In Box Review of CMK 1/35th Scale
Volkswagen Type 83 /Kastenwagen/
Kit no T35018
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1999
Out of production
Available from one individual in the U.S.A. on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1999
Out of production
Available from one individual in the U.S.A. on the web.
HISTORY:
When in 1938 the war was drawing near. Ferdinand Porsche was compelled to pay attention to the development of military versions of his originally developed “Volkswagen” (People’s Car), which became known as KdF-Wagen (Kraft durch Freude-Powered by Pleasure).
One of the results of this activity was the Type 82E. This car had a standard body of a sedan type, built on an off-road chassis of the Type 82 Kubelwagen model. The outcome was the increase of the car’s clearance height, this improving its off-the-road riding qualities.
Therefore, it became for the German Wehrmacht useful on all battlefields of WWII. In 1941, a version with all-wheel drive dominated Type 877 Kommandeurwagen (for simplicity incorrectly designated as Type 87) was derived. Only a few pieces were however built.
The Volkswagen cars were manufactured and used not only during the whole of WWII, but also a long time after the ending. They became also a base for various reconstructions and modifications. At the petrol shortage in Germany towards the end of the war, cars utilizing an alternative fuel - wood gas arissed.
By a simple modification of the car’s rear part also, a delivery van with large freight holding arised. These vehicles were used also as ambulance cars. This version being designated Type 86. Even the German post used these cars. This modification carried the designation Type 83.
Reduced models of both versions are patterns of this kit.
When in 1938 the war was drawing near. Ferdinand Porsche was compelled to pay attention to the development of military versions of his originally developed “Volkswagen” (People’s Car), which became known as KdF-Wagen (Kraft durch Freude-Powered by Pleasure).
One of the results of this activity was the Type 82E. This car had a standard body of a sedan type, built on an off-road chassis of the Type 82 Kubelwagen model. The outcome was the increase of the car’s clearance height, this improving its off-the-road riding qualities.
Therefore, it became for the German Wehrmacht useful on all battlefields of WWII. In 1941, a version with all-wheel drive dominated Type 877 Kommandeurwagen (for simplicity incorrectly designated as Type 87) was derived. Only a few pieces were however built.
The Volkswagen cars were manufactured and used not only during the whole of WWII, but also a long time after the ending. They became also a base for various reconstructions and modifications. At the petrol shortage in Germany towards the end of the war, cars utilizing an alternative fuel - wood gas arissed.
By a simple modification of the car’s rear part also, a delivery van with large freight holding arised. These vehicles were used also as ambulance cars. This version being designated Type 86. Even the German post used these cars. This modification carried the designation Type 83.
Reduced models of both versions are patterns of this kit.
THE KIT:
CMK is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a 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 of the kit to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Type 83 ambulance, that is on a grassy airfield, with rain puddles. Parked nearby are two German Me-110 night fighters They are in two shades of grey and both have Fug 220 radar antennas on their noses. (aircraft not included in the kit)
The ambulance is in a camouflage of a base of sand-yellow, with large dark-green spots. It has a white circle with a red cross on it on all four sides of the cabin and atop the cabin’s roof, white license plate with black no. WL-227209 on the front bumper and rear.
The side panels of the box are both the same. They show one-paragraph histories of the car in Czech, English and German. Each language is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
Over the address for MPM in Prague, Czech Republic, who distributes the kit.
CMK is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a 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 of the kit to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Type 83 ambulance, that is on a grassy airfield, with rain puddles. Parked nearby are two German Me-110 night fighters They are in two shades of grey and both have Fug 220 radar antennas on their noses. (aircraft not included in the kit)
The ambulance is in a camouflage of a base of sand-yellow, with large dark-green spots. It has a white circle with a red cross on it on all four sides of the cabin and atop the cabin’s roof, white license plate with black no. WL-227209 on the front bumper and rear.
The side panels of the box are both the same. They show one-paragraph histories of the car in Czech, English and German. Each language is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
Over the address for MPM in Prague, Czech Republic, who distributes the kit.
The box holds two pale-grey trees, a loose pale-grey cab top parts, a clear trees and the decal sheet, in one sealed clear cello bag.
The instructions consist of an unbound booklet of 6 pages in 7” x 10 ¼” page format.
Page 1 begins with a side-view of the Volkswagen, over one-paragraph histories of the car in Czech, English, German and French.
Page 2 begins with the parts-trees illustrations. Followed by international assembly symbol explanations and a listing of Humbrol and Tamiya brands of hobby paints.
The bottom of page 3 on through to page 5 gives a grand total of 7 assembly steps.
Page 6 is a painting and marking guide, that shows two 4-view profiles.
The top one Is the box art scheme (already described above).
The second one is of the Type 83 mobile post office. It is overall Panzer-grey, with a yellow REICHSPOST on the sides of the caben. White license plate with black no. IA-105256 on the front bumper and rear.
Trees are not alphabetized.
One pale-grey tree holds the chassis, interior side panels, wheels, seats, etc. (44 parts). 5 parts are X’d out in the parts-trees illustrations as being excess and not needed to complete the model.
The instructions consist of an unbound booklet of 6 pages in 7” x 10 ¼” page format.
Page 1 begins with a side-view of the Volkswagen, over one-paragraph histories of the car in Czech, English, German and French.
Page 2 begins with the parts-trees illustrations. Followed by international assembly symbol explanations and a listing of Humbrol and Tamiya brands of hobby paints.
The bottom of page 3 on through to page 5 gives a grand total of 7 assembly steps.
Page 6 is a painting and marking guide, that shows two 4-view profiles.
The top one Is the box art scheme (already described above).
The second one is of the Type 83 mobile post office. It is overall Panzer-grey, with a yellow REICHSPOST on the sides of the caben. White license plate with black no. IA-105256 on the front bumper and rear.
Trees are not alphabetized.
One pale-grey tree holds the chassis, interior side panels, wheels, seats, etc. (44 parts). 5 parts are X’d out in the parts-trees illustrations as being excess and not needed to complete the model.
The second pale-grey tree holds the parts of the cabin (9 parts) One part is excess.
The clear tree holds the windows and headlight lenses (13 parts) Four parts are excess.
The decal sheet has the two options for the kit and this completes the kit contents.
There are no figures included in the kit. It should have included a driver and perhaps some medics and also maybe stretchers for the ambulance version and interior details for the post version.
Otherwise recommended. Very nice detail so far.
Otherwise recommended. Very nice detail so far.