Internet Modeler : New Releases : Armor RSS News Feed

Armory 1/72 AKZ-75M-131-P Soviet Airfield Oxygen Refueller

By Matt Bittner

The Kit

The Armory 1/72 Oxygen Refueler truck is based on the ICM ZiL-131 "Army truck". Not only does Armory include most of the parts for the ZiL-131, but also includes resin and photoetch to create the oxygen refueler. Armory also provides decals (printed by Authentic) for five specific trucks:

1. AKZS-75M-131-P, undefined airfield, Russian Federation (this has a blue refueler, a light-green cab and the chassis and tires black)
2. AKZS-75M-131-P, Ivano-Frankivs'k airfield, Ukrainian AF (blue-green refueler and cab with a black chassis and tires)
3. AKZS-75M-131-P, Sknyliv airfield, Ukrainian AF (dark green refueler and cab, black chassis and tires)
4. AKZS-75M-131-P, undefined airport, Russian Federation (yellowe refueler and cab, black chassis and tires)
5. AKZS-75M-131-P, undefined airfield, AF of Poland (dark green refueler and cab, black chassis and tires)

Construction starts with the ICM kit. Armory "grays out" those parts of the instructions you're not supposed to worry about. In fact, the entire injected bed of the original ICM ZiL-131 isn't included so there will be less confusion.

Once the ICM kit is assembled, then you add the photoetch, resin and one ICM plastic tire spare-tire-and-battery-area to the model. After that whole area is on then you'll work on the one-piece refueler, adding the extra photoetch and other pieces. Once that is finished, then it is added to the chassis of the ICM truck. Unfortunately that step isn't illustrated and I'm hoping it will be an easy install.

However, before you add the spare-tire-area and refueler to the ICM kit, you'll want to accomplish some painting. I would paint the kit in stages; once the chasses is assembled, then paint it; paint the interior of the cab (and all interior piece) before fitting the interior to the cab. Then mask the windows and paint the exterior of the cab. Once the ICM kit is all together, then paint the spare-tire-area - minus the tire - before adding it to the ICM kit. Then paint the refueler after it's all built before adding it to the ICM kit. Once it's all together, then all you'll need to accomplish is touch-up painting and weathering.

Conclusion

All-in-all this isn't a difficult kit, there are just plenty of parts to it. Take your time cutting parts from the ICM sprue as some of them are delicate. Study the instructions plenty before committing any assembly and it should be a not-difficult build.

My thanks to Armory for supplying this kit to review.