(Login zappa93) MODERATORS ONLY - Time on Target from IP address 162.83.170.73
CYBERHOBBY/BEGO
Product Specifications.
6338, Kübelwagen Workshop w/DAK Troops. 1/35th-scale styrene/multimedia kit. Contains: 209 styrene parts (including eight clear), three etched brass frets, eight loose etched brass parts, generic decal/markings schemes and eight pages of instructions in 13 steps.
Introduction.
This is the fifth of the recent releases of this vehicle from Cyberhobby, and is designed to represent a workshop Kübelwagen used by Rommel’s Deutsches Afrika Korps. Although it does not include desert-pattern “balloon tires”, it does include a number of figures in desert garb as well as some cooking utensils, various liquid vessels, a small dog and a local reptile. All will conspire to give the modeler what is essentially a diorama-in-a-box.
Please note that much of this review is taken directly from the earlier DAK release as reviewed here at ToT.
Wheels and Suspension.
The place where this kit stands above the rest has to be the undercarriage as well as the suspension system. Although marketed as a DAK vehicle, only “European” pattern tires are included. The inner wheel hubs have some nice details, while the outer hubs only lack air filler valves.
The front and rear suspension components are all broken down into many separate parts each, with the front end also getting a separate panel to cover things up. This will complicate assembly and will be a challenge to the less-experienced modeler, but the end result will be an extremely intricate assembly. Likewise, the vehicle’s belly has many separate parts. These include the main lower panel with the proper stamped structure and a separate lower engine compartment panel, with separate parts for the exhaust. An eight-part engine, with separate interior walls and separate access hatch lid finishes up that area.
Body Exterior.
The typical stamped appearance of the body panels is very finely-rendered, as are the other smaller details such as the mounts for the various external items. Very fine hinge details are given on the separate door panels; each panel consists of both doors in the closed position. Opening them will require some extra work and the replacement of some of the details that will be lost making such a modification; this will be necessary if the modeler wishes to show the tool cabinets’ drawers in the opened position. There are no pin marks are visible on the inner or outer panels, which is a nice touch. However, the handles are molded in place and are not separate styrene parts. This is too bad, but the kit does include etched brass replacements, which naturally, will be flat. The front panel has separate fuel filler parts, delicate rib details, and the mount for the previously-described spare tire.
As mentioned, the engine access door is separate, and the rear panel has some very fine rib and vent detail. The four wheel wells are separate parts with nicely thinned-out fender edges for a scale appearance. Separate head- and tail-lamps, Notek black-out driving head-lamp, distance-keeping tail-lamp, horn, mirrors, turn signal indicators, a shovel, tow hooks and various pennant holders dress up the area.
The clear windshield and frame is movable and has separate wiper motor housings and molded-on blades. Etched brass replacements are provided for the latter, but removing the molded on detail and then attaching the brass to the clear parts will create some challenges for the modeler, such as not scratching the clear window, and not fogging it when attaching the etched parts with super-glue. The canvas-covered windshield seen in the earlier DAK release is not provided. There are clear panels to represent the side windows as well as the rear window seen on the convertible canvas roof cover. The latter is included, but is rather basic; it has no real fold or texture detail and is completely devoid of any fastener details; in this kit it is marked as “not for use”. Certainly, the modeler can use it if he so wishes. The original folded cover is a multi-part affair to include separate frames. This particular kit also has a second folded cover, also a multi-part item located on the sprue with the superfluous Rommel figure. It is far more convincingly represented than the original and is the one I’d use.
Three well-done jerry cans are provided, consisting of four styrene parts with an etched brass part to represent the join between the two main halves. In addition, there are two etched brass racks for them, which can be mounted as the modeler sees fit, or according to whatever references he may have. Additionally, the original kit included an all-styrene jerry can, which is to be stowed under the dash-board.
Body Interior.
This kit’s designers paid careful attention to many of the subtleties of the inside of this vehicle. For instance, the floor has the proper stamped appearance, and is complimented by beautifully represented separate parts for the wooden slats seen over it (complete with an absolutely brilliant and extremely subtle wood grain effect). This allows for an excellent degree of detail fidelity. The trans-axle tunnel is separate as are the passenger’s floor board, the fuel tank, all driver’s hand and foot controls, steering wheel and instrument panel. There is even a multi-part jerry can (as mentioned above) for stowage under the front panel, which is completely un-seen on the finished model. This is a fine touch, but I’d use it elsewhere as it would be a shame to waste it under there!
Each front seat has separate mounting rails, but there is little in the way of texture for the seat cushions themselves. The rear bench seat is molded onto the top/rear deck part and also lacks any kind of cloth texture. The modeler will probably wish to address these issues.
