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Having recently been knocked sideways by a bout of the Covid, progress in the mancave of both my Mercedes L4500 and SWS ground to a halt. Checking my faculties were still all functioning as they should and not wanting to muddle up either project, I figured a quick out of the box build should do the trick. Voila! Tamiya’s ickle 1/35 PzII was knocked out in a few hours and figuring my eye was firmly back in I then proceeded to ignore both ongoing projects and start a completely new one! This one would be a first for me, and one I had been itching to start since I received it 6 months ago. The contagion had scratched that itch, so it was finally time to confront my fear of all things new. Old school I don’t have a 3D printer but intrigued as I was over both the subject matter and the new engineering formula, I contacted the designer and enquired whether he would be prepared to send me one out. Fortunately, Darius Stucinskas is a jolly nice chap and was only too happy to print me a couple of trailers out and post them safely across Europe. The 3D kit is a Sondernhänger Sd. Ah. 56/57 single axle ammunition trailer towed by late war self-propelled Flak guns. Images of CAD renderings can be found below. Darius has done some amazing work researching this vehicle and although he admits there are a few small areas that are still difficult to 100% accurately ascertain, dimensionally the trailer is spot on. The future Before I start it is worth mentioning that the 3D file can be purchased for insanely good value from https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/various/1-35-scale-sd-ah-56-57-ammunition-trailer along with many other WWII axis projects Darius has created. To date there has only ever been one kit available in 1/35 scale and that is a resin kit made by Wiener Modellbau. It is a great little kit, but it lacks detail and there are a few inaccuracies in both the box and the chassis. Now anybody that has ever built any Sd.Kfz 7 self-propelled Flak gun variants will be aware that Trumpeter do indeed include a trailer with all of their kits. What you might not know, or indeed care is that the trailer kit they provide is a mismatch of two types of trailers. They label it as a Sd.Ah 52 but anybody who knows what a 52 looks like will agree that the Bronco kit #CB35079 https://www.scalemates.com/kits/bronco-cb35079-sdah52-37cm-flak-36-37-ammunition-carriage-trailer--115264 is a far better representation than Trumpeter’s. What Trumpeter have done is mixed up a 52 chassis with a vaguely similar 56/57 box body. If you are modelling an early Sd.Kfz 7 variant they did utilise the Sd.Ah 52 trailers as can be seen in many a period image but the majority of late war armoured 7’s and indeed L4500 Mercedes and Bussing NAG’s can be seen towing Sd.Ah 56/7’s. These trailers can be seen in a few slightly modified guises and obviously as resources became scarce during the late war years flat roofs and less hinges were seen on later models. Next up. Lets have a look at the kit

Sd.Ah 115 Flatbed Trailer 1:72 Special Armour (72022) The Sonderanhänger 115 or Sd.Ah 115 trailer was designed in 1937 for transporting the then light weight tanks such as the Pz.I, Pz.II, Pz.38(t) or Pz.35(t), but on its flatbed, it could carry any military vehicle of a total weight of up to 10,000 Kgs. To pull the trailer, heavy lorries Faun L900 or Büssing-NAG 900A were often used. Those vehicles were able to carry one tank on their platform and another one on the Sd.Ah 115 trailer. In field, a Sd.Kfz 7 half track vehicle could also be used to pull the trailer. The Sd.Ah 115 trailers were seen in service throughout the war, mainly during the Polish and French campaingns. They were used to transport military vehicles to the front line and also to remove wrecked or damaged vehicles to repair yards or even to move enemy’s captured vehicles. The Kit This is the a new tool kit from Special Hobby which arrives on two sprues of plastic and a small decal sheet (not shown). The parts are crisp as you would expect from a new tool kit. The main flatbed is one part to which everything else attaches. The turntable front axle is the first thing to be constructed. The leaf spring suspension connects the axle to the turntable with an airtank being attached. The neck of the trailer is then built up and attached to the trailer. The rear axle with its mud guards can then be built up. This can be attached to the trailer or left as a separate part depending on how you wish to use the trailer as this would detach to load the equipment on. The wheels can then be built up and attached to the axles. The front axle attaching to the trailer. The drawbar then attaches to the front. Rear loading ramps can then go on the rear of the trailer if using for a loading diorama, or fixed to the trailer if using it on its own, or to carry a vehicle. Decals Markings are supplied on the very small sheet for the number plates and a single white marking number. Conclusion This is a good looking model in 1.72 and should be welcomed by the small scale armour modellers. