MiniArt Werkstattkraftwagen Typ-03-30 (35359) 1:35

[Mike]

Werkstattkraftwagen Typ-03-30 (35359)

1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd

 

 

Ford’s AA light truck was license built in the Soviet Union from 1932 to 1950 by GAZ as their GAZ-AA, or GAZ-MM as it was sometimes known, with over 150,000 being built in various configurations including Anti-Aircraft, and buses based on the same chassis.  Some of these were of course captured by the Nazis during the successful early stages of Operation Barbarossa in WWII, and as usual with their regime they were pressed into service, sometimes in their original form, but others were butchered around to suit different purposes.  The Werkstattkraftwagen was based upon the Typ-03-30 bus, with the passenger seats stripped out to be replaced by benches and storage to become a mobile workshop for the repair of equipment and vehicles in the field.

 

 

The Kit

This is a substantial reboxing of MiniArt’s GAZ-03-30 bus (35149), containing the majority of the sprues therein, with the exception of the additional seat sprues that won’t be needed.  Instead there are a raft of new sprues, some of which have been brought together from other sets and kits to provide a huge amount of detail that will result in a highly detailed kit once complete.  The kit arrives in a standard top-opening box with fifty-eight sprues in grey styrene, two clear sprues, a fret of Photo-Etch (PE) brass in a card envelope, a small decal sheet and the glossy instruction booklet with colour painting instructions to the rear.  MiniArt’s standard is excellent, and this kit meets it, with the bus parts originally produced as recently as 2015, so up to date as far as detail is concerned.  The quantity of accessories and tools included in the box almost doubles the volume of plastic in the box, and the nature of the kit will keep you busy for a long time if you treat all the sub-assemblies as separate little kits to do them the ultimate justice.   It is a full interior kit, and this extends to the engine, cab and former passenger area, so it leaves the modeller with a wide palette to make this model their own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MiniArt have included four of each of the wheel frets, when only two are needed and documented in the instructions.  Spare wheels will be the result.

 

 

 

Construction begins with the engine, which is a four-cylinder license-built Ford unit that is built up around the four-part block with transmission and accessories bringing the part count to 20.  The ladder chassis is made up from the two side rails with the inverted rear suspension springs fitted to the outside, and numerous cross-braces added to prepare it for the engine, drive-shaft and rear axle with differential housing, which is installed at the rear end of the springs.  The wheels are built up at this time too, the tyres laminated from seven tread parts to form eight tyres for the eight hubs.  It will be important to be careful with the amount of glue used here, as excess could ooze out and melt the tread pattern, spoiling MiniArt’s hard work.  After that little jaunt, attention returns to the chassis, which is further detailed with brackets, front suspension and steering, plus rear anti-roll bars and linkages.  The spare tyre is stowed under the rear of the chassis, and the brake hubs with their tyres (twin tyres at the rear) are slotted into place along with the radiator with a PE badge for the top, brackets for the front fenders, and front bumper.  The exhaust is installed on the left, then the earlier stamped fenders with foot-plates are added to the front, and the driver’s foot plate is inserted between them aft of the engine with 3-speed gear shifter and hand brake in the centre.  The foot pedals are inserted too, projecting through the plate and attaching to the transmission for complete realism.

 

The large floor panel with anti-slip strips and rear fenders covers the rest of the chassis, with short 2^nd steps over those on the front fenders, and after that, the crew cab is begun, starting with the instrument panel, which slots into the scuttle with filler cap in the centre and firewall at the front, joined by two small side panels.  This, the steering wheel with stalks, and the driver’s seat on curved rails are inserted into the cab, and the front windscreen is glazed with a clear panel, with a solitary windscreen wiper on the driver’s side.  The front of the cab receives the window in either closed or tilted positions for ventilation, using a pair of curved PE sliders from days of yore.  A strip with clear lights and destination display slot are fitted above the screen, offering a clue to the vehicle’s original purpose.  A pair of braces link the radiator housing to the firewall, while the windscreen surround is slid down over the dash, and a set of steps with retraction links are added to the rear.

