Build Review of Zvezda 1/35th Scale
Soviet GAZ-AA WWII Army Truck
Kit no. 3602
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2005
I paid S16.50 for this kit 15 years ago at a local shop that went out of business.
Available at Hobby Terra for $18.80 or at Megahobby for $23.79 or at Spru Bros for $20.99 or at Kit Linx for $22.39 ant at 11 locations overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2005
I paid S16.50 for this kit 15 years ago at a local shop that went out of business.
Available at Hobby Terra for $18.80 or at Megahobby for $23.79 or at Spru Bros for $20.99 or at Kit Linx for $22.39 ant at 11 locations overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
On the 29th of January 1932, the first GAZ-AA truck was manufactured. This truck would finish the war as the most mass produced truck in the world.
This 1.5 ton capacity truck was affectionately nicknamed “Polutorka” (meaning one and a half in Russian). This truck became a legend, together with the T-34 tank and Katyusha rocket-launcher.
It was incredibly durable, running on low octane fuel, easily maintained in the field, with excellent capabilities. The “Polutorka” truly earned its status as one of the great victory symbols of the Great Patriotic War.
On the 29th of January 1932, the first GAZ-AA truck was manufactured. This truck would finish the war as the most mass produced truck in the world.
This 1.5 ton capacity truck was affectionately nicknamed “Polutorka” (meaning one and a half in Russian). This truck became a legend, together with the T-34 tank and Katyusha rocket-launcher.
It was incredibly durable, running on low octane fuel, easily maintained in the field, with excellent capabilities. The “Polutorka” truly earned its status as one of the great victory symbols of the Great Patriotic War.
THE KIT:
Zvezda is an old prolific model company based in Russia. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a GAZ-AA truck leading a convoy of trucks down a snow-covered road. It is overall medium-green, with a black roof over the cab and a field-drab colored canvas roof over the cargo area. It has a white stenciled small star over serial no. A-6-94-75 on the cab doors.
One side panel of the box has one-paragraph histories in 6 languages, including English. Each language is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
Zvezda is an old prolific model company based in Russia. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a GAZ-AA truck leading a convoy of trucks down a snow-covered road. It is overall medium-green, with a black roof over the cab and a field-drab colored canvas roof over the cargo area. It has a white stenciled small star over serial no. A-6-94-75 on the cab doors.
One side panel of the box has one-paragraph histories in 6 languages, including English. Each language is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
The other side panel begins with Zvezda street address in the Moscow Region of Russia and the street address of their office in Germany. The kit is not suitable for children under 3 because of sharp parts. It is intended for modelers over the age of 10. A suggested paint color listing of Model Master brand hobby paints is shown, Kit was made in Russia.
This is all said in multiple languages, including English.
The kit holds 139 parts. Copyright of the kit is 2005 and the model makes up to be 15,5 cm long (6”).
This is all said in multiple languages, including English.
The kit holds 139 parts. Copyright of the kit is 2005 and the model makes up to be 15,5 cm long (6”).
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 5 olive-drab parts trees, 7 black plastic tires, a clear tree, the decal sheet and the instructions.
I don’t remember if anything was originally cello bagged.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 11 ½” x 8” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art. Over one-paragraph histories of the GAZ-AA and useful advice about the kit in multiple languages, including English.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations. Some parts are illustrated almost blank. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the truck.
Page 3 through to the top of page 6 gives a grand total of 10 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 6 is a painting and marking guide showing a side view of the box art scheme (already described above).
No unit is mentioned.
The bottom of the page repeats the suggested paint color listing of Model Master brand hobby paints. In Russian and English.
This kit holds 5 olive-drab parts trees, 7 black plastic tires, a clear tree, the decal sheet and the instructions.
I don’t remember if anything was originally cello bagged.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 11 ½” x 8” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art. Over one-paragraph histories of the GAZ-AA and useful advice about the kit in multiple languages, including English.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations. Some parts are illustrated almost blank. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the truck.
Page 3 through to the top of page 6 gives a grand total of 10 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 6 is a painting and marking guide showing a side view of the box art scheme (already described above).
No unit is mentioned.
The bottom of the page repeats the suggested paint color listing of Model Master brand hobby paints. In Russian and English.
There is a parts tree layout included in the instructions and the trees are alphabetized.
Clear letter A tree holds the windows and light lenses (9 parts)
Black letter B tree is the 7 tires.
Olive-drab letter C tree holds: the wood cargo area floor, walls and canvas roof etc. (25 parts)
Olive-drab letter D tree holds: the wheel rims, motor parts, exhaust, axles, steering wheel, shift levers etc. (79 parts) 6 parts are excess. As you can see I have removed several parts from this tree.
Olive-drab letter E tree holds: the hood parts, seats, radiator, windshield frame with dash attacked, headlights etc. (80 parts) 1 part is excess.
These are the parts from trees C,D and E I removed to assemble the model.
Lettering jumps to the olive-drab letter H tree. It holds: frame members, drive shaft, leaf springs (5 parts)
There are no crew figures or any cargo included. It would have been nice to have had these in the kit.
This is the partially assembled cab.
The cargo bed was built after the chassis was assembled and attached to it.
The kit decals.
I have put this model together, all but the cab and its doors, windows, canvas cargo area roof, tires and rims. It is not painted or decaled yet.
Highly recommended.