Military Modelling - July 2013

AFV reviewsbinoculars, scanning for enemyaircraft. Just one colour schemeis suggested, from an example inFrance in 1944. This is the basicDunkelgelb with a disruptivepattern in green and red-brown.This one happens to have comethrough at about the same timeas the new Panzerwrecks 14 bookand in it are a couple of interestingpictures of Mobelwagensabandoned near Berlin in 1945.Thanks to UK importers TheHobby Company for our sample.DioparkBack to 1:35 scale now, and a kitwhich has followed on quicklyfrom us hearing the news of itsimpending release and what alovely little thing it is too. A WW2British Army Folding Bicycle byDiopark. There are two completebikes included in the box, alongwith the added extra of littlewooden ‘scooters’.The bikes have a choice forthe wheels, as there are plastic‘spokes’ moulded within thewheels, but you have the choiceto remove them, and replacethem with the fine etched-brassalternatives. For this they eveninclude a moulded template so youcan get the right ‘dish’ to them.If you find that a bit fiddly, thenjust make do with the plastic, butthe etched-brass will look reallysuperb. The main bike frame isvery finely moulded, so I wouldsay be very careful in removingthe parts from the sprues, and inhandling them during assembly.For scale thicknesses in plastic forthe likes of a bicycle frame, theyare very fine, as they should beof course. To enable the foldingmechanism, there are two largebutterfly nuts that hold it in placeand even these are separate tinyparts, as are the brake callipers andbrake handles.I was looking forward to theseonce I heard their release wasdue, and I am happy to sayDiopark have managed to evenexceed my expectations onhow good they are. If you addthe details of the brake cableswith some stretched sprue, youwill have a very effective anddelicately detailed accessory totuck into the front bumper of amodel Jeep, or put a number ofthem stowed in the back of atruck. Manufactured by Diopark,PO Box 3-274 Chung Ho City,Taipei, Taiwan and our thanksABOVE: Part of the box art for thenewly released 1:35 scale BritishFolding Bicycle from Diopark.BELOW: The two etched-brass fretsprovided with the Diopark bicycle kit.to them for sending throughour sample. I believe they willbe available here in the UK viaHannants.DragonThis company always managesto keep busy, and a 1 ⁄4-ton 4x4Truck is a title that usually hasa model Jeep lurking behindit! Dragon have now releaseda second armoured version in1:35 scale, this time mountinga pair of Bazookas rather than a.50cal. Having made the previousItaleri’s new 1:35 scale M923 Armoured Gun Truck.armoured version, as well as theirLRDG version, I rather like these.The wheels are the simplerones, with the one-piece tyres andit goes together easily enough.With the engine included, whichyou could add some wiring anddetail to in order to get it so youcan open the bonnet so it could beseen. Etched-brass is again usedfor the sheets of armour platefitted around the crew positions,while the armament in this casefeatures a pair of bazookas, forincreased anti-armour protectionfor the US troops.In simple terms, the first stagesdeal with the construction of theengine and chassis, followedby the bodywork, which is thendetailed and the two fittedtogether. This stage also includesa windscreen, folded down flat,and covered with an anti-reflectivecanvas cover. Then the bazookasmounted on the standard gunpintle and the etched-brass panelswhich you fold and fit to the hullas indicated. I also like it that thetransfers for the instrument paneland the data plates for it are alsoincluded in the kit. Colours? WellBox art for Dragon’s latest armoured Jeep, complete with twin-mounted bazookas.overall Olive Drab is the colourof the day though this is the kindof late-war variant that will suit awinter whitewash scheme withlots of mud, and then just look fora suitably cold weather dressedcrew to go with it. My thanks toDragon Models for our sample.ItaleriIt is some years ago since Italerifirst released their 1:35 scaleUS M923 truck, and now it isout in a slightly updated format,with armoured panels in thetruck-bed and on the cab, tocreate this armoured Gun Truck,reminiscent of the ones firstproduced in Vietnam using theM-35 and M-54. Used for convoyescort in particular, these wereused in Iraq and Afghanistan.The only things I would look toreplace are the tyres, wheresome resin replacements I thinkwould improve the look of them.Detail on the cab, chassisand body is pretty good as theoriginal truck kit was nicely done,even though it was first madea few years ago. The woodenfloor of the truck bed is nicelydone, and the detailing in the cabalso works well. With the extraarmour panels plus armamentto be fitted in the truck bed, youjust need to find some suitablecrew figures to go with it, alongwith appropriate stowage. Thecolours and markings suggestedrepresent a truck in Iraq in 2005,carrying a 3-colour Europeancamouflage scheme, alongwith a plain, rust finish to theunpainted armour plates thathave been mounted to providethe crew with protection. Gettingthe trucks into service was moreimportant than worrying about anew coat of paint. Thanks to TheHobby Company, who are theUK importers for the Italeri rangefor our sample, these are in theshops now.58Military Modelling Vol.43 No.7 2013