HobbyBoss US GMC CCKW-352 Machine Gun Turret Version

[Mike]

US GMC CCKW-352 Machine Gun Turret Version
1:35 HobbyBoss

The CCKW was the mainstay of US forces transport during WWII, and was affectionately known as the Deuce-and-a-half due to its 2.5 ton load carrying ability. It was introduced in 1941 and was finally phased out in the 60s after years of solid service. It was developed from a design by General Motors for the French Army, had six-wheel drive, good reliability and as over half a million were built over the years, spares were plentiful.

There were numerous variants with long or short wheelbases, and it was common for an M2 50cal machinegun to be mounted on a ring behind the cab to give additional self-defence capability when trekking through territory that was recently taken, but not fully cleared of pockets of resistance a common situation as the Allies raced to Berlin after D-Day.


The Kit
This is a revised tooling with additional parts, utilising a shorter chassis rail, and adding the parts for the machinegun mount to the box. If you have any of the other toolings, there will be a lot that's familiar, including the price! So far there have been a tanker, steel-sided and wood-sided variants, and I'll bet they're not finished yet either. The box is standard HB fare, and there is a small divided off area to keep the more fragile parts such as the slide-moulded cab shell safe from harm. Inside the box are fourteen sprues and the cab in sand-coloured styrene, a clear sprue, two sheets of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, a small decal sheet, a short length of copper wire, and a length of rather fuzzy-looking synthetic braided cord. The instruction booklet is printed in greyscale, while the single-sided glossy A4 painting guide is in colour with paint call-outs in Mr. Hobby, Vallejo, Model Master, Tamiya and Humbrol, although Humbrol and MM only have one exact colour match.

The build commences with a nicely appointed engine that is fitted between the two chassis beams along with a number of cross-braces onto which the transfer boxes and drive-shafts are fitted together with the steering rack and exhaust system. A choice of front fender styles is given, while the rear is just a standard c-beam held on with sturdy brackets. Suspension is of the leaf variety, which is depicted well, supporting the axles and their various drive-input housings. The rear wheels are dual hub, so in total you will make up ten road wheels plus one spare, with all parts being styrene on this kit. The wheels are two parts each, while the hubs are multi-part with a poly-cap held between in the centre, allowing them to be taken off for painting.

The cab floor receives the bench-seats, pedal box, gear shifter and steering column, which has a separate wheel, with the simple dashboard added to the underside of the cab shell after painting and adding the instrument decals. The shell fits over the floor, has windows added from the clear sprue, and a blanking plate for the circular top hatch added to complete it. There are a couple of ejection pin marks and raised part codes inside the cab, so you will need to hide these if you are going for a realistic cab. The crew doors have separate clear windows, winders and handles on both sides, and can be mounted on the cab in open or closed position by leaving their attachment until the engine cowling is in place. The two wings have integral running board/steps for the crew, and the cowling sides have cooling gills moulded in, plus a radiator core at the tapered front end. Lamps, mirrors and the front grille are added, and inside is a triangular support that you must bend up to a scrap diagram profile before installing it under the hood, which is another separate part that gives possibilities for exposing the engine.

The turret ring and M2 are assembled and attached to the frame behind the cab, with the crew member standing on the cab seat. The flatbed is built up next with wooden textured panels, framework and sides. Upstands are positioned on top of the sides, and bench seats are added, braced against the shallow sides, then this is added to the chassis along with front and rear mudguards. A stowage box between the cab and flatbed is built up, and one spare tyre is fitted into the curved brackets before being lowered into place and joined by the cab, at which point the ring-mount and framework are slotted between the cab and stowage box onto a pair of lugs moulded onto the chassis. Two bracing struts add rigidity to the frame, attaching to the top of the metal truck bed sides.


Markings
Khaki is the colour, and the little decal sheet is almost completely white, holding three stars plus a few stencils, and the instrument decal adding a touch of black to depict the dials. Printing is up to standard, and HobbyBoss decals usually settle down well with a little solution.

Conclusion
A nice addition to the growing range of Deuce-and-a-half trucks, with the addition of the turret ring adding a little extra interest. Great for dioramas, or just to add to your display cabinet.

Review sample courtesy of

[Julien]

Looks good,

[GordonM]

I got all excited by this review, 1:48 vehicles aren't that thick on the ground, searched Hannants - nothing. Then looked again at the box 1:35 - disappointed!