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Biber Trailer + Resin Wheels 1:72 Special Hobby The Biber (Beaver) was a German Naval midget submarine used in WWII. It was crewed by one man and carried to externally mounted 53cm (21") torpedoes, or could carry mines. One advantage if there were any with the Midget Submarines was that by carrying the weapons externally it mean the width was less and it was able to be transported by road. With typical German efficiency even though as a weapons system it was not that great they designed and built a trailer specifically for moving it by road. This standard road trailer with a single axle at either end, the front axle articulating with the draw-bar. A frame work was also added to carry a canvas cover to conceal the load. It also appears from WWII photos the trailer could take the weight and dimensions of a sub loaded with torpedoes. The Kit Inside the box there is one sprue which contains all the parts for the trailer. There is also a small bag with an additional part which has not been moulded correctly on the sprue. For construction the twin wheel units for each corner are mad up first. The articulating front axle unit is then made with a ring top which will fit onto a similar ring on the trailer chassis. The main chassis is a one part moulding to which the front part is added, a back axle and additional straightening parts. The rest of the plastic sprue is then made up of the frame parts for the trailer. If the modeller wants to model the trailer with its tarpaulin cover then a paper template is provided to make a cover. Decals There are no decals provided for the trailer. It can be painted either German Field Grey or Dark Yellow. Wheels Under their Blitz Armour accessories line CMK/Special Hobby supply a set of rein replacement wheels for the trailer. This is one of the few cases where I feel the resin wheels add nothing to the kit at all. The plastic wheels have better tread definition and the hub detail is about the same. The resin wheels will require clean up from the pour blocks, and it would seem the holes in the wheels are flashed over in resin so they will all need to be cleaned up. The plastic wheels meanwhile will need a quick pass of a sanding stick where they remove from the sprue, and to clean the mould line (which is hardly visible) Conclusion The trailer will be a great accompaniment to the Biber submarine and will allow it to be displayed without having to resort to a water diorama, or the stand. It also allows the sub to be part of a larger vehicular diorama if needed. Highly recommended for the trailer, but pass on the extra wheels. Trailer Wheels Review sample courtesy of

1:72 Airfix Willys British Airborne Jeep. Ready for inspection I have Airfix's Willys British Airborne Jeep, built in the colour scheme of the U.S Army Jeep. I originally opted for the larger Browning machine gun.... Until I broke it! So she now has the smaller gun, and trailer with tarp. The build went together quickly and easily, although it is absolutely minute. Now complete the Jeep is sat next to my Boston Havoc in my model cupboard. Thanks for looking. Generated from my Sony Xperia Z5 using tools.rackonly.com Generated from my Sony Xperia Z5 using tools.rackonly.com Generated from my Sony Xperia Z5 using tools.rackonly.com Generated from my Sony Xperia Z5 using tools.rackonly.com Generated from my Sony Xperia Z5 using tools.rackonly.com Generated from my Sony Xperia Z5 using tools.rackonly.com

Hi folks I know most people are not so keen on modern vehicles but I managed to get this kit for half price and couldn't resist. My last truck kit was the Iveco Stralis Truck Cab that I added lights to HERE I was interested in adding a trailer to it with connected lighting but I could not justify spending all that money on just a trailer when I could buy a kit with much more work and parts. Anyway, I saw this kit and thought that it would give me the perfect opportunity to add lights to both the cab and trailer. I am making more and more kits by Italeri as the quality is quite good and the prices are reasonable. The plastic seems more brittle than Revell and some of the part connections to the sprues can be tough to cut through but, overall, the quality and detail is good. The connection between the cab and trailer is just a 6 pin connector for when I have to separate them for cleaning, etc. This is the result. I hope it inspires others to have a go. I have posted a video HERE Thanks for looking folks. Any comments welcome. First, the impressive box: Side lights on: Side and brake lights on: Trailer reversing lights: Female driver wearing HV jacket and seat belts: Head, side and high beam/flasher on: Internal lights on: Notice the curtains on the left side of the cab. The top bunk is folded upwards as in the real thing and I have added a folded ladder. I will try to get a picture of this. Preparation of the dash, with Sat Nav, etc. The hose connections:

MHU-12 Munitions Trailer - Duel Set 1:72 Videoaviation The MHU-12 munitions handling trailer is used by the USAF to transport munitions between the storage areas and the flightline. It can be changed to accommodate a wide variety of munitions. Two hinged deck panels in the centre of the trailer bed fold open to provide access. The trailer can generally carry bombs in one configuration, and missiles in the other. In the missile configuration it can carry larger missiles on the bed of the trailer (such as AIM-7 or AIM-120) a second higher layer can carry smaller missiles (such as the AIM-9). It is also available with a flat bed for general usage. The Kit Videoaviation already had this trailer available in the bigger scales, they have now scaled it down for the lovers of the one true scale The added benefit in the smaller scale is that it is available in a duel boxing. Each trailer has two main bed panels, the centre part, front & rear axles, missile & bomb chocks, upper missile rails, tow bar and 4 wheels. The is crisp with good casting and no bubbles present. Conclusion This is an important part in getting munitions to the flightline and will look great in any US Airfield diorama. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Dodge L-700 Tractor Unit with Chrome tanker or Box Van Trailer 1:25 Plastic kit from Lindberg Models The Dodge L700 is a medium duty truck manufactured by Dodge trucks in the USA using components from there A100 light duty trucks. The L-700 was available with either a Dodge, or Cummins V8 engine. The L-700 had a smaller sibling , the L-600, that was outwardly similar but designed to pull smaller weights, this had the option of straight 6 diesel of a V8 Gas engine. The Dodge L-700 was available as a tractor with a very short 89inch wheelbase, and a steering angle of 50o for great manoeuvrability in towns and cities, where this truck was designed to live and work. The L-700, and L-600 could also be specified with a longer rigid chassis up to 192inch wheelbase and the Dodge had various bodies, and pulled a variety of trailers. Lindberg have now re-issued the Dodge L-700 in 1:25, this is an old kit but a welcome re-issue.A couple of versions of this kit have arrived on the review bench and as they are very similar I will start by looking at the cab and tractor as they are the same in both boxes. The cab comes as a single part cast in white plastic, the doors are separate to the shell to allow them to be posed open. The cab has some reinforcing bars cast across the door apertures to help the cab hold its shape, take care when removing so not to damage the frame, the cab is nicely done and captures the complex shapes on the cab. The doors are moulded on a different sprue, and they have separate interior door cards. A quick check shows them to be an OK fit, will need some work but I don’t think it will be too hard to get them in and straight. The parts on both kits are nicely cast with very little flash anywhere. I will guess Lindberg have cleaned up the moulds for this re-issue. The interior and floor are cast with the big wheel arches, there is some nice engraved detail on the cab floor showing the rubber footwall covering and some rivet detail on the cab floor and wheel arches. There is no detail on the underside and this is a shame as the Dodge L-700 is a tilt-cab, and on this kit the cab can be tilted to show off the V8 engine. No doubt the detailers will go to town here, Ill add some foil for the heat and noise shields and a few wires and cables under here. The cab interior parts include the basic dashboard as found in this truck, there isn’t allot of detail on the part but in reality the real truck is basic, there are 3 seats that have some nice engraved detail to simulate the stitching in the covers. Some careful painting will bring the interior to life, and I would add some scale cab junk to be viewed through the big windows. Also found on this sprue is the engine parts. This is a small V8 diesel engine, the truck had the option of 2 engines and I’m not sure what is depicted in the kit, but a quick search will pop up some images of either engine to allow you to detail and paint the parts to depict your choice of power. The parts are well moulded with a fair amount of detail on the parts, some extra cables and wires will bring it to life when painted. Also seen in the sprues above is the rear axle, the Dodge has a choice of a single or 2 speed axle, and my guess is a twin speed example is tooled on this build again there is good detail with the rough cast housing and some bolt details on the parts. The chassis is made up from 2 rails that look very short for a tractor unit in this scale, but a quick calculation and looking at side on shots of the real deal on the net show them to be correct as it is a very stubby tractor, and I guess this makes it more use in an urban setting. The chassis is made up from the 2 rails and 5 cross members so you will need to take care to get it all straight and true so you build isn’t twisted. The truck is suspended on 4 multi-leaf springs and 2 axles, the two speed rear axle is described above, and the front axle that is supplied can be build working so move the steering lock. Personally I pose the wheels turned a bit then glue solid for strength. Fuel tanks, air tanks and the exhaust are in 2 parts each so will need gluing sanding and filling before painting and adding to the chassis. A pair of large rear spray flaps is included, they are quite thick and have the IPC logo cast on the parts so I will remove them from the mounting and replace with some thin plastic painted black. The wheels are the trilex style, popular at the time in the States, and they have nice detail on the parts with some bolts in the appropriate places. Also on this sprue is the internal door cards for the cab, again basic as is the real truck with some winder handles for the opening door windows and rivet detail on the parts. There is a clear sprue for the cab glass and lights, they are packed in their own bags and don’t look too thick. A small chrome sprue covers the shiny bits for the cab, the bowls for the headlamps come on this chrome sprue and they include the bezels for the lamps and these are a big feature on the Dodge cab. The cabs bumper is