The Field Workshop items consist only of etched-brass parts. These are used to replicate cabinets, their drawers and their handles. One set of cabinets replaces the rear bench seat, which must be carefully cut away from part A2. They can all be modeled opened or closed, but if left opened there are no tools or other accessories included in the kit to fill them with. There are several after-market companies that can supply what is needed, so this should not be considered as too large of an issue. On top of these cabinets, jerry cans are to be mounted, but there are no racks for them.
Figures and Accessories.
The original figures, a seated officer and driver figure are included and are fairly well-done, especially considering their age. They wear temperate Heer (Army) uniform styles appropriate for the post-1942 era and therefore should have a wide variety of uses. Curiously, the Rommel figure and an officer are still included from the initial DAK release. The Generalfeldmarschall wears his typical uniform while the officer wears the high lace-front desert boots, binoculars, carries a map-board and has a choice of head-gear. Four other figures from the older DML set 6063 are provided to really complete the kit; they are conventionally-molded and are really very well-done. All wear short pants, various upper garments (sweater, tunic, blouse), various foot-wear (low shoes of lace-front desert boots) and head-gear Various water vessels and cooking utensils, a stove and mess gear, as well as a small dog and lizard are provided, which, along with a total of eight figures, means that this kit is essentially a diorama-in-a-box.
Molding, Fit and Engineering.
Unlike many previous and subsequent Kubelwagen kits, this one is broken down into far more separate parts, especially in the area of the undercarriage, suspension and adjacent areas, as well as the interior. This complicates assembly, but the parts fit well; just proceed with care. There are no visible ejector pin marks after assembly and there were no sink marks visible on any part.
Accuracy and Details.
The main components match very well against photographs and drawings. However, I don’t have reliable 1/35th-scale plans to compare the kit to. Details are really very, very well rendered in nearly every case. My only gripe is that the handles on the doors are molded in place, but the kit does include etched brass replacements, even if they are of necessity a bit thinner than they should be.
Instructions.
These consist of traditional line drawings and should be easily followed; they contain 13 main steps. As usual, colors are keyed to Gunze and Model Master paints.
Decals and Markings Information.
The water-slide decals are from Cartograf, and exhibit their usual excellent quality. Generic markings are provided for either Heer or Luftwaffe vehicles; these include license plates that are used to back separate registration numbers in various styles, complete with WH and WL prefixes. Other generic items are the stenciled-on shipping data labels and tire pressure labels; typical DAK palm-and-swastika insignia are also given. These are assembled from multiple designs to evade European law concerning this insignia.
All are to be painted “dark yellow”, which is very probably incorrect for DAK vehicles. It is far more likely that they are painted in one of the two “Tropen” (tropical) schemes, each of which officially consisted of two colors, as follows. From March of 1941: base color of Gelbbraun RAL 8000, with patches of Graugrün RAL 7008 covering the remaining 1/3 of the item. From March 1942: Braun RAL 8020 as the base with patches of Grau RAL 7027 covering the remaining 1/3 of the item.
Conclusion.
This kit is beautifully-detailed and as presented offers the option of modeling the Workshop version with or without erected canvas roof. The accessories, other equipment, options and figure selection should also please fans of this oft-seen light field car.
Highly recommended.
Frank V. “Curley” De Sisto
References consulted for this review included, but were not limited to:
1. “VW Kübelwagen in Detail”, Wings & Wheels Publications Special Museum Line No.8, by F. Koran & J. Mostek.
2. “VW Kübelwagen in Detail”, Wings & Wheels Publications Special Museum Line No.35, by F. Koran & J. Mostek.
3. “Volkswagen w II Wojnie Swiatowej”, Books International, by R. Sawicki.
4. “Kfz.1 Kübelwagen Volkswagen Type 82”, Almark, by T.Oliver & K. Jones.
5. “German Military Transport of World War Two”, Hippocrene Books, by J. Milsom.
6. “Modeler’s Special Edition Guide to the Kübelwagen”, Ampersand Publishing, by J. Porter.
7. “Afrika Korps, Rommel’s Tropical Army in Original Color”, Schiffer, by B. Peitz & G. Wilkins.
8. “Cars of the Wehrmacht”, Schiffer, by R. Frank.
Reviewer’s note: Since May of 2005, I have been working on books for Concord Publications, a sister company to DML. The reader may wish to take this into consideration. For my part, I will attempt to maintain an objective viewpoint when writing these reviews.
Cyberhobby kits are available exclusively from them at their web site: www.cyber-hobby.com.
