Friday, June 7

Colourful Cargo - we update the 1/35th scale 3t Cargo Truck, 3,6-36S Early Prod. PmQ-Type from MiniArt.

We add the parts, decals, etch & six marking choices to our preview of MiniArt's "Blitz" in 1/35th scale. See everything in the box in our preview...

1/35th scale 3t Cargo Truck, 3,6-36S Early Prod. PmQ-Type from MiniArt.

3t Cargo Truck, 3,6-36S Early Prod. PmQ-Type
From MiniArt
1/35th scale
Kit No#35445
Six marking choices included in the box.
The Subject: Opel Blitz 3.6-36s
From 1939, the Blitz 3.6 three-tonne version was used in large numbers by the German armed forces (Wehrmacht) throughout World War II. Variants included an elongated version and the four-wheel drive Blitz A. To cope with the bad road conditions and the rasputitsa mud seasons on the Eastern Front, a half-tracked Maultier ("mule") Sd.Kfz. 3 version was built using tracks and suspension based on the British Universal Carrier. Among others, these were used as service vehicles for the Messerschmitt Me 323 military transport aircraft.
The light basic model was manufactured as Blitz 2.5 in Rüsselsheim until 1942 and again from 1946, equipped with the 55 hp (41 kW) Opel Super 6 engine. On 6 August 1944, the Opelwerk Brandenburg was devastated by an RAF air raid. Until the end of the war, about 2,500 Blitz 3.6 trucks were built by order of Minister of Armaments Albert Speer at the Mannheim plant of the rival Daimler-Benz company, while production of its own Mercedes-Benz L3000 model had to be discontinued.

One of the choices of the box art is this Opel
After the war, the facilities in Brandenburg were completely dismantled at the behest of the Soviet Military Administration, while Daimler-Benz in Mannheim resumed building the Blitz 3.6 under the designation L 701 until 1949. The last 467 medium trucks were again assembled by Opel in Rüsselsheim until production finally discontinued in 1954 without a successor.

Another one of the schemes that will be represented in this kit...

The Kit:
We have some nice CADs of this kit providing some details of the makeup of the model. A walk around of the whole 3t Cargo Truck, 3,6-36S Early Prod. PmQ-Type kit.

You notice the major difference in this kit are the stringers that the canvas hood runs along when extended. The bench seats in the rear tray also give this away as a troop transporting truck.
Slight variations in the sides front part of the cab are included as a kit option.
There you have the full engine and chassis without the cab and tray. Fuel tank, thick tyres, radiator all look great here. Just add some wiring to the engine and you are good.
The naked tray with spare wheel and spare Jerry can is shown here. This will be for the fist of MANY trays attached to this truck we are sure of it.
The wooden tray with metal carriage work looks like you can use the plastic or photo-etch tie-ons...
Some tie on latches are replaced by etch (as an option shown here), along with some other last minute addition details. Leave them until last guys!
I was surprised by the restraint of photo-etch used in this it. Only the thinnest parts of he model would need to be supplanted with etch.
The full open tray has benches for troops if that is the modellers wish...
The sandwich together tyres are great as you can keep the tread and not have to sand them. Use glue sparingly and you are good. (put the treads together before you touch them with glue!).

What's in the box?
Plastic, decals & Photo etch inside the kit:
Clear parts for the windows and the lights are provided of course...
There is a small photo etch sheet for the brackets, reflector jerry can inserts and some straps that cannot be rectified so easily in plastic...
Miniart have a decl sheet covering six markings from Luftwaffe & Wehrmacht service
There are six marking choices in this boxing, from the start of the war until 1944 from Luftwaffe, to the Netherlands to the eastern front amongst the vehicles on offer in the box. 
This kit from MiniArt will soon be available - Until then, keep an eye on the MiniArt's website or just look in here for more info on MiniArt’s new stuff.