In Box Review of Italeri 1/24th Scale
German Opel Blitz Truck
Kit no. 773
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1985
Available from one individual over seas.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1985
Available from one individual over seas.
HISTORY:
Opel Blitz (German for "lightning") was the name given to various light and middle-weight truck series built by the German Opel automobile manufacturer between 1930 and 1975.
The original logo for this truck, two stripes arranged loosely like a lightning symbol in the form of a horizontally stretched letter "Z", still appears in the current Opel logo.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: Opel
Production: 1930–1975
Assembly: Rüsselsheim, Opelwerk Brandenburg, Mercedes-Benz Mannheim Blitz 3.6 until 1944
Body and chassis Class: light/medium truck, light commercial vehicle
Body style: Van, Pickup truck, Minibus
Successor: Bedford Blitz (van/minibus), Bedford KB (pickup)
Opel Blitz (German for "lightning") was the name given to various light and middle-weight truck series built by the German Opel automobile manufacturer between 1930 and 1975.
The original logo for this truck, two stripes arranged loosely like a lightning symbol in the form of a horizontally stretched letter "Z", still appears in the current Opel logo.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: Opel
Production: 1930–1975
Assembly: Rüsselsheim, Opelwerk Brandenburg, Mercedes-Benz Mannheim Blitz 3.6 until 1944
Body and chassis Class: light/medium truck, light commercial vehicle
Body style: Van, Pickup truck, Minibus
Successor: Bedford Blitz (van/minibus), Bedford KB (pickup)
THE KIT:
Italeri is an old prolific model company based in Italy. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Blitz parked on a road. It is overall bright red, with a white circle on the cab doors, with black Esso Standard Oil Co. on it, over white Jos Kang-Schwang, Tel. 335. The white license plate on the front bumper is black IT-71048.
One side panel of the box has one-paragraph histories of the Blitz in 8 languages, including English. Each labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks that language.
Italeri is an old prolific model company based in Italy. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Blitz parked on a road. It is overall bright red, with a white circle on the cab doors, with black Esso Standard Oil Co. on it, over white Jos Kang-Schwang, Tel. 335. The white license plate on the front bumper is black IT-71048.
One side panel of the box has one-paragraph histories of the Blitz in 8 languages, including English. Each labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks that language.
The other side panel continues with 2 more one-paragraph histories of the Blitz in Japanese and Chinese, followed by a color illustration of a Jeep kit that Italeri also makes. The address of the importer of Italeri kits in Helsinki is given. Kit was made in Italy and Italeri's address there is provided.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 2 jet-black trees, a red tree, a tan tree, a clear tree the decal sheet and the instructions. Trees are not cello bagged. They are alphabetized and illustrated in the instructions.
The tan tree D holds: the cargo bed walls, floor and supports, tow hooks, a chest, and cab roof triangular shaped light etc. (28 parts)
The kit contains 2 jet-black trees, a red tree, a tan tree, a clear tree the decal sheet and the instructions. Trees are not cello bagged. They are alphabetized and illustrated in the instructions.
The tan tree D holds: the cargo bed walls, floor and supports, tow hooks, a chest, and cab roof triangular shaped light etc. (28 parts)
The red tree A holds: cab parts, grill, dashboard, wheel rims (22 parts)
The first jet-black tree A holds: the frame members, seats, axles, head lights, radiator, engine parts, steering wheel, leaf springs, exhaust pipe, drive shaft, tow hooks, fenders, fan belt and fan etc. (64 parts)
The second jet-black tree C holds the tires (14 parts)
The clear tree E holds the cab windows and headlight lenses. (7 parts) There is one large headlight lens on this tree that is not shown anywhere in the instructions.
The decal sheet and instructions complete the kits contents.
I also have a set of Microscale German tactical markings and numbers.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 13" x 7" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of the Blitz made up in the box art scheme, over it's history in 8 languages, including English.
Page 2 begins with ATTENTION about this kit in 10 languages, including English, over the parts trees illustrations.
Page 3 through 8 give a total of 10 assembly steps, with a 3-view line drawing of the Blitz across the bottom of pages 7 and 8 and decal application instructions on top of page 8.
The decal sheet completes the kits contents. It has a tissue provided to protect it's face from being scratched. However, it was floating around loose, so I stapled it to the decal sheet.
There are new crew figures provided in the kit.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of the Blitz made up in the box art scheme, over it's history in 8 languages, including English.
Page 2 begins with ATTENTION about this kit in 10 languages, including English, over the parts trees illustrations.
Page 3 through 8 give a total of 10 assembly steps, with a 3-view line drawing of the Blitz across the bottom of pages 7 and 8 and decal application instructions on top of page 8.
The decal sheet completes the kits contents. It has a tissue provided to protect it's face from being scratched. However, it was floating around loose, so I stapled it to the decal sheet.
There are new crew figures provided in the kit.
I'm adding a set of my company's (Armor Research) set no. 2003 of white metal German 1/24th scale 88 mm ammo rounds for a cargo load.
I'm also adding 3 sets of Curbside Dioramics brand white-metal tools and one set of Detail Associates brand white-metal tools, also in 1/24th scale.
Finally, a set no. 45208 in 1/24th scale plastic by Preiser Brand of a concrete mixer and tools is being added to the kit.
Curbside Dioramics set no. RDA-2401 holds: a tool box and its lid, vice grips, 2 lug wrenches, 2 hammers, 3 screw-drivers, a file, 4 open-ended wrenches, a socket wrench and 5 closed-ended wrenches.
Curbside Dioramics set no. RDA-2404 holds: 2 open-ended wrenches and 5 closed-ended wrenches.
Curbside Dioramics set no. RDA-2405 holds: vice grips, pliers, channel locks.
Detail Associates set no. 5001 holds: an anvil, 4 hammers and tongs.
The Prieser Model II set Art. Nr. 45208 of plastic parts holds: a cement mixer, barrier tape support poles, a bucket, wood planks, sand bags, a push broom, shovel, pitch fork, ax, pry bar and pick. There is a sheet of barrier signs in the kit also.
No figures are provided in this kit, although the box art shows 3 guys. The box bottom has warning signs on it to cut out with a scissors that have warnings on them in German.
All products highly recommended.