In Box Review of Aurora-ESCI 1/9TH Scale
German BMW R75 Motorcycle With Sidecar
Kit no. 7001
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1970’s
Out of production
Available In the Italeri 2016, kit no, 7403 at Mega Hobby for $76.49 or at Kit Linx for $71.99 and at 10 locations overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1970’s
Out of production
Available In the Italeri 2016, kit no, 7403 at Mega Hobby for $76.49 or at Kit Linx for $71.99 and at 10 locations overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
Among the many important components of the German Army during WWII, the motorcycle was a significant factor in their various military campaigns. Mobility was the primary feature of the new “Blitzkrieg” tactics as speed was to prove itself as important in battle as superior power.
Based on the limitations of the Versailles Treaty, the German military had to devise a new set of tactics based on limited manpower, and light weapons and tanks. They came upon the motorcycle as an unlimited vehicle that was relatively inexpensive to produce and which enabled the motorized infantry to keep pace and over-run enemy positions behind the “Panzer” spearhead attacks.
Before the war had started, the German motorcycle was incorporated as integral units in the main body of ground troops. Forming elite corps, the motorcycle units were usually better equipped and led the advanced motorized infantry attacks.
Motorcycle infantry divisions were included in tank divisions, usually three or four companies per battalion before the War. After the French and Polish campanies, they were incorporated into Panzergrenadier or Reconnaissance Battalions. Early in the War, an average infantry division on the Russian Front had 452 motorcycles, including the headquarters (HQ) company; supply and reconnaissance units; signal, anti-tank gun and engineer battalions; and infantry and artillery regiments.
Later, in that campaign, the Kugelwagen and Kettenkrad was incorporated in increasing numbers to replace the motorcycles, bringing the number in a division down to 168. After finding that the earlier motorcycles were good, but could not stand up to the extreme field coditions during the Russian winters and the sands of North Africa, the heayy BMW R-74, 750cc class motorcycle was introduced at this time.
Its rugged frame and powerful engine made it durable under all combat conditions. The R-75 served in the Afrika Korps under Rommel, as well as in the extreme cold of the Russian winters, standing up well to any demand.
The single-seat version of the R-75 was easily adaptive into a side-car version and was also widely used in that version. Starting production in late 1940, almost 16,500 BMW R-75s were sent to the battalions by the end of the War. Few variations were made on this large displacement motorcycle during its production run.
One variation which adapted the R-75 for use in the desert was the addition of a tropical air filter which was mounted on top of the fuel tank.
These conversion parts are included in this authentic reproduction from Aurora-ESCI,
Among the many important components of the German Army during WWII, the motorcycle was a significant factor in their various military campaigns. Mobility was the primary feature of the new “Blitzkrieg” tactics as speed was to prove itself as important in battle as superior power.
Based on the limitations of the Versailles Treaty, the German military had to devise a new set of tactics based on limited manpower, and light weapons and tanks. They came upon the motorcycle as an unlimited vehicle that was relatively inexpensive to produce and which enabled the motorized infantry to keep pace and over-run enemy positions behind the “Panzer” spearhead attacks.
Before the war had started, the German motorcycle was incorporated as integral units in the main body of ground troops. Forming elite corps, the motorcycle units were usually better equipped and led the advanced motorized infantry attacks.
Motorcycle infantry divisions were included in tank divisions, usually three or four companies per battalion before the War. After the French and Polish campanies, they were incorporated into Panzergrenadier or Reconnaissance Battalions. Early in the War, an average infantry division on the Russian Front had 452 motorcycles, including the headquarters (HQ) company; supply and reconnaissance units; signal, anti-tank gun and engineer battalions; and infantry and artillery regiments.
Later, in that campaign, the Kugelwagen and Kettenkrad was incorporated in increasing numbers to replace the motorcycles, bringing the number in a division down to 168. After finding that the earlier motorcycles were good, but could not stand up to the extreme field coditions during the Russian winters and the sands of North Africa, the heayy BMW R-74, 750cc class motorcycle was introduced at this time.
Its rugged frame and powerful engine made it durable under all combat conditions. The R-75 served in the Afrika Korps under Rommel, as well as in the extreme cold of the Russian winters, standing up well to any demand.
The single-seat version of the R-75 was easily adaptive into a side-car version and was also widely used in that version. Starting production in late 1940, almost 16,500 BMW R-75s were sent to the battalions by the end of the War. Few variations were made on this large displacement motorcycle during its production run.
