton 6x6 Truck

What the GMC 6x6 cargo truck meant to the Allies is similar to what the Opel Blitz was to the German army. This 2.5 ton chassis served as a basis for many truck variants from water tanker to cargo hauler. It was critical in moving much needed supplies to the Allies on all fronts. GMC came up with very simple and robust design then incorporated it into one of the most versatile vehicles of World War II. Powered by a 6-cylinder gas engine it had a range of 32km and speed up to 90km/h.

The Kit

This is a 'limited edition' reissue of the old truck kit that some of us modelers have come to know from the past. I believe its origins are from the defunct Peerless/Max company. Except it has been reboxed by Italeri once again. Either way it is a classic kit. The boxart is very nice and would help you in painting, marking and weathering of your truck after assembly. There are some pics of a built model as well as a Model Master color reference on the side panel.
In the box you will find an eight-page illustrated instruction booklet, two large sprues of parts molded in olive drab styrene, one sprue of parts in clear styrene, and a decal sheet. The instruction booklet is referenced in nine different languages. All parts are documented in a parts location diagram. Step 1 assembles the fourteen-piece chassis frame with reference to an alternate modification to the frame itself. NOTE: Review steps 4 and 5 before doing this. The rear dual-axle and tire assembly is performed in step 2. Keep in mind that the tires are NOT black vinyl but are two-part styrene as this is an old mold. You also add some miscellaneous detail such as gas tanks, battery box and spare tire to the truck chassis. Step 3 attaches the transfer case, drive shafts, exhaust and front fender assembly to the chassis. Steps 4 and 5 offer you the choice of having a PTO winch or a standard bumper on the front-end of your truck. The front suspension and powered axle with drive shaft is also assembled in this step. The front wheels and fender details are attached in step 6 along with the cab interior and driver figure. I have several suggestions here to consider. First, use some clear acetate to replace the thick clear styrene window shield and glass. Next, I would replace the clear styrene headlights with MV lenses. Lastly, the driver figure is poorly detailed by today's standards. I believe a spare figure from another kit could be easily substituted for it. The cab is fully assembled in step 7. If one feels a challenge coming on you could try opening up the engine compartment if you can find a suitable aftermarket engine or perhaps scratch one. The engine hood would have to be cut off from the cab assembly. This would be very doable depending on your skill level. Step 8 is where you mate the cab assembly to the front fender/chassis assembly. The cargo bed is assembled in step 9 and 10. This is a pretty straightforward assembly. The kit does not include any miscellaneous cargo (crates, 55 gallon drums, ammo, etc.) or troops to haul. Check the old spare parts box. You might want to consider what you wish to put in the cargo bed before you assemble it otherwise you have a very boring empty cargo truck. Final assembly is done in step 11 where you mate the cargo bed to the finished 6x6 chassis.
When painting your 6x6 cargo truck you have one simple color reference, olive drab. Model Master's FS-34087 olive drab is suggested if you choose but there are others. As for the decals, which are of high quality, you have a choice between a cargo truck from the US 34th Infantry or one from the French 10th Infantry Regiment.

Conclusion

This venerable old kit is a classic even though it has been reboxed by Testor's and Italeri over the years. For this time around it is a 'limited edition'. If you want a more up-to-date mold of a 2.5 ton 6x6 cargo truck I would suggest the Tamiya kit but you will pay a higher price. Otherwise, Italeri's economically priced version will do just fine. I had built this kit some years ago and remember it as a enjoyable build. You will too. I would like to thank Testor's for the review kit.