In Box Review of CMK 1/35TH Scale
German Volkswagen Type 87 “Beetle” Car
Kit no. T35013
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1998
Available 4 places overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1998
Available 4 places overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
The Volkswagen Typ 87, also known as the Kommandeurswagen, was a World War II, four-wheel-drive version of the Volkswagen Beetle. It was produced from 1941 to 1944 by the Volkswagen plant, primarily for the Wehrmacht.
The Wehrmacht classified the Kommandeurswagen as leichter geländegängiger PKW, 4-sitziger, 4-radgetriebener Geländewagen Typ 87. ("light off-road passenger car, four seats, all-wheel drive off-road vehicle Type 87"). The drive-train and the engine are the same as in the Volkswagen Typ 166 Schwimmwagen amphibious vehicle.
564 units of the Kommandeurswagen were produced; in November 1946, the Volkswagen plant produced two more vehicles using parts from stores.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: Volkswagenwerk GmbH, also called Kommandeurswagen
Production: 1941-1944
Assembly: Stadt des KdF-Wagens
Designer: Ferdinand Porsche
Class: Military vehicle
Body style: 2-door saloon
Layout: Rear engine, all wheel drive
Platform: VW Typ 166 / KdF-Wagen
Related: Volkswagen Type 166 Schwimmwagen
Engine: Petrol (1131 cm3, 18 kW)
Transmission: 4+1-speed manual
Wheelbase: 2,400 mm (94.5 in)
Length: 3,830 mm (150.8 in)
Width: 1,620 mm (63.8 in)
Height: 1,720 mm (67.7 in)
The Volkswagen Typ 87, also known as the Kommandeurswagen, was a World War II, four-wheel-drive version of the Volkswagen Beetle. It was produced from 1941 to 1944 by the Volkswagen plant, primarily for the Wehrmacht.
The Wehrmacht classified the Kommandeurswagen as leichter geländegängiger PKW, 4-sitziger, 4-radgetriebener Geländewagen Typ 87. ("light off-road passenger car, four seats, all-wheel drive off-road vehicle Type 87"). The drive-train and the engine are the same as in the Volkswagen Typ 166 Schwimmwagen amphibious vehicle.
564 units of the Kommandeurswagen were produced; in November 1946, the Volkswagen plant produced two more vehicles using parts from stores.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: Volkswagenwerk GmbH, also called Kommandeurswagen
Production: 1941-1944
Assembly: Stadt des KdF-Wagens
Designer: Ferdinand Porsche
Class: Military vehicle
Body style: 2-door saloon
Layout: Rear engine, all wheel drive
Platform: VW Typ 166 / KdF-Wagen
Related: Volkswagen Type 166 Schwimmwagen
Engine: Petrol (1131 cm3, 18 kW)
Transmission: 4+1-speed manual
Wheelbase: 2,400 mm (94.5 in)
Length: 3,830 mm (150.8 in)
Width: 1,620 mm (63.8 in)
Height: 1,720 mm (67.7 in)
THE KIT:
CMK is an old prolific model company based in the Czech Republic. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in an shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows the VW moving across the North African desert. It is overall earth yellow, with a Afrika Korps white palm-tree and swastika insignia on its doors. This has been CENSORED by making the swastika a square. That is because the emblem is outlawed in countries where the kit is sold. However, the emblem is intact and shows the swastika on the kit’s decal sheet, thank goodness.
There is a white diamond, outlined in black with a black letter “R” on it (the Ramcke Div.) on the front of the left front fender. The white license plate on the front bumper has black ser. no. WH-580429 on it. In the distance there is a crashed fighter plane on fire. Its nationality cannot be determined.
Both side panels have 3 paragraphs of histories of the VW Typ 87 in Czech, English and German. Each paragraph is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language. Over the statements: Injection molded kit. Distributed by MPM Ltd. of Prague, Czech Republic.
CMK is an old prolific model company based in the Czech Republic. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in an shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows the VW moving across the North African desert. It is overall earth yellow, with a Afrika Korps white palm-tree and swastika insignia on its doors. This has been CENSORED by making the swastika a square. That is because the emblem is outlawed in countries where the kit is sold. However, the emblem is intact and shows the swastika on the kit’s decal sheet, thank goodness.
There is a white diamond, outlined in black with a black letter “R” on it (the Ramcke Div.) on the front of the left front fender. The white license plate on the front bumper has black ser. no. WH-580429 on it. In the distance there is a crashed fighter plane on fire. Its nationality cannot be determined.
Both side panels have 3 paragraphs of histories of the VW Typ 87 in Czech, English and German. Each paragraph is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language. Over the statements: Injection molded kit. Distributed by MPM Ltd. of Prague, Czech Republic.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 2 pale-gray trees, a loose pale-gray roof top part, a clear tree and the decal sheet in a sealed clear cello bag and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a unbound booklet of 6 pages n 6” x 8 ¼” page format.
Page 1 begins with a small side-view of the VW Typ 87, over the history of the “Beetle” in Czech, English, German and French.
Page 2 has the parts trees illustrations at the top, over a 2-view of the car, one lonely international assembly symbol explanation and a suggested paint color listing of Humbrol and Tamiya brands of hobby paints.
Page 3 through to page 5 gives a grand total of 8 un-numbered assembly steps, that I count.
Page 6 is a painting and marking guide, that shows a 4-view of the VW Typ 87 in the box art scheme (already described above).
No unit is said for it. But the diamond insignia is the Ramcke Div.
The trees are not alphabetized and have no part number tabs next to the parts on them. Parts are numbered in the assembly steps, which is pretty much worthless. Careful-study of the assembly steps will have to be done to get the right parts for each assembly. A lot of extra work. Bad move CMK !
The large light-gray tree holds: the chassis with fenders attached, seats, steering wheel, bumpers, axles, etc. (49 parts)
This kit holds 2 pale-gray trees, a loose pale-gray roof top part, a clear tree and the decal sheet in a sealed clear cello bag and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a unbound booklet of 6 pages n 6” x 8 ¼” page format.
Page 1 begins with a small side-view of the VW Typ 87, over the history of the “Beetle” in Czech, English, German and French.
Page 2 has the parts trees illustrations at the top, over a 2-view of the car, one lonely international assembly symbol explanation and a suggested paint color listing of Humbrol and Tamiya brands of hobby paints.
Page 3 through to page 5 gives a grand total of 8 un-numbered assembly steps, that I count.
Page 6 is a painting and marking guide, that shows a 4-view of the VW Typ 87 in the box art scheme (already described above).
No unit is said for it. But the diamond insignia is the Ramcke Div.
The trees are not alphabetized and have no part number tabs next to the parts on them. Parts are numbered in the assembly steps, which is pretty much worthless. Careful-study of the assembly steps will have to be done to get the right parts for each assembly. A lot of extra work. Bad move CMK !
The large light-gray tree holds: the chassis with fenders attached, seats, steering wheel, bumpers, axles, etc. (49 parts)
The small light-gray tree holds: wheels, canvas roof skylight cover, MG42 etc. (17 parts)
The single light-gray hull top is next.
The clear tree holds windows and headlight lenses (13 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit.
There is no driver figure included. The doors are molded solid. I would have preferred to have gotten them separate to pose them open preferably.
Otherwise highly recommended.