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In Q3 2022, ICM is to release a 1/72nd APA-50M (ZIL-131) Airfield mobile electric unit Special purpose vehicle kit - ref. 72815 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM72815 V.P.

Good Evening Comrades Not exactly armoured but still brutal in its way, the Zil-131 Soviet truck from Trumpeter. Very nice kit but with resin Miniart wheels and scratch improved engine. I believe its petrol V-8 returned about 5 mpg if you were thinking of buying one! This 1960s truck is still in use around the world And in its early days Hope you like it? Andrew

Zil-131 command vehicle (KShM) Hi there, having finished my first ever car build (ICM 1:35 Moskvitch) I thought I'd continue straight on to my second one - a Zil truck from the ICM Chernobyl #1 box. Very nice box art - and is really precise in what actually comes with the box: Zil truck, figures, guard hut & scenic background. But this is what we are building from the box for now. It all seems quite complicated - a total of 125 build stages is not something I've used to. But ICM instructions seem very clear and precise, so I think I will be OK. Nice pile of plastic, these are the parts that make out a Zil truck. Detail is very nice and sharp - even if the plastic feels bit soft. Easy to work with, just need to be careful when tidying up as the knife really sinks into the plastic. The kit is apparently made out of two different sets of plastic - one on top is 'generic' Zil sprue, one on the below is a different shade of grey and is specific to the command vehicle. During the construction phase I made a bit of a mess out of the Moskvitch, so I try to be more careful this time and follow the instuctions so that it all comes together as it should. Ive cut down the parts needed to put together the frame. Parts have been cleaned and assembly can begin. There were some ejector pin marks that I did not clean, though. They are on the inside of the framework under the truck so I figured it's not worth the hassle. Fit is excellent, everything has it's place. As the plastic is quite soft, it's quite easy to get things out of shape. I made sure with some weight that the alignment of the frame is not wonky in the end. And here we are - slap on some tyres & cabin and we have a finished truck! So far this truck seems awesome. And as this is all new to me (I'm more at hope with things that have wings), if you have any good tips regards truck building (I'm looking at you @JeroenS ), please feel free to share your wisdom. I rather avoid the pitfalls than walk right into them

