Italeri 1/35 Opel Blitz

[Ned]

I fancied something nice and quick after 4 tanks in a row, so dug this one out. I bought some Star Decals with big 'Rauchen Verboten!' warnings because they looked fun. Cab, chassis, covered load bed, dunkelgrau - what could go wrong?

 

Two large sprues in a nasty dark grey plastic (hello 1970s!) and some really mad instructions with arrows all over the place somehow linking the parts together,

 

 

Then I spent a good 30 minutes just looking at the cab parts and trying to get them to fit together and line up. Hmm. There's gonna be a few gaps. It's going to be draughty in there for poor old Hans!

 

The doors are moulded into the cab sides, with a very thin section down the hinge joint. Apparently they can be opened up once the cab is assembled, and swung open "several times without breaking".

It's going to be a different kind of fun to what I was expecting, but I'm sure it will go great.

I might need to find better wheels. The tyres are rubber and only the front rims have 8 spokes, the rears are commercial 6 spoke ones. Perhaps that would be correct for an early one though.

 

Wish me luck! I can't find any previous builds on here, just a few saying what a relief the Tamiya Blitz was after this effort. It can't be that bad though, it's just a cab and a chassis and a covered bed.

[Carius]

Hi Ned, although old this Italeri kit is very good in general. With a little work the cabin is perfectly assembled.
The cab doors, with careful bending, can be opened. it's a good idea to change tires, by others of resin.

 

Enjoy your kit.

 

Cesar

[Ned]

3 hours ago, Carius said:

Hi Ned, although old this Italeri kit is very good in general. With a little work the cabin is perfectly assembled.
The cab doors, with careful bending, can be opened. it's a good idea to change tires, by others of resin.

 

Enjoy your kit.

 

Cesar

Thanks Cesar.

Yes, I think it just needs a bit more thought and careful work than need with a modern kit that just goes together by itself.

I'll definitely change the wheels/tyres, I don't like rubber ones at all. Any suggestions? I have a set on a Tamiya Blitz that ended up on the shelf, but I do like the look of sagged ones.

[Ned]

After a few hours working on it I'm pleasantly surprised with most of it. The chassis has gone together well enough. I really like the way they've done the springs, the spring and the hanger are separate parts rather than moulded together, so it looks just right.

It has an engine and a radiator, whereas the Tamiya kit has an empty void visible through the grille.

The front axle is wrong though, the tie rod is in front of the axle when it should be behind. I'm a bit annoyed with myself for not ignoring the instructions and fitting it the other way around.

It's a bit of a juggling act sometimes, but the review that I read that complained about the fit being "terrible" compared to the Tamiya Blitz is just wrong (although maybe I should wait until I try to put the cab together!)

The rubber tyres are awful, with a nasty seam going round each tyre that can't be trimmed. I'll be using some Tamiya wheels temporarily, but looking to order some Res/kit resin ones eventually.

The tilt cover is a bit poor, it just sits flat on the top of the load bed rather than over it, so the edges are totally straight and don't look natural. I don't think I've got the skill to do anything about it though.

 

 

 

 

I'm already eyeing up the Dragon and Revell Blitzes, why do we do these things? 🤪

[Stef N.]

On 10/11/2021 at 16:41, Ned said:

Thanks Cesar.

Yes, I think it just needs a bit more thought and careful work than need with a modern kit that just goes together by itself.

I'll definitely change the wheels/tyres, I don't like rubber ones at all. Any suggestions? I have a set on a Tamiya Blitz that ended up on the shelf, but I do like the look of sagged ones.

I know DEF Models do a set of sagged wheels but the problem is they cost nearly as much as the whole kit. 😖

[Ned]

Almost there, just the tools and lights to go on the cab. The wheels and Hans the driver have been stolen from a Tamiya Blitz that never got finished after a varnish disaster. I stripped the old acrylic paint off the wheels using Tamiya lacquer thinner, it was frighteningly good, I don't remember why I bought it but I'll never let it near anything painted that I don't want stripped.

The cab was fiddly to get together, but the fit is OK. The door gaps are better than my real-life Land Rover was, so Hans won't find it too draughty. The window glass is a bit poor though. It fits in from the outside, so ends up flush with the frame.

I'm trying to build up the the bottom edge of the window flaps on the tilt cover. Italeri did a decent job moulding it, but the flaps don't stand out.

 

 

 

TTFN!

 

[John_W]

Very nice work.

Remember the triangle on the cab was only raised to show the vehicle was towing

[Ned]

11 hours ago, John_W said:

Very nice work.

Remember the triangle on the cab was only raised to show the vehicle was towing

Yes, I've already chopped the bracket off so that I can fix it to the roof in the down position. Also it will be one less ejector pin mark to worry about (there's a lovely one right in the centre of the triangle).