I picked this kit up today at Brookhurst. I've been planning on picking one up for the last few months but this thread sparked my interest

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47210/thread/1183804819/Pegasus+Opel+Blitz

I always thought it was an Opel Blitz and I thought it was labled as the Blitz. However, I'm convinced now it is not a Blitz. See the above link. I put this kit together in less than 10 minutes. Here is the Sprue



15 Parts including the driver. The instructions are simple as well.



And the completed kit looks very nice for a fast build





The only complaint I have is the driver is underscale and the steering wheel is overscale. The kit has no lights, tools decals or mirrors but hey you get two for $10. I also think I have pleanty of extra and resin pioneer tools etc. Like I said I'm pretty sure this is no Opel Blitz. Here it is next to the Airfix Opel Blitz



As you can see it is larger than the Airfix (it's 1/72) and the shape is different. Even the undercarriage is somewhat detailed



One of the things I love about the Pegasus quick builds is that they require no glue! The truck above was just snapped together. The driver is the only piece that is lose. This will be a fun kit to detail and paint. You can also leave off the top canvas as you can see in the sprue shot. What a great little kit and a fun build.

Good on Pegasus,
More of that plse! they look nicely modelled & ok to detail or convert too.
Some British trucks when your finished the german ones plse!
Cheers Elliott

David, thanks for showing this - can't see the detail of the passenger benches and the inside of the side panels, is there some "wooden" texture in them or are they plain?

Looks fairly detailed to me, like the step next to the door! However they really could have added the lights, couldn't they.

Agree with Elliott: British trucks would be fine. However I think for manufacturers economically it would make more sense to produce French trucks, since the Germans captured many and had production continued so they would use them throughout the war, while most of the Dunkirk booty was used up before 1945. So the Beute truck fans certainly will prefer French trucks.

Regards, Pat

I went home on my lunch break to check the level of detail on the truck bed. The benches do have a very fine wood grain pattern. The tailgate also has interior detail. However, the inside of the sidepanels appears to have no detail. Obviously the interior of the cab has no detail other than the bench seat and the steering wheel. There is no dashboard, petals, or gears. I guess I'll have to swipe lights, mirrors, etc. from a ESCI Opel. I have a few extra.

David, many thanks for the info.

Björn, maybe it is not that hard to saw the cabin off the cargo bed.

Mark, you're of course correct about the DAK using British trucks, however that finished by May, 1943, while the French trucks were in German use until two years later. So I figured the Beute boys would prefer French ones.

Regards, Pat

Pat; yes you're right about the Afrika Korps' use of [British trucks] ending in mid-1943...but my ultimate goal is to reallize these British trucks in 1/72 scale-especially using them for their rightful owners, the British and Commonwealth units, which soldiered on until the end.I say make all of them;as I just resorted to an economocal 1/72 scale metal Laffly 3 tonner from Reviresco, being unable to pay the higher price for the fine AL-BY offering.However I was able to get a Propaganda Kompany Peugot DK5J "pickup" before the demise of that range,in resin 1/72. Regards,Mark.

Hi all,

Now thats what I call 'quick built'. Can't wait to get my hands on it. Now if only they produce soft skins PKW (eg Einheits-Pkw Kfz. 15 & 16 and Horch Kfz.40 & 69)like that (hint!). It still is quite difficult to get the Pegasus trucks eventhough I have ordered the item at several places, I have to wait a while.

Regards to all.

I just wish that the cargo bed was separated from the cab. It don't look good with that filler between them. But I hope that they will be avalible here in Sweden.

Btw, the Airfix Blitz is 1/76 scale.
Björn B

Hi David, thats a nice write up you've given on the new Pegasus offering. And the other folks are correct-that there is the Mercedes L3000"S" 4X2 3 tonner. The "A" version would have been 4X4.
"Around" the year 1940, the "General Schell Standardization Program" hoped to replace the multitude of various and sundry car & truck (mostly older less robust civillian-pattern makes)with a few standard vehicles.As with the 3-ton class of vehicles...you will note the cargo bed is the same;however, the Mercedes-Benz offering had a flat grill-unlike the curved face grillwork, of the Adam Opel "Lightening" truck, and also a rather straight front bumper,unlike the Opel's angled bumper.In that time, these were some of the "trademark" features, of the various competitive [for Gov't military contracts]civillian truck makers.
The diesel version from Mercedes was an item captured by my former diesel instructor-who was an Engineer Corps NCO from Normandy till VE-Day. He said his section liked it because it was diesel powered. The German forces also liked the greatly extended radius of action, that the diesel allowed,especially in Russia. However, my source (the old Aero Publishers Armor Series,dated 1970) says that in 1943 Mercedes stopped production of their own vehicle, and began producing the gas-powered Opel"Blitz" design.
Pat: yes, French trucks would be nice, but let us go forward with the British Army,first,eh? For to deny Rommel his multitudes of {captured British) lorries may be to change history?! Mark

thats a pretty nice looking truck for the simplicity of it! A little detailing and we'll have a good display model!

I really must get myself one of these.