In Box Review of Testors/Italeri 1/35th Scale
German Kubelwagen
Kit no. 822
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: 10.00 to 10.95 Euro in the 1994 re-boxing depending on where you shop overseas.
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: 10.00 to 10.95 Euro in the 1994 re-boxing depending on where you shop overseas.
HISTORY:
The Volkswagen Kübelwagen (literally, "bucket car", previously mostly used for rail, industrial or agricultural hopper cars) was a light military vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche and built by Volkswagen during World War II for use by the German military (both Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS). Based heavily on the Volkswagen Beetle, it was prototyped as the Type 62, but eventually became known internally as the Type 82.
Kübelwagen is an abbreviation of Kübelsitzwagen, meaning "bucket-seat car" because all German light military vehicles that had no doors were fitted with bucket seats to prevent passengers from falling out. The first VW test vehicles had no doors and were therefore fitted with bucket seats, so acquiring the name VW Kübelsitzwagen that was later shortened to Kübelwagen. Mercedes, Opel and Tatra also built Kübel(sitz)wagens.
With its rolling chassis and mechanics built at Stadt des KdF-Wagens (renamed Wolfsburg after 1945), and its body built by US-owned firm Ambi Budd Presswerke in Berlin, the Kübelwagen was for the Germans what the Jeep and GAZ-67 were for the Allies.
SPECIFICATIONS:
VW type 82 "Kübelwagen"
Manufacturer Volkswagenwerk GmbH
Also called Safari, "Bucket/Tub Car"
Production 50,435 (1940–45)
Assembly Stadt des KDF-Wagens, today Wolfsburg
Designer Ferdinand Porsche
Body and chassis
Class Military vehicle
Body style 4-door utility roadster
Layout RR layout
Platform VW Type 1 Kdf-Wagen
Related VW 166 Schwimmwagen
VW 276 Schlepperfahrzeug
Powertrain
Engine air-cooled flat-4,
985 cc (23.5 bhp (17.5 kW))/
1,131 cc (25 bhp (19 kW))
Transmission 4-speed manual;
self-locking differential
Dimensions
Wheelbase 240 cm (94 in)
Length 374 cm (147 in)
Width 160 cm (63 in)
Height 165 cm (65 in) (top up);
111 cm (44 in) collapsible
Curb weight 715 kg (1,576 lb) (GVW 1,160 kg)
Chronology
Predecessor Volkswagen Schwimmwagen
Successor Volkswagen 181/Kurierwagen/Thing/Trekker
Italeri is an older prolific model company based in Italy. Testors is based in Morton Grove, Illinois U.S.A. and was the importer of Italeri kits at one time.
The Volkswagen Kübelwagen (literally, "bucket car", previously mostly used for rail, industrial or agricultural hopper cars) was a light military vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche and built by Volkswagen during World War II for use by the German military (both Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS). Based heavily on the Volkswagen Beetle, it was prototyped as the Type 62, but eventually became known internally as the Type 82.
Kübelwagen is an abbreviation of Kübelsitzwagen, meaning "bucket-seat car" because all German light military vehicles that had no doors were fitted with bucket seats to prevent passengers from falling out. The first VW test vehicles had no doors and were therefore fitted with bucket seats, so acquiring the name VW Kübelsitzwagen that was later shortened to Kübelwagen. Mercedes, Opel and Tatra also built Kübel(sitz)wagens.
With its rolling chassis and mechanics built at Stadt des KdF-Wagens (renamed Wolfsburg after 1945), and its body built by US-owned firm Ambi Budd Presswerke in Berlin, the Kübelwagen was for the Germans what the Jeep and GAZ-67 were for the Allies.
SPECIFICATIONS:
VW type 82 "Kübelwagen"
Manufacturer Volkswagenwerk GmbH
Also called Safari, "Bucket/Tub Car"
Production 50,435 (1940–45)
Assembly Stadt des KDF-Wagens, today Wolfsburg
Designer Ferdinand Porsche
Body and chassis
Class Military vehicle
Body style 4-door utility roadster
Layout RR layout
Platform VW Type 1 Kdf-Wagen
Related VW 166 Schwimmwagen
VW 276 Schlepperfahrzeug
Powertrain
Engine air-cooled flat-4,
985 cc (23.5 bhp (17.5 kW))/
1,131 cc (25 bhp (19 kW))
Transmission 4-speed manual;
self-locking differential
Dimensions
Wheelbase 240 cm (94 in)
Length 374 cm (147 in)
Width 160 cm (63 in)
Height 165 cm (65 in) (top up);
111 cm (44 in) collapsible
Curb weight 715 kg (1,576 lb) (GVW 1,160 kg)
Chronology
Predecessor Volkswagen Schwimmwagen
Successor Volkswagen 181/Kurierwagen/Thing/Trekker
Italeri is an older prolific model company based in Italy. Testors is based in Morton Grove, Illinois U.S.A. and was the importer of Italeri kits at one time.
THE KIT:
This kit comes in an end-opening type box with a slide-out tray inside. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts and especially the decal sheet will find their way past the end-flaps to become lost in the shag-rug where the plastic eating monster lives. However, Testors tray cures this problem.
The box art is a color photo of all the items in the kit made up and posed on top of a modeler's work bench.
The bottom of the box has 4 color walk-around photos of the model made up. The building of the Kubelwagen is credited to Steve Trompeter and the figures credited to Mike Good.
This kit comes in an end-opening type box with a slide-out tray inside. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts and especially the decal sheet will find their way past the end-flaps to become lost in the shag-rug where the plastic eating monster lives. However, Testors tray cures this problem.
The box art is a color photo of all the items in the kit made up and posed on top of a modeler's work bench.
