ICM Type G4 Partisanenwagen with MG34 (72473) 1:72

[Mike]

Type G4 Partisanenwagen with MG34 (72473)

1:72 ICM via Hannants Ltd

 

 

Like many long-standing German companies, Mercedes isn’t overly keen on being linked to their work on vehicles used by the Nazis during WWII, particularly those used to transport their leader, for obvious reasons.  This huge touring car was developed by Mercedes on their W31 platform that was notable not only because of its size, but also the fact that it had a third axle at the rear, with both rear axles driven by a 5 litre V8 engine that could lock out the differential for maximum traction, and used a four-speed gear box, some of which were synchromesh – a luxury feature at the time.  It was complex and expensive to manufacture, so only a small number reached the German military, and these were soon co-opted into use by the SS and senior members of the party.  By 1938 a larger engine was installed, and it was this later model that was used by Adolf Hitler during parades and other such high-profile appearances.  Only 30 of the last variant were made, with production finishing in 1939 as war broke out.

 

They were used throughout the war by the Nazis, and thanks to their cost and cachet, the Wehrmacht never saw sign of them for their use.  Their seven-seat passenger compartment was luxurious by comparison to other vehicles of the era, and the drop-down hood was ideal for their use as a VIP transport, although Hitler’s cars were fitted with additional armour and bullet-resistant glass, further slowing its top speed thanks to the extra weight.  It was capable of driving on all terrain, depending on whether the correct tyres were fitted, but this also limited its top speed to just over 40mph.  How fast the armoured variants were(n’t), you can probably imagine.  The VIP examples had rear-view searchlights installed to blind anyone aggressively chasing the vehicle, and a pair of MG34 machine gun mounts could be installed, although the passengers probably wouldn’t have appreciated the hot brass raining on them in the event of an ambush, but it’s better than being killed.  These were used as convoy protection from ambush by Partisans, hence the name.

 

 

The Kit

This is a reboxing with new parts of ICM’s 2015 kit of this six-wheeled monster, which has been reboxed a few times since its original release, and is now with us in the Partisanenwagen guise, complete with a pair of MG34 machine guns mounts in the passenger compartment.  Inside the box are four sprues in grey styrene, a small sprue of clear parts, three short metal rods, two sprues of black flexible plastic tyres, and the instruction booklet with a page of colour profiles on the glossy back cover in full colour.

 

 

 

 

 

Construction begins with the bodyshell sides that are joined together at the rear, and spaced out with the rear seats and the windscreen, after which the floor is clipped into place from below on two clips on the integral rear fenders, after drilling a hole for the machine gun mount on the right side of the floor.  The radiator and bonnet/hood cover up the nose, then the chassis with integral front fenders is detailed with a simplified V8 engine with block, cylinder head, transmission, and interlinking drive-shafts between the two back axles.  The exhaust is separate and is inserted after the two halves of the vehicle are joined together, allowing the flexible manifolds to mate to the side of the cowling.

 

The rear suspension has two inverted leaf-springs per side, one above and below the central pivot, with a pair of metal axles slotted through.  It attaches to the chassis and has a pair of thick covers slotted over the top once it is in place.  The front axle has separate stub axles moulded into the suspension units, and are joined together by a length of I-beam, with steering linkages added before you start adding the wheels.  The rears are of one type, with the fronts having separate numbered hubs, so take care when fitting them, as pulling them off too many times may weaken the friction fit.

 

The passenger compartment is decked out with a full set of driver controls plus two rows of additional seats with grab-handles for easy mounting and dismounting the vehicle.  With the steering wheel mounted on the left, the sun visors are fitted, and the side windows are applied to the sills of the vehicle as single parts per side.  Two spare tyres are attached to the engine cowling on turn-buckles, with the large trunk on the rear plus light clusters and numberplate holder, then a folded-away canvas roof covering the top of the rear, with added depiction of the folded framework further forward.  Add the lights and short flag-poles to the front fenders, numberplate holder under the radiator, and you’re left with the two MG34s that are on separate mounts, which have moulded-in folded bipod and separate drum mag, plus a concertina-style guide fitted to direct the spent brass downward and away from the passengers as far as possible.  The longer mount installs in the hole in the floor you drilled earlier, and the shorter mount is fitted to the rear on the left by drilling another 0.8mm hole just inside the fabric hood.

 

 

Markings

There is only one option offered for this kit, and that is panzer grey.  It’s not going to light any fires in terms of originality, but that’s the colour they were, unless you wanted to do something fanciful.  From the box you can build this big lump:

 

 

There are no decals in this boxing, so if you plan on depicting a specific vehicle you’ll need to obtain plates and flags as appropriate.

 

 

Conclusion

A welcome re-release of a brute of a car that was used extensively by the Nazis, despite the small numbers.  If you get a few, you could depict a convoy of them on their way to or from an arm-lifting engagement with Mr Hitler sat in one of them.

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

 

[johnlambert]

You described the engine, twice, as a "V8".  I can assure you that it is nothing of the sort, being a straight, or inline eight as shown in the images of the sprues.

 

Apart from one racing car, hastily concocted to meet rules designed to keep them away, the first Mercedes-Benz car to use a V8 engine was (unless I am very much mistaken) the 600 of 1963.  This 6,330cc M100 engine also found its way into the 300SEL 6.3 and made the "6.3" designation (or variants thereof) something of a distinguishing mark for high performance Mercedes models for years.  Even when it no longer had any link to the actual engine size.