Chernobyl#1 Radiation Monitoring Station (35901) 1:35 ICM via Hannants We’ve probably all heard of the nuclear power-station at Chernobyl and the disaster that befell it in 1986 due to a mistake made by the staff that resulted in a core meltdown. The behaviour of the neutron absorbing cooling rods wasn’t properly documented (due to a cover-up) as a reason for a runaway reaction under certain circumstances, and this was responsible for a huge quantity of radiation being released over much of Europe and beyond. Initial responses by the authorities were inadequate and a number of firemen and staff were exposed to fatal doses of radiation early on. Eventually a huge sarcophagus was built up around the site, with yet more work being done on the site today, although it has since become a rather mawkish tourist destination for some. The ZIL-131 is a general-purpose utility 6x6 truck, one of the mainstays of the many Eastern Block armies along with the Ural-375, with over a million made. The basic model is a general utility tuck powered by either petrol or diesel engines, depending on the type. Like most armies the chassis for a general truck has been used for a multitude of different versions from a fuel truck to the BM-21 rocket launcher. The KShM is a command vehicle with a compartment at the rear for staff and their commanders to carry out their tasks. The Kit This is a reboxing with a few extras from ICM of their 2015 initial release of the command post boxing, but with added parts in the shape of crew and additional figures, plus a checkpoint shack and barrier to complete the scenario. There’s even an impressive folded card backdrop with the destroyed power station that you can use as your backdrop if you wish. Inside the large box are ten sprues in grey styrene, three in clear, two sprues of nobbly flexible tyres, two small decals sheets, instruction booklet for the base kit, and two further instruction sheets for the five figures and the shack/barrier combination. Detail is excellent throughout, but with only a few boxed-in details within the command post, while the shack fares much better with table, chair and bed, plus a field telephone and even some coat hooks. The final item in the box is the aforementioned folded card backdrop. Construction begins with the chassis, which consists of two rails and multiple cross-braces to which tanks, transmission, transfer boxes and even the engine are attached, with lots of parts used in the process, including a pretty full rendition of the 8-cylinder power pack and the stamped, welded fuel tanks on outriggers to each side of the chassis. Leaf suspension, exhaust and drive-shafts are also fitted to the chassis along with a winch power take-off behind the large bumper irons and under the radiator. A perforated step-plate fleshes out the bumper with some towing hooks, then it’s a case of building up the axles, with two at the rear on their own leaf-springs, fitted with dampers and drive-shafts for better off-road performance. The front axle is a single one with drive-shaft again, which slots into the front suspension and benefits from another few extra dampers. The wheels are simple but well-detailed, consisting of a hub with separate centre that a big black tyre is pressed onto, handed into sets of three each side. The crew cab is next with its structure made up from individual panels fitted to the shaped floor, onto which the driver controls are added, including pedals, gear and ratio sticks, then with a dash slid inside the scuttle area after adding some dial decals following painting. The steering wheel and crew seats are then made up and put in place, having a separate seat for the driver and a wide two-man seat for the passengers, both with adjustment framework between it and the floor. The rear wall with clear rear-view window support the ribbed roof, and the doors have door cards inserted along with handles/winders, then a clear part acting as the window. These can be fitted closed or at any opening angle, and at the same time the curved windscreen panel is also slotted into place on the front of the cab. The sides of the engine compartment are moulded into the cab, but the big wings and tread-plates are separate with light clusters and clear lenses added along the way, then glued in place during its mating with the chassis, after which the front grille if added to surround and protect the radiator. The large bonnet closes up the bay, but you could always leave it open if you are sufficiently proud of your work on the engine. Three roof lights, wing mirrors, windscreen wipers, light cages and even a searchlight finish off the cab if we ignore all the greeblies above it that are added later. The command part of the vehicle is basically a shed carried on the back of the truck, and for the model it is made up from individual sides onto the floor panel. There are three windows on each side with clear parts provided, and next to those are large doors for stowage that gets backed up with a simple box later on. The rear panel is open at this stage, and so is the roof, which has sloped panels at the edge that are decorated with three smaller roof lights before the assembly is closed up, given a pair of longitudinal rails and a pair of doors with small windows and handles glued in place to complete them. Under the floor a number of mud flaps, stowage boxes and a slide-out step are attached, with clear light clusters and number plates added to the rear. At the front of the cabin the environmental mechanism consisting of intakes, exhausts, impellers and various other parts along with C-shaped steps for maintenance access are made up and glued in place over where the cab roof will be, and then after adding more boxes, fuel canisters, a spare wheel on its bracket, steps, roof rails and other small parts, the two assemblies are mated. A section of perforated tread-plate is added to the cab roof on stand-off brackets just before they’re mated, presumably because the equipment above is fairly maintenance intensive. The Figures This single sprue contains all five of the figures for this set, including driver, check-point officer, a check-point soldier sat at the table in the shack on the phone, another figure with white gloves and a pointing stick/cudgel, then the final chap doing a radiation check in a suit with a long wand for scanning low-level targets. All the figures barring the gentleman on the phone have masks on, with only the check-point chap having his round his neck to facilitate communications. Sculpting is up to ICM’s usual high standard with all figures having separate legs, torso, arms and heads, some with flat tops for adding their wide-brimmed caps. The hazmat suited fellow has his hood moulded in, and a few bags are included for a few of the figures. You’ll need to find some fine wire for the link between the radiation detector and the operator’s handheld box of tricks that you’ll find on another sprue (Sprue B). The Shack/Hut The checkpoint has a sprue to itself, and has a wooden floor, plus wriggly-tin sides and roof, then a separate door and a surprising four windows, all of which have clear parts. Inside you have a chair and table made up from two H-shaped parts and linking parts, plus the tabletop and seat top, then a simple cot bed is made up with bare mattress to give an insight into the life of a check-point operator. As well as the radiation detector box, there is a simple field telephone for the man on the blower, plus a handset that he’ll hold in his left hand once you’ve wound some wire into a flex for him. Three coat hooks on a wooden pattress are glued to the long wall, and outside is the barrier. The barrier is of the horizontal swing-type, and has a heavy base, moulded-in brace and separate notice panel, with another post with base at the other end and a peg sticking out to rest the closed barrier on. Markings This monster is painted entirely in Russian Green, and can be built as one of five explicit vehicles, or with the addition of some door insignia, six more users can be depicted. The most germane to this boxing is the Soviet Army vehicle from 1986, which fits the timeframe of our story and could have been in the Ukraine at the time of the accident. Don’t forget that these instructions are from the previous boxing of this kit, which explains the other options. The smaller decal sheet includes a couple of extra STOP signs, duplicate instrument decals, and the rectangular warning notice for the barrier. Decals are well-printed with good register, sharpness and sharpness, and should leave you with plenty of spare Soviet Bloc number plates and emblems in your decal drawer. Conclusion It’s a shrewd decision by ICM to bring out this interesting boxing of their kit, and by adding the shack and figures they have created something that is quite appealing to anyone that either has an interest in the Chernobyl disaster, or has watched the excellent HBO series that aired recently. I believe there’s going to be a fire engine boxing soon, which depicts those poor guys that went in to do their job without knowing they were sealing their own fate. Very highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