also chromed along with the regulation cab roof marker lights along with wipers, and handles for the cab outside. The chrome is nice and not too heavy but along with many others Ill strip and re-do this anyway. A bag of rubber tyres are enclosed, 14 are included for the tractor and trailer. There is some flash on the tyres that will need a swipe with a knife or sandpaper, nothing too major though. The detail is nice, I would say a little heavy on the sidewalls but as I rub the rubber with some sandpaper to dull and weather it a bit and I’m sure this will subdue this. This now concludes the parts for the tractor units for both kits as I said you get all the above plastic in both boxing. I will now look at the trailer parts from the two kits. Trailer parts Chassis The chassis and running gear is also the same in both kits, both trailers run on two axles sitting on multi-leaf springs. The tanker version does have some basic detail on how to convert to a single axle trailer, but as I said this is basic detail and not complete! The parts are again cast in white plastic and there is some minor flash on some of the parts, You start by making a small chassis frame that holds the suspension and axles. A single air tank need gluing together and adding before the suspension and axles. I would pop some wire in to simulate the airlines for the braking system, and also some cables for the electrical wiring on the trailer. The axles include the hobs and brake chambers, I’d drill and plumb these to the air tank to give extra detail on these parts. The wheels are the trilex style to match the tractor unit with the same rubber tyres shown above. You have optional long or short landing legs so you can hook it to your tractor (short legs) or have it as a solo model (Long legs) Tanker The first trailer I will look at is the chrome tanker, this can be built as the long version shown on the box, or a shorter single axle version. As I said the instructions on how to achieve this is sporadic and you will need to take care and take your time if doing this conversion. The tank comes in 4 main parts, 2 upper and two lower with a joint both horizontally along the tank, and vertically in the centre. The parts are designed to hide this with overlaps on the parts. To build a short tank you need to forward upper and lower parts and in the upper section you need to cut a hole for the manhole, this is shown on the underside with an engraved circle to follow with your knife. There is a lot of chrome with the rear locker, hose lockers and ladders all being chrome. It wouldn’t be hard to strip and re-paint either as a lower spec painted trailer of using your choice of chrome paints. Box Trailer. The second trailer on the review bench is a box van style. This is very 70s in style with its vertical beading on the side walls and the twin axle design. The body is supported by the same chassis and running gear as seen above on the tanker so I won’t go over this again. The body is split across the middle with the roof, floor and sides split needing a centre support part. You start by building the chassis and running gear, adding these to the 2 floor parts to create a flat bed, there is some basic detail on the floor, and if you add a small headboard you could leave it as an open flat trailer. The rear doors and frame is build next, the doors and be left to swing on the hinges if wanted to allow you to open and close them to show the inside of the trailer. The sides, back door section and front bulkhead are then added to the floor using the central support to hide and reinforce the joints, take care to keep it square and straight before adding the two roof sections. In this kit you get a couple of scale wood pallets for the load, they come in a light brown and are made up from slats of plastic glued together, painted and weathered they will look good with their fine engrave wood grain surface. You don’t need to worry about making them too square or straight either! A small decal sheet includes some logos for the box van, the Lindberg logo for the two sides and rear along with some US flag and the ‘Made in the USA’ legend under the flags. Conclusion A very welcome re-issue of some classic kits, they will need some work to get tighter being older mouldings, but them where a popular little truck and this can be converted to other L-700s and even the smaller L-600 trucks. Look forward to getting it on the build bench. UK distributors for

Fruehauf Breaded Van Trailer 1:25 kit by AMT from Round2 models Fruehauf corporation was an American company that built truck trailers from its headquarters in Detroit, it was founded by August Charles Fruehauf in 1914, and continued building trailers until the company fell bankrupt in 1997. The company’s assets where brought and trailers are still being built around the world under the Fruehauf name. AMT issued a number of trailer kits and now Round2 are re-releasing some of these classic kits and the next kit on the review bench is the Fruehauf Breaded Van, I would date this style and model of trailer to the 1970, but I have seen photos of this style trailer still in use very recently, so will hitch behind plenty of tractor units. The kit comes in a long thin box (please note Italeri and Revell) that allows the sides, roof and floor to be cast in a single length saving the need to remove joins, and thank goodness that they are in one part as this kit has fine ribs running the length