Military Wheels (MW) 1/72 Volkswagen type 87

By Matt Bittner

History

The Volkswagen "Beetle" is a familiar sight to many people, but few realize just how old of a design it is. First taking to the road in the 1930s, the Volkswagen Beetle found its way into the military in several guises. The simplicity and sturdiness of the design led the VW into becoming an off-road Kübelwagen as well as a Kommandeurwagen. By chopping the back off and adding a cargo box, a delivery van was made, serving in both military and civilian fields.

The Kit

The MW kit of the VW "Beetle" consists of 55 injected molded pieces and 9 piece of clear plastic. There are decal options (mostly white, which is why there is no image for them) for one vehicle of the Afrika Korps, 1941. Most parts are "chunky" and the sprue gates are large which means careful cut out is necessary. Even with the chunkiness the kit is nicely molded. Granted, you may want to replace some of the smaller parts - like the grab handles, etc. However, a VW it looks like, so a VW it will build into.

Conclusion

Unfortunately I don't have any references for VW "Beetles" during WW2, so I don't know if the kit is accurate, nor if it was really operated in the desert. I would suspect so, otherwise why make it a separate kit with different options? Recommended to those who build small-scale armor, as well as those who wish to have a 1/72nd "Beetle" in their collection.