ICM Wehrmacht Radio Trucks (DS3509) 1:35

[Mike]

Wehrmacht Radio Trucks (DS3509)

Henschel 33D1 & Krupp L3H163 w/Kfz.72

1:35 ICM Via Hannants Ltd

 

 

Radios were a little larger in WWII than they are now, so any radio with a decent range needed to be transported by a truck if it was to be mobile, and to a certain extent that's still true.  The German Army use different chassis with the same Kfz.72 body with panelled wood sides to contain the equipment and crew needed for communications, which was a crucial aspect of their then-new Blitzkrieg warfare technique.  the Henschel 33 truck was a product of the mid-30s and remained in service with the Wehrmacht until 1942, able to carry just over 3 tonnes and powered by a 6-litre petrol engine and made in substantial quantities.  The Krupp L3H163 chassis was also used, with similar capabilities as the Henschel, although it was a slightly more modern design originating in 1936 and using Pneumatic braking systems to slow the 110hp engine’s roll.

 

 

The Kit

This is an amalgamation of two kits from the ICM stable, both of which were released originally in 2012 in their radio truck guise.  It makes a lot of sense in the same way it did to the Germans at the time, although why they used two types rather than one for simplicity… well, it’s a good thing they did as it made for more complex and back-end heavy maintenance that helped slow things down for them.  The kit arrives in a deep glossy box with a painting of the two types next to each other, showing how they differ mainly forward of the Kfz.72 body section, although the accessories and so forth are different between the two types, giving them some individuality.  It’s a full box with seven sprues of grey styrene and a clear sprue for the Henschel truck, and nine sprues plus clear in the Krupp bag.  Each kit has its own instruction booklet in the slightly older style, with a small decal sheet hidden within the pages of each one.

 

Henschel 33D1 w/Kfz.72 Radio Truck

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning with the six-cylinder engine and its ancillaries, the chassis rails are next with running boards fitted along with cross-rails, crew stirrups and some stowage, oil containers and jack block.  The rear wheels are made up from a pair of tyres with moulded-in hub, joined to the rear by a two-part brake drum assembly.  Four of these are made, and then set aside while the chassis is progressed by the insertion of the engine, front axle, steering box, exhaust and air-tanks at the rear.  The transmission is assembled with the transfer boxes and drive shafts distributing the power to the rear axles that are mounted on twin leaf-springs on the top and bottom of the hub.  The twin wheels are added to the ends of the four axles, and two single-part front wheels are attached to the front along with steering linkage.  At this point the chassis is complete, and the body is then begun, starting with the cab.

 

The cab is begun with the driver controls being inserted into a pedal box, instrument panel installed on two brackets, and steering wheel made up and all three assemblies fitted to the firewall along with the window frames and their clear glazing.  A full-width bench seat is assembled and added to the cab floor with the front, sides and rear, the latter three having glazing added along the way.  The back of the seat fits to the rear wall, and after a lick of paint, the corrugated roof is added, then closed in by the two crew doors with glazing, handles and winders.  These can of course be fitted open or closed as you see fit.  The front wings/fenders glue onto the chassis with large tabs holding them in place, and the radiator is slipped into the front rail of the chassis in preparation for the cab, which has its cowling made up along the centre rail, which can have its doors flipped up to view the engine.  The cab is fitted to the chassis with the cowling once the radio cabin is completed.

 

The cabin is basically a rectangular box with window (and door) cut-outs on the sides and front, a door cut-out at the rear, and two wheel well inserts cutting into the cabin floor.  The rest of the cabin is empty, so if you want the extra detail inside you’ll need to do some research on the likely configuration of the interior.  The wooden panelled cabin is completed by the curved ribbed roof, the rear door and side door with their glazing panels.  The chassis, cab and radio cabin are mated with additional tools, antenna tubes, rear-view mirrors and an upstand enclosure for stowage on the roof, then more small parts such as jacks, lights, cowling clasps, a roof-mounted light bar, pioneer tools, steps, ramps for getting out of mud, and even some foot-pegs to reach the roof and get the stowage.

 

Markings

Any colour you like as long as it’s panzer grey.  The two decal options are for vehicles in Poland and the Ukraine, with just a few number plates and small stencils completing the job.  Decals are well-printed with crisp instrument dials for the panel in the cab.

 

 

 

Krupp L3H163 w/Kfz.72 Radio Truck

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The build of this truck is very similar to the Henschel for obvious reasons.  There are some differences to the equipment attached to the chassis, such as winches and the placement of fuel tank and stowage, then at the rear wheels there are large horizontal springs playing a part in the suspension while the front rests on leaf-springs.  The cab has a central driver position and full-width instrument panel with some minor cab shape differences, which also extends to the cowling over the engine.

 

The Kfz.72 cabin is based on many of the same parts as the Henschel as you'll see from the pictures, with the differences mainly in terms of the equipment attached to the exterior.  In addition, the cab roof also gets a stowage enclosure fitted to the roof for even more carriage capacity.  Externally, all the same tools and equipment are fitted to the vehicle but in different places, plus the addition at the rear of a pair of covered-up wind-up antennae that sit either side of the back door of the cabin.

 

Markings

It’s panzer grey again, and this time the vehicles depicted are from France and the Ukraine, with a similarly small and concise decal sheet including instrument panel dials for the cab.

 

 

 

Conclusion

Thanks to the communication needs of Blitzkrieg, these vehicles were ubiquitous wherever German command was established, with more sent closer to the front lines to extend lines of communication and keep abreast of changes on the battlefield.  Having two of them in one box gives extra options and the opportunity to load up on Panzer Grey once to paint them both at the same time.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd.

 

Review sample courtesy of