of the trailer and wrap around the front bulkhead. The parts are nicely cast and the rivet and ribs are finely cast as can be seen in a close up below. The parts are nice and straight on my review sample but this is an older kit so there is some flash and ejector pins that will require attention. The floor and roof also come in single lengths, with nice detail. The floor has cross member detail underneath and looking at the kit and photos of the real trailer it doesn’t have a full chassis as you would expect, it appears to me a monocoque structure. The final parts to the box body is the front bulkhead, this has the rib detail on the upper ¾ that mirrors the detail on the side panels, the lower part has a plate for the suzie connections. There is some basic cast detail but you will probably want to add connectors and more detail to this area. There is also a breast plate to fit under the front of the chassis and the kingpin fits onto this part. Finally are the rear doors, they again have some basic detail for the locking bars and handles, but I would sand them off and make more realistic parts from scratch, not a hard job with some rod and plastic. They can be made to function with an internal section that will clamp the doors to the hinge on the side. This shot shows the detail on the bulkhead, and the rear doors. As I stated this is a re-issue of an older kit so there is flash on the parts, and this can also be seen. Once we have the box body made we can move onto the chassis and axle bogie. The kit is a twin axle trailer with a slider bogie, this allows the trailer to be tuned for different loads and to allow the trailer to cross state boarders and comply with the differing loading, and wheelbase rules. As I said above there isn’t a chassis as such on this trailer, there are 2 short sections (top parts on the picture) that glue under the trailer floor, you the build up a bogie assembly that can slide on these rails and locks in various positions. The main rails and suspension mountings are shown in the picture above. The suspension for the trailer is multi leaf springs. They come with the inner mounting plate’s in-situ and will mate with the plated moulded on the bogie rails. There is some nice detail but there are some tricky ejection pins to remove from between the moulded axle U bolts as can be seen below. These need to be glued onto the rails before any cross members are added. The sprue below contains the cross members for the axle bogie, the wheel centres and the landing leg/ support leg assembly. Some care will be needed when removing and cleaning the parts to ensure the axle assembly is square when built. The landing leg assembly needs to be built up and added to the underside of the floor, the location for this is vague but there are some very faint pips on the cross members’ hints to the correct location. Take care and look at some references to be sure. The centre drum for the trailer wheels come on this sprue, and they need an inner ring adding sandwiching the tyre for the inner of the duel wheels. The radius rods and axles are also found on here. The axles are in two parts and could be replaced with some tube if required for aftermarket wheels and hubs. The final parts are the large mud flaps that fix behind the rear axles. No elaborate spray suppression or guards as required toady, just simple flaps with the Fruehauf ‘Anti-sail’ logos moulded on. They look a little thick and heavy to my eye so I will remove the flap from the mounting, and replace with some thin plasticard. On the centre of the sprue is the locking mechanism for the sliding bogie assembly and on the top left a support for the airlines that are included. There is a single chrome sprue, there are 8 rings for the inner and outer wheels, along with chrome brake chambers and slack adjusters. I’m not sure why they are chrome, Id strip them and paint the colour of the chassis. Lastly are two backing plates for the rear lamps. Personally I will strip the chrome and repaint a mix of the chassis colour and maybe some Alcad. There is a nice length of vinyl hose for the airlines, and these can be linked from the tractor, via a relay and the air tank to the brake chambers. There is a selection of clear red and amber lenses for the trailer, check your references and the local regulations for correct placement. 2 metal axles are included to allow the trailer wheels to rotate (off the shelf normally!) but I glue mine solid. 8 soft rubber tyres are included. They carry the Goodyear name and have good sidewall and tread detail, maybe a little heavy in places but a rub with sandpaper will give a nice worn look. AMT and Round2 have included a printed card, when folded and inserted into the trailer should give the impression of a load of kits being delivered to a model shop! There is a nice set of decals, it includes various Fruehauf logos, licence plates and legal lettering for both the trailer and the tractor unit us build to pull it, along with some colourful decals for AMT, Round2 and Autoworld, and I guess they are fictional liveries. Conclusion This is a welcome reissue of an old kit and will be welcomed by modellers. But being an older kit there is issues with flash and ejection pins and as such one for the more experienced modeller. I have made a start on this kit and it does need work to get it together and get the box square. A welcome re-issue from Round2! Review sample courtesy of UK distributors for