In Box Review of Revell/Italeri 1/35th Scale
Soviet Katyusha BM-13 Rocket-Launcher Truck
With 3 Man Crew & Field Gear
Kit no. H-2115
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION ($5.13 years ago)
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION ($5.13 years ago)
HISTORY:
Revell and Italerei are both older prolific model companies. Both make all manner of model kits in the popular scales. Revell is based in both the U.S. and Germany and Italerei is based in Italy. Since this kit came out Italerei is now spelled Italeri. They have dropped the second E. This was the first time I ever saw a cooperation of these two companies on a kit.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color photo of a diorama scene made up with the kit of a Katyusha BM-13 parked in a snow-covered field with 3 crewmen standing beside it. One crewman is waving 2 signal flags. The second one is reading a map and the third guy is with his back to us.
The BM-13 is overall Soviet dark green with an Order of the Red Banner logo on the cab doors, white wall tires and white edges on the fenders. However, to my knowledge that logo on the doors and white fender edges and white walls were only used when the truck was on parade. Not used in combat. However, if I’m wrong about this please correct me.
Two small color photos to the right on the box art show the model made up in the Russian scheme and one in a Polish scheme.
One side panel of the box has 5 color walk-around type photos of the model made up in the box art scheme. Below them is a list of the kits features: 10 rotating wheels and flexible tires with tread design, highly detailed 6-wheel drive undercarriage with gear boxes, drive shafts and U-joints, detailed interior with optional position doors, clear windows and headlight lenses, highly detailed M-13 launcher elevates and traverses.
The other side panel begins with the history of the BM-13, followed by 3 more color walk-around photos of the kit made up, showing the rocket launcher at the rear of the truck, the 3 crewmen and the cab doors.
The caption under the launcher says “sixteen 132 mm Katyusha artillery rockets.
The cation under the crew figures says “officer and enlisted men figures with field gear.
The caption under the door says “authentic Guard’s Regiment Katyusha launching truck or Polish Katyusha truck.
Kit was made and printing was done in U.S. Revell’s address in Venice, Ca is shown.
Revell and Italerei are both older prolific model companies. Both make all manner of model kits in the popular scales. Revell is based in both the U.S. and Germany and Italerei is based in Italy. Since this kit came out Italerei is now spelled Italeri. They have dropped the second E. This was the first time I ever saw a cooperation of these two companies on a kit.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color photo of a diorama scene made up with the kit of a Katyusha BM-13 parked in a snow-covered field with 3 crewmen standing beside it. One crewman is waving 2 signal flags. The second one is reading a map and the third guy is with his back to us.
The BM-13 is overall Soviet dark green with an Order of the Red Banner logo on the cab doors, white wall tires and white edges on the fenders. However, to my knowledge that logo on the doors and white fender edges and white walls were only used when the truck was on parade. Not used in combat. However, if I’m wrong about this please correct me.
Two small color photos to the right on the box art show the model made up in the Russian scheme and one in a Polish scheme.
One side panel of the box has 5 color walk-around type photos of the model made up in the box art scheme. Below them is a list of the kits features: 10 rotating wheels and flexible tires with tread design, highly detailed 6-wheel drive undercarriage with gear boxes, drive shafts and U-joints, detailed interior with optional position doors, clear windows and headlight lenses, highly detailed M-13 launcher elevates and traverses.
The other side panel begins with the history of the BM-13, followed by 3 more color walk-around photos of the kit made up, showing the rocket launcher at the rear of the truck, the 3 crewmen and the cab doors.
The caption under the launcher says “sixteen 132 mm Katyusha artillery rockets.
The cation under the crew figures says “officer and enlisted men figures with field gear.
The caption under the door says “authentic Guard’s Regiment Katyusha launching truck or Polish Katyusha truck.
Kit was made and printing was done in U.S. Revell’s address in Venice, Ca is shown.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 3 large dark olive-drab trees of parts, a clear tree, 12 black vinyl tires, the decal sheet and the instructions. Parts are all loose and not in cello bags.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 9” x 11 ½” page format, printed in blue ink.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with the history of the BM-13 in English, followed by BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions, HELPFUL HINTS and a suggested color listing.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations. It warns us here that the trees are not numbered, so to use the numbered illustrations. Bad move.
Page 3 to the top of page 12 give a total of 18 assembly steps.
No. 18 being for the figures assembly and painting.
The bottom of page 12 has two 3-views for the Russian and Polish schemes.
The Russian scheme has been mostly described above. However, the 3-view says that the rockets should have grey noses on them.
The Polish scheme is overall khaki with a white serial no. U-821-124 on the cab doors and this number repeated on the left rear fender on a black rectangle and with a white eagle on it also.
The first large olive-drab parts tree holds: the cab shell, leaf springs, exhaust, steering wheel, suspension parts, seats, frame sides, radiator, cab doors etc. (107 parts)
The second large olive-drab parts tree holds: wheels, figures, rifles, helmets, cab floor, more suspension parts etc. (88 parts)
The ten vinyl tires that are to be added to the wheels above.
The third large olive-drab parts tree holds: the rocket launcher and rockets (112 parts)
The clear tree is next. It holds window panes and headlight lenses (7 parts)
The small decal sheet completes the kits contents.
I have started to build this kit and only have gotten as far as the chassis, axles and the exhaust pipe. A long way to go yet. Lot of parts in that launcher.
This is neat salty looking truck. Highly recommended.
I purchased my kit years ago at my local hobby shop.