1:35 Opel Blitz Wheels

Replacement wheels for the Opel Blitz in 1:35 scale

Compared with plastic parts, cast wheels have a crisper tread pattern and above all a flattened footprint where they meet the road. It is that sag of the tire under the weight of a loaded truck that does most for the final impression: the model stops looking as if it were merely touching the ground and starts standing on it. The set is fitted in place of the original wheels from the box and is mounted at the very end of the build.

The truck that carried a whole army

The three-ton Opel was the most widespread German truck of the Second World War. It carried ammunition, fuel, the wounded and troops, and it existed in such a quantity of special bodies that you will meet it in almost every period photograph. That is exactly why it suits dioramas of practically every front, from African roads to Russian mud.

Load, sag and the footprint in the ground

Fit the wheels so that the flattened section really does bear on the base, otherwise the whole effect disappears. Before painting, wash the castings in lukewarm water with detergent to free them of release agent residue. Never paint rubber in pure black, as a dark gray with a fine dust pigment in the grooves looks noticeably better.

Which builds it suits

• For scenes where the truck stands on soft or muddy ground
• For modelers who are bothered by symmetrically round plastic tires
• As a quick upgrade without any work on the body of the truck
• For builds photographed close up, where the footprint of a wheel is visible