MiniArt D8511 Tractor Mod.1936 German Industrial Tractor (24005) 1:24

[Mike]

D8511 Tractor Mod.1936 German Industrial Tractor (24005)

1:24 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd

 

 

Tractors were a boon to farmers when they were introduced after the reliability of the motor car was proven, as they were especially useful for lugging heavy equipment around the farm, as well as the typical ploughing, sowing, reaping and transporting of crops.  They also had power take-off points that could be used to drive other stationary machinery, further expanding their usefulness to that of a portable power-plant.

 

Lanz were the leading maker of farm machinery in Germany, and their Bulldog range were the “hoover” of the tractor world in their country for many years.  They were good quality and reliable, which led to them being copied by several countries, and as the initial 1921 model was improved the model number was increased until well into the 9,000s.  One of the primary selling points of the vehicle was the simple “hot-bulb” single-cylinder engine that could be run on a variety of fuels and had very few moving parts, which made it easy to repair and maintain.  They started off as 6L and grew to 10L engines, and their slow turnover high-torque output suited the tractor’s work very well.  In 1956 they were sold to John Deere, and the name slowly fell out of use.  There are still many working examples to be seen at county fairs and historic events, kept in splendid working condition by their loving (some may say obsessed) owners.

 

The Kit

This is new edition of MiniArt’s D8500 range of kits but in the larger de facto vehicle scale of 1:24, and you can still expect more to come if their 1:35 release schedule of this series is repeated, which seems to be happening.  The kit arrives in a standard top-opening box, and inside are eight sprues of various sizes in grey styrene, a clear sprue, a small decal sheet and the instruction booklet that has colour profiles of the decal options on the rear pages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Construction begins with the large cast metal chassis that is made up from two halves each end around a cylindrical centre-plate, with lots of parts used to create its distinctive shape.  The superstructure above the chassis where the engine and ancillaries are found is roughly rectangular, having various filler caps on the top, radiator panels and louvres on the sides, plus a Lanz Bulldog name-plate on the front.  The driver’s foot pedals are long curved linkages to the underside of the chassis, and with these in place the driver’s tread-plated floor is installed and a big handbrake is fitted to the deck, plus a stowage box under the rear left lip.  The large cylindrical assembly in the centre of the chassis is filled with the clutch and drive-shaft on one side, and on the floor plate the driver’s seat is mounted on a sturdy spring, a couple of hand controls are inserted into depressions in the deck in front, then the large drive housing is mounted on the left side of the chassis, with a bell-housing and fly-wheel on the opposite side over the clutch, and two large fenders/sidewalls over where the rear wheels will be that have additional nuts applied, plus a sturdy bumper-bar at the rear on diagonal cross-braces.  The rear hubs have two additional layers inside for the drum brakes, ready to receive the large back wheels.

 

The front axle has the hubs fitted on pivots, adding the steering arms, anti-roll bars and the linkage to the column, which is installed on the front underframe on a single pivot in preparation for the tyres.   The wheels on this tractor have heavy tread to plough through mud, which are built up by layering four parts together to make a twin tyre-sandwich at the rear, and a two-part layer for the smaller front wheels, all with crisp and chunky tread on the rolling surfaces.  The tyres have their hub fronts moulded-in, while the rears have an additional rear hub spacer ring added between the wheels and rear axles before both are installed on the axles. 

 

Two large exhausts are made up from various odd-shaped parts attaching to the left side of the chassis either side of the bell-housing, with a pair of clear-lensed headlamps on an oversized cross-member on the topside.  You have a choice of installing the steering wheel on the column in the cab with a cover over the power take-off point, or cut the column tip away in the cab, gluing the steering wheel on a rod that inserts into the centre of the take-off, with the cover flipped down for access.  I understand this was for manually starting the engine, but don’t quote me on that.

 

 

Markings

There are three decal options on the sheet, and the suggested paint schemes vary from garish yellow via green to a dull grey, with plenty of options for weathering.  From the box you can build one of the following:

 

• Deutsche Reichbahn, Germany, 1939-45
• Interessen-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG, Germany 1939-45
• Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD), Germany, 1939-45

 

 

 

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

 

 

Conclusion

Another variation on a tractor that was once ubiquitous in and around German farms, and this early variant takes it back to basics without sacrificing detail.  These kits are also great to show off your weathering skills, or test them out, and if you're a car modeller, they'll be in scale with the rest of your cabinet.

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

[Chief Cohiba]

I once experienced one of these beasts - maybe even a bit older one - to start up, and this was an almost outworldly experience.

 

It took about 10 min to heat up the engine (with a small hearth put under the engine) and it's first signs of life were low loud blasts, accompanied by deep black clouds pumped out in slow sequence of the funnel (somehow the term "exhaust" this thing doesn't sound right to me), the first minute or so running maybe in 60 rpm, slowly revving up to 300 rmp of working speed.

 

This is some 6l single cylinder two stroke engine, with a max power of some 16hp, but torque like a herd of elephants.

 

I'm not interested in trucks or agricultural equipment at all, but this model sure is fun. I have the slight feeling this will almost unavoidingly land in my stash. Must be weathering heaven, maybe a dio with some cows and muck galore...