 

The cab is left for a while to concentrate on the main body of the “bus”, with the two sides glazed and the large multi-drawer bench made up along with a short bench and pillar drill that has a PE belt and base plate, the latter set to one side for later installation.  The left body shell and the aforementioned benches are fitted to the floor panel, and roller-blinds are attached to the headers of the windows, then a large number of tools and benches are made up as follows:

 

• Double-end bench grinder
• Bench vice
• Bench vice with clamp
• Hacksaw
• Closed expanding toolbox
• Open expanding toolbox with PE tools
• Chair
• Stool
• Shallow bench with drawers
• Mobile compressor with receiver
• Wooden toolbox
• Anvil
• Blow torch large
• Blow torch small
• G-clamp
• Angle-poise light
• Coping saw
• Bucket with large wrench & axe
• Small cupboard

 

 

The starboard body panel is similarly glazed and fitted out with roller-blinds, and the double rear doors have glass, roller-blinds and handles added before they are glued in open or closed positions, with the single cab door made up similarly and having a stay provided for the open option, and an alternative folded-step for the rear in the closed position.  The roof is prepped with a central line of clear lenses, not to be confused with the raised ejector pin marks nearby, which you may want to deal with if you think they’ll be seen.

 

The engine cowlings are the usual 30-40s style with louvered sides that fold up with the split top panels on hinges that are outfitted with brackets and PE handles on each side.  The large headlights fit either side of the radiator on a curved bracket and a rod that fits between the fenders, with the horn attached on another bracket below the left headlight.  The front number plate glues to the front bumper to complete the actual vehicle, but there’s more to come.

 

There is a large roof rack that covers the majority of the top of the vehicle, which is folded up from PE and glued in place, with a pair of PE brackets for the port side ladder also fitted at the same time.  Then a cornucopia of stowage etc. is made up to fill it, and fill it completely.  The sub-assemblies are as follows:

 

• Wooden ladder
• Wooden boxes in three sizes
• 40gal drum with alternative tops
• Triangular-shaped can with PE handle
• Hand pump
• Axle-stand
• 2-man saw
• Heat-exchanger/radiator (not sure which)
• Oxy-Acetylene bottles with bases (2 of)
• Oxy-Acetylene trolley
• Box-plane
• Handsaw
• Hessian bags in three styles with various contents
• 6 x jerry cans with PE latches and centre ribs
• Large bin with tools inside
• Spare tyre with hub
• 11 x posters printed on the back cover of the instructions

 

The figure that accompanies the set is only mentioned on the back page of the instructions, in much the same style as their figure sets.  There is a painting of the completed figure with arrows pointing out the various parts and colour options.  It is a Wehrmacht soldier in a side cap leaning against the vehicle with one hand in his pocket, the other nursing a cigarette.  It is up to MiniArt’s usual standard of sculpting, and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it in another of their boxes, but can’t quite place where.

 

 

Markings

There is only one option in the box, and that one is painted in German Panzer Grey, but its Russian heritage shows under the fenders, which remain Russian green.  The decal sheet is small, and includes a few stencils, a pair of numberplates and some dials for the instrument panel.

 

 

 

Decals are by DecoGraph, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin matt carrier film cut close to the printed areas.

 

 

 

Conclusion

It’s a great reboxing of this kit with a new purpose, and the sheer volume of sub-assemblies will keep you at your workbench for a long time.  Treat each part as a separate model and you will end up with an excellent, highly detailed finished article that will have visual interest out the wazoo as our American chums say.

 

Very highly recommended.

 

Currently out of stock at Creative, but they're sure to order more in, so check back.

 

Review sample courtesy of

[ModelMonkey]

Great review Mike. I got one for Christmas from my folks and had a proper look yesterday - some of the PE parts will be a real test but there's no denying it's a fab kit - oodles of content crammed into a compact space.