In Box Review of Scale Craft-ESCI 1/35th Scale
German Horse-Drawn Supply Wagon
Kit no, 5010
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1977
Out of production
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1977
Out of production
HISTORY:
This vehicle, with animal traction and a heritage of being a now obsolete system, with many years being the basic means of transportation for numerous supply units of German forces. It operated ceaselessly in the back lines until the end of WWII.
Widely used, particularly on the Russian Front, in the most difficult conditions, alongside modern mechanical vehicles, this “Old Cart”, always did excellent service, transporting all kind of items (munitions, food, mail etc. and often doing better than its more sophisticated mechanical antagonists, who were often held back by the disastrous road conditions and by the frequent lack of fuel.
This vehicle, with animal traction and a heritage of being a now obsolete system, with many years being the basic means of transportation for numerous supply units of German forces. It operated ceaselessly in the back lines until the end of WWII.
Widely used, particularly on the Russian Front, in the most difficult conditions, alongside modern mechanical vehicles, this “Old Cart”, always did excellent service, transporting all kind of items (munitions, food, mail etc. and often doing better than its more sophisticated mechanical antagonists, who were often held back by the disastrous road conditions and by the frequent lack of fuel.
THE KIT:
Scale Craft Models and ESCI are partners. They are old prolific manufacturers of plastic model kits in the popular scales.
Scale Craft Models is based in Northridge, California and ESCI is based in Italy.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of the horse-drawn supply wagon and 2 drivers.
The wagon is wood, with spoked wheels. It is overall Panzer- grey, with a dark-grey canvas cover, over the cargo area.
There are two horses pulling the wagon. One is predominantly black, with white fore-legs. The second one is predominantly brown, with a white forehead panel.
The scene is illustrated against an all-white background, that is covered with large black outlines of squares.
Both side panels of the box begin with ESCI’s logo, over Art. 5010, the title of the kit, 1/35th and a small color repeat of the box art.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 2 tan parts-trees, a white strip of plastic sheet (to cut up into reins) in a single sealed clear cello bag. There are no decals included in the kit.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 8 ½” x 11” size page format, folded once again to fit the box.
Page 1 begins with a black and white wartime photo of the supply-wagon, that is moving down a city street, past a burning building. It is being pulled by 4 horses. Men are riding 2 of the horses and a third man is steering the wagon.
Below is the history of the wagon in French, English and Italian.
Page 2 on through to page 6 gives a grand total of 9 assembly steps.
Step 7 is for assembly of the two figures.
The lower right hand corner of page 7 is a paint color listing in the 3 languages.
Also shown are a parka that is camouflaged, a canvas bag, 2 fuel drums, a ladder, road signs and tools.
There are no parts-trees illustrations in the instructions and the trees are not alphabetized. The trees have number tabs next to the parts on them. This is the only help to get correct parts for each assembly. Bad move Scale-Craft-ESCI !
The first tan tree holds: the floor, sides, frame, seats, canvas cargo area roof and spoked wheels etc. (33 parts)
This kit holds 2 tan parts-trees, a white strip of plastic sheet (to cut up into reins) in a single sealed clear cello bag. There are no decals included in the kit.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 8 ½” x 11” size page format, folded once again to fit the box.
Page 1 begins with a black and white wartime photo of the supply-wagon, that is moving down a city street, past a burning building. It is being pulled by 4 horses. Men are riding 2 of the horses and a third man is steering the wagon.
Below is the history of the wagon in French, English and Italian.
Page 2 on through to page 6 gives a grand total of 9 assembly steps.
Step 7 is for assembly of the two figures.
The lower right hand corner of page 7 is a paint color listing in the 3 languages.
Also shown are a parka that is camouflaged, a canvas bag, 2 fuel drums, a ladder, road signs and tools.
There are no parts-trees illustrations in the instructions and the trees are not alphabetized. The trees have number tabs next to the parts on them. This is the only help to get correct parts for each assembly. Bad move Scale-Craft-ESCI !
The first tan tree holds: the floor, sides, frame, seats, canvas cargo area roof and spoked wheels etc. (33 parts)
The second tan tree holds: 2 fuel tanks, 2 Mauser 98K carbines, the 2 seated figures (full-bodied with separate arms), wood crate, road signs, pick, shovel, ladder, bucket, 2 horses (divided into halves, ears and tails) and a ladder etc. (54 parts)
Next is the 6” x 1” white strip of plastic sheet, to cut up into reins for the horses.
Very nice detail.
Recommended.
Recommended.