In Box Review of Tamiya 1/35th Scale
U.S. Jeep ¼ Ton 4 x 4 Truck Willys MB
Kit no. 35115
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: 11.00 Euros or $12.31 U.S.
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: 11.00 Euros or $12.31 U.S.
HISTORY:
The Willys MB (commonly known as a Jeep, formally as the U.S. Army Truck, 1/4 ton, 4x4) is a four-wheel drive utility vehicle that was manufactured during World War II. Produced from 1941 to 1945, it evolved post-war into the civilian Jeep CJ-2A, and inspired both an entire category of recreational 4WDs and several generations of military light utility vehicles.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type
1⁄4 short ton (0.22 long tons; 0.23 t)[1]4x4 utility truck
Place of origin
United States
Production history
Manufacturer
· Willys-Overland (MB)
· Ford (GPW)
Number built
· MB: 359,489
· GPW: 277,896
Specifications (MB and GPW same[3])
Weight
2,453 lb (1,113 kg) empty
Length
132 1⁄4 in (3.36 m)
Width
62 in (1.57 m)
Height
69 3⁄4 in (1.77 m)[2]
Engine
Willys Go Devil engine
Transmission
3 spd. x 2 range trf. case
Suspension
Live axles on leaf springs
Fuel capacity
15 US gal (12.5 imp gal; 56.8 L)
Operational
range
300 mi (482.8 km)
Speed
65 mph (105 km/h)
The Willys MB (commonly known as a Jeep, formally as the U.S. Army Truck, 1/4 ton, 4x4) is a four-wheel drive utility vehicle that was manufactured during World War II. Produced from 1941 to 1945, it evolved post-war into the civilian Jeep CJ-2A, and inspired both an entire category of recreational 4WDs and several generations of military light utility vehicles.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type
1⁄4 short ton (0.22 long tons; 0.23 t)[1]4x4 utility truck
Place of origin
United States
Production history
Manufacturer
· Willys-Overland (MB)
· Ford (GPW)
Number built
· MB: 359,489
· GPW: 277,896
Specifications (MB and GPW same[3])
Weight
2,453 lb (1,113 kg) empty
Length
132 1⁄4 in (3.36 m)
Width
62 in (1.57 m)
Height
69 3⁄4 in (1.77 m)[2]
Engine
Willys Go Devil engine
Transmission
3 spd. x 2 range trf. case
Suspension
Live axles on leaf springs
Fuel capacity
15 US gal (12.5 imp gal; 56.8 L)
Operational
range
300 mi (482.8 km)
Speed
65 mph (105 km/h)
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an older prolific model company based in Shizuoka City, Japan. They make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. The box art shows a Willys jeep pulling a 2-wheeled trailer with 3 men aboard and another man standing to the side.
The truck and trailer are both in overall olive-drab. The white serial number 343230 is on the sides of the hood. A white triangle, 13, triangle are on the left side of the front bumper and a white B1 is on the right side. A white star in a circle is on the extreme rear of the body sides.
One side panel has a small color repeat of the box art, followed by the history of the jeep in Japanese and a color side profile illustration of the truck with trailer.
The other side panel has color box arts of 4 other AFV kits that Tamiya markets:
A U.S. Walker “Bulldog” Tank
A U.S. M3A3E8 “Sherman” Tank
A U.S. M60A1 Medium Tank
A U.S. M42 “Duster” A.A. Gun
No kit numbers are given for these 4. The box arts show color scenery backgrounds. Not Tamiya’s usual all white. MADE IN JAPAN is said here.
Tamiya is an older prolific model company based in Shizuoka City, Japan. They make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. The box art shows a Willys jeep pulling a 2-wheeled trailer with 3 men aboard and another man standing to the side.
The truck and trailer are both in overall olive-drab. The white serial number 343230 is on the sides of the hood. A white triangle, 13, triangle are on the left side of the front bumper and a white B1 is on the right side. A white star in a circle is on the extreme rear of the body sides.
One side panel has a small color repeat of the box art, followed by the history of the jeep in Japanese and a color side profile illustration of the truck with trailer.
The other side panel has color box arts of 4 other AFV kits that Tamiya markets:
A U.S. Walker “Bulldog” Tank
A U.S. M3A3E8 “Sherman” Tank
A U.S. M60A1 Medium Tank
A U.S. M42 “Duster” A.A. Gun
No kit numbers are given for these 4. The box arts show color scenery backgrounds. Not Tamiya’s usual all white. MADE IN JAPAN is said here.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 3 dark Panzer gray parts trees in 2 stapled-shut cello bags, a clear tree, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 10 ¼” x 7 ½” page format.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, followed by the history of the jeep in Japanese and 3 illustrations of variants of the jeep.
Page 2 has the parts trees illustrations, with each part named in Japanese.
Page 3 through 6 give a grand total of 11 assembly steps.
Page 7 has the painting and decal application instructions. There are three 3-views and one 5-view illustrations. Three are for military police vehicles and one is for a medical vehicle with red cross markings. The text here is all Japanese, so I cannot say what units these marks are for. Wish things had of been in English.
Dark Panzer gray letter A tree holds: the two-wheeled trailer parts, the jeep’s canvas top, Jerry cans, field phone wire reels, a 50 cal machine gun with it’s pedestal mount and bipod, leaf springs, levers, a bazooka etc. (57 parts)
This kit contains 3 dark Panzer gray parts trees in 2 stapled-shut cello bags, a clear tree, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 10 ¼” x 7 ½” page format.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, followed by the history of the jeep in Japanese and 3 illustrations of variants of the jeep.
Page 2 has the parts trees illustrations, with each part named in Japanese.
Page 3 through 6 give a grand total of 11 assembly steps.
Page 7 has the painting and decal application instructions. There are three 3-views and one 5-view illustrations. Three are for military police vehicles and one is for a medical vehicle with red cross markings. The text here is all Japanese, so I cannot say what units these marks are for. Wish things had of been in English.
Dark Panzer gray letter A tree holds: the two-wheeled trailer parts, the jeep’s canvas top, Jerry cans, field phone wire reels, a 50 cal machine gun with it’s pedestal mount and bipod, leaf springs, levers, a bazooka etc. (57 parts)
Dark Panzer gray letter B tree holds: the jeep’s frame, axles, windshield frame, side panels, seats, leaf springs, hood, floor, tools etc. (35 parts)
Dark Panzer gray letter C tree holds: wheel parts and the grill etc. (19 parts)
An un-alphabetized dark Panzer gray tree holds: the parts of the figures, 2 bayonets in scabbards, a Thompson machine gun, 2 rifles, 4 steel helmets, 2 canteens, 2 pistols in holsters etc. (32 parts)
The clear tree holds the windshield pane and headlight lenses (3 parts)
The decal sheet and the instructions complete the kit’s contents.
Some string, to wrap around the field telephone wire spools would have been nice to have included. I will have to find some string for that.
Some string, to wrap around the field telephone wire spools would have been nice to have included. I will have to find some string for that.
This is a very nicely detailed kit. The copyright date is 1972 and the kit is still around places on the net.
My kit was courtesy of my wallet at my local hobby shop back in the 70’s.