ZIL-131 KShM with Soviet Drivers ICM 1:35 The ZIL-131 is a general purpose utility truck 6x6, one of the mainstays of the many Eastern Block armies along with the Ural-375. The basic model is a general utility tuck powered by both petrol and diesel engines. Like most armies the chassis for a general truck has been used for a multitude of different versions from a fuel truck to in the case of the ZIL a base for the BM-21 rocket launcher. The Kit The kit is a reboxing of ICM's 2014 new tool ZIL-131. This kit comes with the standard command body. Construction starts with the chassis. Please note the chassis rails for this kit are the ones on the sprues for the command[ body, not the ones on the spure with the rest of the chassis parts. Air tanks are added to both sides and they are then joined by 5 cross members. The mounts for the front and rear suspension units are moulded into the chassis rails.The main gear box is then added. The side mounted fuel tanks are then made up and added. Next at the front of the truck the engine and its drive shaft are made up, this drive shaft then mounts to the gearbox. The engine intake filter and exhaust are then added as well, finished off by the radiator. Next up are the main rear wheels and associated parts. The two axles are built up and their leaf springs added, the tyres are fitted to the hubs and then onto the axles. The drive shaft assembly for the main wheels is then built up and added linking to the main gearbox. These are then added to the chassis and the rest of the main suspension parts added. The front axle is then built up, its tyres added along with its drive shaft which links to the main gear box. Once the axle is mounted to the built in leaf springs the dampers can also be added. This now completes the chassis. Construction now moves to the drivers cab. This is built from quite a number of parts and care will be needed to align them correctly. The lower sides are added to the floor along with the are in front of the dash. The dash can then be added along with the steering wheel and other driver controls. The drivers seat and passenger seats are then built up and added. The rear of the cab can then be fixed in, followed by the roof. Once the cab is then together the doors can be built up and added. The front wheel arches with their light cluster added can then be added to the chassis and the cab placed on top of them. The front grill is added then along with the bonnet. Finishing touches are three lights on top of the cab , the rear view mirrors and front light guards. Now that the cab is finished construction moves onto the rear mounted body The body is fairly bare giving the modeller the opportunity to do whatever they wish with the interior. The sides, front & back bulkheads and the roof are added to make the box. Windows are added to the side panels before these are attached to the floor and the front/rear. The on the underside the mounting rails to the chassis are added. These are followed by mud guards and rear under mounted storage lockers. A great deal of external equipment, mounts etc are then added to the rear body along with a spare wheel carrier, and full length roof rails with a walkway area. Once complete the body can be added to the chassis. The exhaust can now be added under the rear. Equipment and the top rack for the body is added. Decals The small decal sheet provides markings for 3 Soviet/Russian, one GDR, one Polish, and one Ukrainian Army vehicle. Any colour you want as long as its Russian Army Green! Figures The kit comes with ICM figure set 35641 "Soviet Drivers". There are two figures in the box, one sitting on a higher type seat and one on a lower type. They are well sculpted. Conclusion It is good to see many more of these support vehicles being produced. As well as making a a good looking stand alone kit, there are many diorama possibilities available. The inclusion of the figures makes it a much better package. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hi all. ZIL-131 MTO-AT from ICM, figures from Zvezda.Scale 1/35It is made for the customer. Cheers Martin .