The bottom of the box has 4 color walk-around photos of the model made up. The building of the Kubelwagen is credited to Steve Trompeter and the figures credited to Mike Good.
The kit was printed in the U.S.A. and made in Italy. The copyright of the kit is given as 1979 and Testors street address in Rockford, Ill is shown.
Model kit features listed here are:
Over 80 detailed pieces will provide hours of modeling fun. Wheels rotate and the car can be built with the optional canvas top. Decals for 3 different units are included. A tent, 2 figures (one is Rommel), a radio and table, pick, shovel and a machine gun will allow you to construct an exciting diorama. A complete instruction manual includes professional modeling tips on weathering and figure painting.
One side panel lists Testors glue, paints, tools, paint brushes and tape suggested to use to complete the kit.
The othe side panel has the history of the Kubelwagen.
Model kit features listed here are:
Over 80 detailed pieces will provide hours of modeling fun. Wheels rotate and the car can be built with the optional canvas top. Decals for 3 different units are included. A tent, 2 figures (one is Rommel), a radio and table, pick, shovel and a machine gun will allow you to construct an exciting diorama. A complete instruction manual includes professional modeling tips on weathering and figure painting.
One side panel lists Testors glue, paints, tools, paint brushes and tape suggested to use to complete the kit.
The othe side panel has the history of the Kubelwagen.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The slide-out tray holds 2 Panzer-grey parts trees and a clear tree in a sealed cello bag. The decal sheet, instructions and a small accordion-foleded sheet that is a color catalog of aircraft kits, tools, paint and cement that Testors markets completes the kit's contents.
The instructions consist of an un-bound booklet of 8 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format, folded in the center to fit the box.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white photo of the model made up, followed by the history of the Kubelwagen, BEFORE STARTING, PREPERATION OF PARTS, PAINTING and DETAIL PAINTING instructions.
Page 2 through 5 give a grand total of 6 assembly steps.
Step 6 is assembly of the figures.
Each assembly has text telling you how to proceed step by step.
The bottom of page 5 has a service request coupon.
Page 6 also has a long instructions for figure painting and weathering tips.
Page 7 has the decal application instructions and 3 schemes. One is a 3-view and the other two are 2-views.
1. The Kubelwagen of the commanding officer "Panzer Army Afrika" (Field Marshal Rommel), Libya, December 1942. It is in overall earth-yellow with a unit logo on the front and back and license number WH-816129.
2. A Kubelwagen with Headquarters 284th Grenadier Regiment, 96th Infantry Division (Motorized), North Ukraine, USSR, September 1944. It is in overall Panzer-grey, with tactical marks and unit logo on front and back and license plate number WH-161002.
3. A Kubelwagen with Headquarters 11th SS "Freiwillingen" Panzer Grenadier Division ("Nordland" -Scandinavian volunteers), Berlin, March 1945. It is in overall German dark-green, with a tactical mark and unit logo on the front and back and license number SS-209314.
Page 8 has the parts trees illustrations.
The parts trees are labeled with geometric symbols (square, star and circle) rather than being alphabetized like in most model kits.
The Panzer-grey colored star tree holds: the figures, a table, wheels, tools, the Kubelwagen's canvas roof, seats, hood and floor (39 parts)
The slide-out tray holds 2 Panzer-grey parts trees and a clear tree in a sealed cello bag. The decal sheet, instructions and a small accordion-foleded sheet that is a color catalog of aircraft kits, tools, paint and cement that Testors markets completes the kit's contents.
The instructions consist of an un-bound booklet of 8 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format, folded in the center to fit the box.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white photo of the model made up, followed by the history of the Kubelwagen, BEFORE STARTING, PREPERATION OF PARTS, PAINTING and DETAIL PAINTING instructions.
Page 2 through 5 give a grand total of 6 assembly steps.
Step 6 is assembly of the figures.
Each assembly has text telling you how to proceed step by step.
The bottom of page 5 has a service request coupon.
Page 6 also has a long instructions for figure painting and weathering tips.
Page 7 has the decal application instructions and 3 schemes. One is a 3-view and the other two are 2-views.
1. The Kubelwagen of the commanding officer "Panzer Army Afrika" (Field Marshal Rommel), Libya, December 1942. It is in overall earth-yellow with a unit logo on the front and back and license number WH-816129.
2. A Kubelwagen with Headquarters 284th Grenadier Regiment, 96th Infantry Division (Motorized), North Ukraine, USSR, September 1944. It is in overall Panzer-grey, with tactical marks and unit logo on front and back and license plate number WH-161002.
3. A Kubelwagen with Headquarters 11th SS "Freiwillingen" Panzer Grenadier Division ("Nordland" -Scandinavian volunteers), Berlin, March 1945. It is in overall German dark-green, with a tactical mark and unit logo on the front and back and license number SS-209314.
Page 8 has the parts trees illustrations.
The parts trees are labeled with geometric symbols (square, star and circle) rather than being alphabetized like in most model kits.
The Panzer-grey colored star tree holds: the figures, a table, wheels, tools, the Kubelwagen's canvas roof, seats, hood and floor (39 parts)
The Panzer-grey colored circle tree holds: the Kubelwagen's side panels, floor, steering wheel, notek lamp, pith helmet, tent sections, MP40 machine pistol, pair of binoculars etc. (35 parts)
The clear square tree holds the Kubelwagen's windows and headlight lenses (4 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit's contents
This is a neat kit that is an instant diorama. Highly recommended.
The Rommel figure I think portrays him pretty accurately.
The Rommel figure I think portrays him pretty accurately.
Kit is courtesy of my wallet when I paid a paltry $3.50 for it years ago.