ICM KHD A3000 Light Truck. 1:35

[Shar2]

KHD A3000 Light Truck

ICM 1:35

 

 

From 1940 onwards the German army, by standardizing and simplifying the numerous types of trucks, tried to improve the procurement of spare parts and facilitate repairs. The result was the standard 3 ton truck, which all German manufacturers now used as a basis for construction. This was also the basis on which the motor manufacturer Klöckner Humboldt Deutz AG, (KHD) of Cologne produced the A3000. Various bodies and sets of equipment were available, including a half track, “maultier”. A typical recognition feature was the oval radiator grille and one-piece windscreen. In total about 5960 examples were built between 1940 and 1944. The 4 wheel drive A3000 came to be used on all fronts in the Second World War and was indispensable for supplying the troops with goods of all kinds.

 

The Model

The model arrives in a strong box with a separate top sleeve with a nice artist’s representation of the vehicle on the front. Inside, within a large poly bag, are three sprues of light brown styrene and, in a separate poly bag, one clear sprue.  On initial inspection the parts are really well moulded, clean, with no sign of flash.  There are a number of moulding pips, some of which are on quite fragile looking parts, so care should be taken when removing.  The sprue gates attaching items like the cover rails are also quite heavy and I can see these parts breaking if not careful.  The original kit was released in 2015, this one includes new parts, but not having the original, I couldn’t tell you what they were.

 

The build starts with the nicely detailed engine with the block and gearbox halves glued together followed by the addition of the rocker covers, starter motor, alternator, front engine mounts, cooling fan, air filter, and other sundry items.  The instructions then move on to the complicated transfer box, with its input and output shafts and cross member frame that fits onto the chassis rails with the addition of four other cross members and rear chassis end piece, to which the towing eye, cover and pin are added, along with the front mudguards and engine are attached.

 

 

 

 

The front and rear leaf springs are pre moulded to the chassis rails, the front and rear axles and transfer box are then fitted.  Turning the rails over the engine can now be fitted plus the exhaust system, which comprises of four parts, and looks particularly fragile so it may be an idea to build in situ rather than as a separate assembly the instructions call for.  The two driveshafts are then be added, as are the radiator/front chassis end piece.  The steering rack assembly is built up using the four parts provided and, if the modeller chooses can be built up so that the front wheels are posable, although this may make it rather fragile, particularly the rear tie rod. After fitting the various brackets and supports as well as the front bumper, it’s onto the wheels, these come as single piece tyres plus inner and outer hubs. There are seven provided, singles for the front, doubles for the rear and a spare which fits on the chassis behind the cab and under the bed, along with the four piece fuel tank.

 

 

 

 

The building of the cab begins with filing off the ejection pins marks on the underside of the floor, before fitting the pedals, steering column, steering wheel and handbrake handle.  The seat support and cushion is fitted to the floor, whilst the windscreen, instrument panel, (with decal instruments), are fitted to the roof/front part of the cab.  Onto the rear panel of the cab the seat back and rear screen are attached. The next assembly for the cab is the bonnet, which is made up of left and right hand parts, bonnet and radiator grille.  The completed bonnet cannot easily be made to be posed either open, which is a shame. To finish off the foot plates are attached along with the doors, which are made of the external panels, door cards, clear parts, and door handles.  Last details are the wing mirrors, lights, wipers; grab handles, spade, triangular roof marker, jerry can and its support bracket.

 

The last assembly is the truck bed, with the bed itself being fitted with the side, rear, and front plank sections. On the underside, four lateral strengthening beams, plus the two wheel arches are fitted with their attachment struts. The kit comes complete with four tilt rails that attach to the outsides of the truck bed sides. To complete the build the windscreen wipers, wing mirrors, grab handles, headlamps, and width markers are glued into their respective positions.

 

 

Decals

Apart from the instruments mentioned above, the small decal sheet gives the modeller two options. The decals are nicely printed, clear and in good register with a slightly matt finish. The options:-

 

• KHD A3000, Ukraine, Summer 1942, in Panzer Grey overall
• KHD A3000, Italy, Summer 1944, in Dark Yellow

 

 

Conclusion

This is another superb truck kit from ICM. The details straight from the box are rather good, and there is plenty of scope to add extra detail, particularly to the engine and the very empty cargo bed.  Once built and weathered this truck will make a nice component to a multi-vehicle diorama, or on its own with a bit of imagination and some figures, one or two of which would have been nice to have been included in the kit. There doesn’t appear to be anything that would trouble anyone other than complete beginners, so I can quite happily recommend this nice and quite interesting truck.

 

Review sample courtesy of