In Box Review of Revell of Germany 1/35th Scale
German Staff Car “Admiral Cabriolet”
Kit no. 03099
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $35.25
The “Admiral” began to roll off the lines in Russelsheim in 1938. The vehicle
was exclusively designed and made for civilian use. In addition to the 4-door
limousine a cabrioloet was available. With this top of the range model the
manufacturer had hoped to become established at the high end of the market. The
engine, a 3.6 litre six-cylinders in-line, gave it a top speed of 132 km/h. In
October 1939, when the works changed over to essential war equipment, production
of the “Admiral” stopped. Of the total of 6,404 cars produced over 2,000 were
the “Admirals”. The German army quickly appreciated the advantages of the robust
“Admiral” and requisitioned many cars from private individuals. They were
primarily used as staff cars for generals and senior officers.
THE KIT:
The kit comes in a un-shrink-wrapped end-opening type box, the
end flaps held shut with circles of scotch tape. I am no fan of this type of
box. Parts have a nasty way of finding their way past the end flaps to be lost.
Usually this is the decal sheet or a fret of PE.
The box art shows a
“Admiral” parked at an airfield. A propaganda photographer is taking movies of
activities there behind the car. The car is overall gray with an emblem of a
white duck on the front doors and drivers side front fender. The license plate
is for the Wehrmacht: WH 256478. A JU-88 is parked in the background, another is
overflying the field along with a Stuka.
One side panel of the box has 4 full
color walk-around photos of the model made up. Next to this is a listing of the
features of the kit in 4 languages, including English:
Surface details with fine engraving, authentic reproduction of engine, bonet can
be posed open or closed, detailed chassis and suspension, detailed internal
fittings, top can be posed open or closed, filigree components, authentic decals
for 4 vehicles.
Four Revell paint colors are suggested to complete the model:
anthracite grey, mouse grey, dust grey, leather brown and silver.
The kit has
a skill level of 5. This means that it is difficult, with over 150 parts that
require a very high level of skill.
The other side panel has a one paragraph history of the vehicle in 4 languages,
including English. The copyright date is given as being 2012 and Revell of
Germany’s web site address is provided along with their street address. Next to
this it says “an unassembled plastic model kit. Paint and cement (not included)
are needed to complete the model as shown. 135th scale. Length 15.1 cm.
Pictorial, multilingual instruction sheet provides precise assembly
instructions. Kit suitable for ages 13 to adult”. These last statements are in
Dutch, English, French, Nederlandish, Svenska, Italian and Spanish.
The
back of the box shows full color box arts for 5 other kits that Revell of
Germany markets: GTK Boxer (GTFz) kit no. 03093, 8.8 cm Flak 36 kit no. 03174,
Leopard 2A6/A6M kit no. 03180, Wiesel 2 LeFlSys AFF kit no. 03094 and Wiesel 2
LeFlaSys Ozelot. A PE set is also shown for a set of fittings that go on a
German destroyer ship and a picture of Revell paints, glues and an
airbrush.
The box is blousy in length, with a 3 ½” void at one
end.
Inside is a sealed cello-bag containing 5 light tan parts trees and
one clear parts tree.
The instructions consist of an unbound booklet of
16 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
There is a single sheet that has
SAFETY ADVICE printed on both sides in 20 different languages.
The small decal sheet completes the kit’s contents. It has a tissue sheet that
is supposed to protect the decal from scratching. However, it was floating
around the box loose. I stapled it onto the decal sheet at one corner that is
blank.
There are 63 assembly steps in the instructions.
Steps 64
to 67 are illustrations for the 4 painting and marking options:
A
civilian version in gloss black with a tan canvas roof. License no. IA 350 258,
Berlin 1938 (a 3-view illustration)
A vehicle with the 23rd Infantry
Division in Africa brown matt overall with a tan canvas roof. It has white tire
pressure stencils above the tires on the fenders, a cursic letter R on the right
of the radiator and on the left rear fender. A white WH is on the right side of
the trunk lid and a tactical symbol in white is on the left side. The license
plate number is IS 202 272. (a 3-view illustration).
A vehicle with the
334th Infantry Division, Italy 1945. It is in a base coat of greenish grey matt
with large spots of sandy yellow matt and leather brown matt, with a tan canvas
roof. On the sides of the front doors is a red diagonal arrow with a white
circle outlined in black with a black palm tree in the center. This circle is
repeated on the front of the right front fender and on the left side of the
trunk. The license number is WH 125 4004. (a 4-view illustration)
A
vehicle with the KP 637 Propoganda unit. The box art subject already described
above. It has the tire pressure stencils on the fenders above the tires in
white.
Large tan letter A parts tree holds: the frame members, suspension
parts, drive train, engine parts, seats etc. (92 parts)
Large tan letter
B parts tree holds: the doors, floor, canvas roof, grill, fire wall, fenders
etc. (33 parts)
There are 2 identical small tan letter C parts trees.
These hold the tires and rim parts, the leaf springs, license plates etc. (22
parts per tree)
Small clear letter D parts tree holds the clear parts (13
parts)
Small tan letter E parts tree holds the parts for the folded
canvas roof option. (7 parts)
There are no figures included in the kit.
It would have been nice if there had of been some.
I recommend this kit
to modelers that have done a few other kits of this complexity. I do feel that
the kit is a little over-priced however.
Kit is compliments of my
wallet