In Box Review of Zvezda 1/35th Scale
German WWII Heavy 4WD Cargo Truck L 4500A Schwerer LKW 45 t
Kit no. 3596
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
However, it is available 10 places overseas and at Mega Hobby for $27.49, Kit Linx for $37.99 and Sprue Bros for S35.99.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
However, it is available 10 places overseas and at Mega Hobby for $27.49, Kit Linx for $37.99 and Sprue Bros for S35.99.
HISTORY:
The Mercedes-Benz L 4500 is a heavy duty truck by Mercedes-Benz. It was built by Daimler-Benz from 1939 – 1944 in the Mercedes-Benz plant Gaggenau and from 1944 – 1945 by Saurer.
The vehicle is a long-bonnet truck and was offered as a rear-wheel-drive truck (L 4500 S) and an all-wheel-drive truck (L 4500 A).
The German Wehrmacht used the L 4500 with armoured cabins as Flaks during World War II. Due to the lack of production material, the cabin was replaced with the simplified standardised Wehrmacht cabin and the mudwings with simplified wings in 1943.
Also, the L 4500 chassis was used for the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 4.
The heavy 4.5t cargo truck L 4500 A, originally developed for civilian use, was widely in service with all German military units during WWII, both on the Western and Eastern fronts.
A total of 9,500 trucks were manufactured from 1939 to 1944. Most of them for the Wehrmacht. The L 4500 had a 7.2 liter diesel engine with 112 HP and existed in 2 basic versions: 2-wheeled drive "S" and 4-wheeled drive "A".
The Mercedes-Benz L 4500 is a heavy duty truck by Mercedes-Benz. It was built by Daimler-Benz from 1939 – 1944 in the Mercedes-Benz plant Gaggenau and from 1944 – 1945 by Saurer.
The vehicle is a long-bonnet truck and was offered as a rear-wheel-drive truck (L 4500 S) and an all-wheel-drive truck (L 4500 A).
The German Wehrmacht used the L 4500 with armoured cabins as Flaks during World War II. Due to the lack of production material, the cabin was replaced with the simplified standardised Wehrmacht cabin and the mudwings with simplified wings in 1943.
Also, the L 4500 chassis was used for the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 4.
The heavy 4.5t cargo truck L 4500 A, originally developed for civilian use, was widely in service with all German military units during WWII, both on the Western and Eastern fronts.
A total of 9,500 trucks were manufactured from 1939 to 1944. Most of them for the Wehrmacht. The L 4500 had a 7.2 liter diesel engine with 112 HP and existed in 2 basic versions: 2-wheeled drive "S" and 4-wheeled drive "A".
THE KIT:
Zvezda is a prolific model company based in the Moscow region of Russia. They make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a large and very sturdy shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows the truck moving down a dirt road in the forest with a German halftrack following it.
The truck is in a wave pattern of sand-yellow, red-brown and dark-green. It has a black load information stencil on the cab door, a white license plate on the front bumper with black serial no. WH-341288 on it.
It has a tactical insignia on the front of the right fender that indicates a cargo truck.
One side panel has a one-paragraph history of the truck in 6 languages, including English. Each is labeled with a color illustration of the country that speaks that language.
The other side panel has Zvezda's address in the Moscow region, Russia and their E-mail address, over the address of their office in Graz, Austria and its E-mail address.
Zvezda is a prolific model company based in the Moscow region of Russia. They make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a large and very sturdy shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows the truck moving down a dirt road in the forest with a German halftrack following it.
The truck is in a wave pattern of sand-yellow, red-brown and dark-green. It has a black load information stencil on the cab door, a white license plate on the front bumper with black serial no. WH-341288 on it.
It has a tactical insignia on the front of the right fender that indicates a cargo truck.
One side panel has a one-paragraph history of the truck in 6 languages, including English. Each is labeled with a color illustration of the country that speaks that language.
The other side panel has Zvezda's address in the Moscow region, Russia and their E-mail address, over the address of their office in Graz, Austria and its E-mail address.
The kit is said to be not suitable for children under 3 due to sharp parts. A suggested list of Model Master brand paint colors is provided and the kit is intended for modelers over 10 years of age.
The model makes up to be 22.6 m long (just under 9") and it contains 256 parts. This is all said in multiple languages, including English.
The model makes up to be 22.6 m long (just under 9") and it contains 256 parts. This is all said in multiple languages, including English.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 5 light-tan trees, a clear tree, decal sheet and instructions in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a unbound booklet of 8 pages in 8 1/4" x 11 1/4" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over a one-paragraph history of the truck in 6 languages, including English and USEFUL ADVICE about the kit in 5 languages, including English.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations.
page 3 begins with illustrations of suggested tools to use, over 2 line drawings of the truck with its canvas roof supports extended or folded, above a few international assembly symbol explanations and the first 6 assembly steps.
Page 4 through 7 give a balance of a grand total of 26 assembly steps.
Page 8 begins with a repeat of the line drawing on Page 3, over a suggested color listing and two 2-views:
1. A truck in overall medium-gray with a black load information stencil on the cab door, with white license plate with black serial no. WH-142893 on the front bumper. A unit logo of a white bear on the front of the left fender and a white tacktical insignia for a cargo truck on the front of the right fender.
2. The box art scheme (already described above). This illustration further shows that this truck had a white unit logo of a iron cross over a crescent.
We are not told what units these were.
This is over the decal application instructions in Russian and English.
Light-tan letter A tree holds: the wood cargo compartment parts etc. (35 parts)
The kit contains 5 light-tan trees, a clear tree, decal sheet and instructions in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a unbound booklet of 8 pages in 8 1/4" x 11 1/4" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over a one-paragraph history of the truck in 6 languages, including English and USEFUL ADVICE about the kit in 5 languages, including English.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations.
page 3 begins with illustrations of suggested tools to use, over 2 line drawings of the truck with its canvas roof supports extended or folded, above a few international assembly symbol explanations and the first 6 assembly steps.
Page 4 through 7 give a balance of a grand total of 26 assembly steps.
Page 8 begins with a repeat of the line drawing on Page 3, over a suggested color listing and two 2-views:
1. A truck in overall medium-gray with a black load information stencil on the cab door, with white license plate with black serial no. WH-142893 on the front bumper. A unit logo of a white bear on the front of the left fender and a white tacktical insignia for a cargo truck on the front of the right fender.
2. The box art scheme (already described above). This illustration further shows that this truck had a white unit logo of a iron cross over a crescent.
We are not told what units these were.
This is over the decal application instructions in Russian and English.
Light-tan letter A tree holds: the wood cargo compartment parts etc. (35 parts)
Light-tan letter B tree holds: the cab parts, radiator, standing figure (full bodied with separate arms and holding a wrench in his hand), steering wheel, driver figure (divided the same as the standing one), wheel halves etc. (61 parts)
Light tan letter C tree holds: engine parts, exhaust, chassis frames, bumpers wheel halves (110 parts)
Clear letter D tree holds windows and light lenses (6 parts)
Light-tan letter E tree holds: axles, leaf springs, brake drums etc. (27 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.
Parts fit the box tight in all 4 directions.
A small slip in the kit holds IMPORTANT INFO about the kit in 20 languages, including English and Zvezda's street address in Moscow region, Russia and their address of their office in Graz. Austria.
Kit has very nice detail. I only wish that it had included some kind of a cargo load.
A small slip in the kit holds IMPORTANT INFO about the kit in 20 languages, including English and Zvezda's street address in Moscow region, Russia and their address of their office in Graz. Austria.
Kit has very nice detail. I only wish that it had included some kind of a cargo load.
Highly recommended.