ZIL-131 MTO-AT Soviet Recovery Truck ICM 1:35 The ZIL-131 is a general purpose utility truck 6x6, one of the mainstays of the many Eastern Block armies along with the Ural-375. The basic model is a general utility tuck powered by both petrol and diesel engines. Like most armies the chassis for a general truck has been used for a multitude of different versions from a fuel truck to in the case of the ZIL a base for the BM-21 rocket launcher. The version the MTO-AT is a recovery / mobile workshop version. It features a rear cabin workshop and a winch based lifting arm for the front of the truck. The Kit The kit is a reboxing of ICM's 2014 new tool ZIL-131. This kit comes with a complete new rear body workshop and the lifting legs. These can either be mounted for use on the front bumper or stowed on the roof of the vehicle. The workshop body comes with a complete interior from ICM, all the lockers, work bench, compressor, drill press, light fittings, vices etc are included for a comprehensive busy look to the workshop. The only slight drawback is the lack of rigging for the winch if you want to deploy it. Construction starts with the chassis. Plase note the chassis rails for this kit are the ones on the sprues for the workshop body, not the ones on the spure with the rest of the chassis parts. Air tanks are added to both sides and they are then joined by 5 cross members. The mounts for the front and rear suspension units are moulded into the chassis rails. The main gear box is then added. The side mounted fuel tanks are then made up and added. Next at the front of the truck the engine and its drive shaft are made up, this drive shaft then mounts to the gearbox. The engine intake filter and exhaust are then added as well, finished off by the radiator. Moving along to the front of the chassis the drive shaft to the front mounted winch, and winch assembly is built up and added to the engine. The front bumper and number plate holder is added along with the winch cover. The cover plates for standing on are then added to the front bumper. Next up are the main rear wheels and associated parts. The two axles are built up and their leaf springs added, the tyres are fitted to the hubs and then onto the axles. The drive shaft assembly for the main wheels is then built up and added linking to the main gearbox. These are then added to the chassis and the rest of the main suspension parts added. The front axle is then built up, its tyres added along with its drive shaft which links to the main gear box. Once the axle is mounted to the built in leaf springs the dampers can also be added. This now completes the chassis. Construction now moves to the drivers cab. This is built from quite a number of parts and care will be needed to align them correctly. The lower sides are added to the floor along with the are in front of the dash. The dash can then be added along with the steering wheel and other driver controls. The drivers seat and passenger seats are then built up and added. The rear of the cab can then be fixed in, followed by the roof. Once the cab is then together the doors can be built up and added. The front wheel arches with their light cluster added can then be added to the chassis and the cab placed on top of them. The front grill is added then along with the bonnet. Finishing touches are three lights on top of the cab , the rear view mirrors and front light guards. Now that the cab is finished construction moves onto the rear mounted workshop. The forward bulkhead has panels and equipment added before being attached to the floor, followed by the rear bulkhead which also has equipment mounted. A floor mounted compressor is built up and installed, along with a generator which runs from a PTO from the engine/gearbox. A perforated enclosure surrounds this equipment. Windows and equipment are also added to the side panels before these are attached to the floor and the front/rear. The many parts of racking, storage draws, equipment such as drill presses, vices, lights, etc are then made up and installed in the rear. Once the interior of the rear is done the roof can be added. The on the underside the mounting rails to the chassis are added. These are followed by mud guards and rear under mounted storage lockers. A great deal of external equipment, mounts etc are then added to the rear body along with a spare wheel carrier, and full length roof rails with a walkway area. Once complete the body can be added to the chassis. The exhaust can now be added under the rear. Next the lifting boom is mad up. This can be carried stowed on the roof, or on an operational position attached to the front bumper. If it is to be in the operational position then the modeller will need to supply their own rigging cables for this. A rigging diagram is supplied in the instructions. Decals The small decal sheet provides makring for 3 Soviet/Russian and one Ukranian Army vehicle. Any colour you want as long as its Russian Army Green! Conclusion It is good to see many more of these support vehicles being produced. As well as making a a good looking stand alone kit, there are many diorama possibilities available. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

ZiL-131 timber truck, ICM 1/35

Hi all this is my last creature: ICM 1/35th ZIL-131 truck in the UN version. Scene elements (street lamp, bins, barrels, etc...) from Migproductions. Painted and weathered with Tamiya, AK interacive, Ammo, Vallejo and Model Color. Hope you like it. Cheers Nacho