One variation which adapted the R-75 for use in the desert was the addition of a tropical air filter which was mounted on top of the fuel tank.
These conversion parts are included in this authentic reproduction from Aurora-ESCI,
THE KIT:
ESCI was an old prolific model company based in Italy. They manufactured all manner of model subjects in the popular scales. For a time, they were also associated with Ertl in Dyersville, IA, which is 58 miles north-east of my home. I used to travel to their store and purchase ESCI model kits at their factory discount store. Ertl sold the factory to a toy company that only makes kid’s toys and no model kits.
ESCI has gone out of business.
This kit came in a large and deep shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of a R75 and its sidecar leading a German Sd.Kfz. 251-3 IV Ausf. A Kommando Funkwagen (radio equipped) half-track with banister type radio aerials mounted on it.
They are moving across the desert in North Africa and both in overall sand yellow.
The R75 has a driver and passenger on it. They both wear light tan uniforms, with short-sleeved shirts and tan cloth peaked field caps. The driver has a pair of goggles strung around his cap.
On the front of the side car there is a white large letter D with a horizontal bar across the center of it. This marking was for the 21st Panzer Division. Below it is a white tactical insignia denoting an Artillery Regiment. The BMW company logo badge is on the front of the side car’s fender. The license no. on the front of the motorcycles front fender is only partially readable. It says WH-68 ??
The Sd.Kfz. 251 shows 2 crew members looking out of its top. They are dressed the same as the men on the R75.
Their vehicle has the same white letter D with horizontal bar across its center over the white tactical mark or the artillery regiment, same as on the R75. It has a white rectangular license plate on its front with serial no. WH-683309 on it.
However these license plates numbers, on it or the R75 are not what’s on the decal sheet in the kit. The only number there for Wehrmacht is WH-748488.
Both side panels begin with a smaller color repeat or the box art, with the history of the R75 in 3 single-paragraphs on each side of the box in 6 languages, including English.
ESCI was an old prolific model company based in Italy. They manufactured all manner of model subjects in the popular scales. For a time, they were also associated with Ertl in Dyersville, IA, which is 58 miles north-east of my home. I used to travel to their store and purchase ESCI model kits at their factory discount store. Ertl sold the factory to a toy company that only makes kid’s toys and no model kits.
ESCI has gone out of business.
This kit came in a large and deep shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of a R75 and its sidecar leading a German Sd.Kfz. 251-3 IV Ausf. A Kommando Funkwagen (radio equipped) half-track with banister type radio aerials mounted on it.
They are moving across the desert in North Africa and both in overall sand yellow.
The R75 has a driver and passenger on it. They both wear light tan uniforms, with short-sleeved shirts and tan cloth peaked field caps. The driver has a pair of goggles strung around his cap.
On the front of the side car there is a white large letter D with a horizontal bar across the center of it. This marking was for the 21st Panzer Division. Below it is a white tactical insignia denoting an Artillery Regiment. The BMW company logo badge is on the front of the side car’s fender. The license no. on the front of the motorcycles front fender is only partially readable. It says WH-68 ??
The Sd.Kfz. 251 shows 2 crew members looking out of its top. They are dressed the same as the men on the R75.
Their vehicle has the same white letter D with horizontal bar across its center over the white tactical mark or the artillery regiment, same as on the R75. It has a white rectangular license plate on its front with serial no. WH-683309 on it.
However these license plates numbers, on it or the R75 are not what’s on the decal sheet in the kit. The only number there for Wehrmacht is WH-748488.
Both side panels begin with a smaller color repeat or the box art, with the history of the R75 in 3 single-paragraphs on each side of the box in 6 languages, including English.
WHAT’S IN THE KIT:
ESCI was an old prolific model company based in Italy. They manufactured all manner of model subjects in the popular scales. For a time, they were also associated with Ertl in Dyersville, IA, which is 58 miles north-east of my home. I used to travel to their store and purchase ESCI model kits at their factory discount store. Ertl sold the factory to a toy company that only makes kid’s toys and no model kits.
This kit holds 5 tan trees, a steel-colored tree, a black vinyl tree, a clear tree, 2 decal sheets (accidentally a second one was packed at the factory), black rubber tires, some metal springs and a length of black rubber coated wire in clear cello bags and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a staple-bound booklet of 16 pages in 8 ½” x 11 ½” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white, very dark and inky, war-time photograph of 2 BMW R75s that is too grainy to make anything out, over the history of the R75 and IMPORTANT: READ THIS INFORMATION BEFORE STARTING instructions. The copyright of the kit as 1977, Aurora Products Corp address in West Hempstead, N.Y. and their address in Ontario, Canada and in Holland. Printing was done in the U.S.A..
