1:72 German Cargo Truck

The German Opel Blitz cargo truck (1:72, Academy)

Injection-molded plastic kit of the standard German cargo truck of the Second World War in 1:72 scale from Academy. The model comes from the Academy range of ground vehicles and allows the truck to be assembled with an optional early all-metal cab or a late cab of wooden parts, which the shortage of material at the end of the war made necessary. The package contains parts for one variant of the truck, a decal sheet and assembly instructions.

The real subject

The Opel Blitz was the most widespread cargo truck of the German army in the Second World War. It proved itself as a versatile three-ton load carrier, a tractor and a chassis for the most varied bodies, and it served on every front from Western Europe to the Eastern Front and North Africa. It is precisely the simplified late cab (Einheitsfahrerhaus) of pressed plywood that is its characteristic recognition mark from the last years of the war.

Building and painting tips

Glue the parts with a thin cement for plastic, fill the seams and sand them back. In the small 1:72 scale a good base coat (primer) and an airbrush pay off. Paint the cargo bed and the chassis before closing the body up. Choose the base shade according to the era: early Panzergrau, or late Dunkelgelb with camouflage patches. Bring out the panel lines with a dark wash and the edges with dry-brushing, and apply dust and mud pigments to the chassis and the fenders for a faithful patina.

Who the model is for

• For collectors of German Second World War ground vehicles in 1:72 scale.
• For builders of dioramas who need a typical Wehrmacht supply vehicle.
• For modelers with basic experience of building plastic kits.

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.