Page 2 & 3 is the parts trees illustrations.
Trees are not alphabetized.
Page 4 through page 15 gives a whopping grand total of 48 assembly steps.
Page 16 is the painting and marking guide, showing a 6-view of the BMW R75, three license numbers – for the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and SS, 8 unit insignias: 21st Panzer Div., Panzer Grenadier Div. “Grossdeutschland”, 2nd Fallschirmjager Div. “Ramke”, 1st S.S. Panzer Div. “Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler”, 3rd S.S. Panzer Div. “Totenkopf”, 36th S.S. Sturm Div. “Dirlewanger”, “Guderian Korps” and “Kleist Korps”.
The Afrika Korps palm tree with swastika symbol is shown and 3 tactical markings: Artillery Regiment, Motorcycle Reconnaissance unit and Motorized Infantry Regiment.
Illustrations of the dash board instruments, tire pressure markings and other markings on the decal sheet are shown also.
The bottom of the page has a 5-view illustrationshowing where to place the various markings.
The first tan parts tree holds: the motorcycle’s gas tank, frame, fenders, shocks etc. (48 parts)
ESCI was an old prolific model company based in Italy. They manufactured all manner of model subjects in the popular scales. For a time, they were also associated with Ertl in Dyersville, IA, which is 58 miles north-east of my home. I used to travel to their store and purchase ESCI model kits at their factory discount store. Ertl sold the factory to a toy company that only makes kid’s toys and no model kits.
This kit holds 5 tan trees, a steel-colored tree, a black vinyl tree, a clear tree, 2 decal sheets (accidentally a second one was packed at the factory), black rubber tires, some metal springs and a length of black rubber coated wire in clear cello bags and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a staple-bound booklet of 16 pages in 8 ½” x 11 ½” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white, very dark and inky, war-time photograph of 2 BMW R75s that is too grainy to make anything out, over the history of the R75 and IMPORTANT: READ THIS INFORMATION BEFORE STARTING instructions. The copyright of the kit as 1977, Aurora Products Corp address in West Hempstead, N.Y. and their address in Ontario, Canada and in Holland. Printing was done in the U.S.A..
Page 2 & 3 is the parts trees illustrations.
Trees are not alphabetized.
Page 4 through page 15 gives a whopping grand total of 48 assembly steps.
Page 16 is the painting and marking guide, showing a 6-view of the BMW R75, three license numbers – for the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and SS, 8 unit insignias: 21st Panzer Div., Panzer Grenadier Div. “Grossdeutschland”, 2nd Fallschirmjager Div. “Ramke”, 1st S.S. Panzer Div. “Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler”, 3rd S.S. Panzer Div. “Totenkopf”, 36th S.S. Sturm Div. “Dirlewanger”, “Guderian Korps” and “Kleist Korps”.
The Afrika Korps palm tree with swastika symbol is shown and 3 tactical markings: Artillery Regiment, Motorcycle Reconnaissance unit and Motorized Infantry Regiment.
Illustrations of the dash board instruments, tire pressure markings and other markings on the decal sheet are shown also.
The bottom of the page has a 5-view illustrationshowing where to place the various markings.
The first tan parts tree holds: the motorcycle’s gas tank, frame, fenders, shocks etc. (48 parts)
The second tan parts tree holds: the side car parts, floor, trunk lid, machine gun etc. (52 parts)
The third tan parts tree holds: the motorcycle’s handlebars, luggage rack, head light, exhaust etc. (44 parts)
The fourth tan parts tree holds: the side car side panels, storage box parts etc. (30 parts)
The fifth tan parts tree holds the spoked wheel rims (8 parts)
There are four vinyl tires to add to the spoked wheels
The steel-colored parts tree holds the engine parts etc. (70 parts)
The black vinyl parts tree holds the seats etc. (23 parts)
The clear tree holds the light lenses (5 parts)
There is a stapled bag for the shock absorber springs and wiring.
The decal sheet for the versions mentioned above complete the kit.
There are no crew figures in the kit. A shame, because they would have really been appreciated and I know of no model company that makes 1/9th scale figures.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.