Introduction:
The G506 trucks, produced as the Chevrolet G7100 models, were a series of 1.5T medium four wheel drive trucks used by the US Army and its allies during and after World War II. The G506 truck series came in standard cargo, as well as many specialist type bodies.
The G506 was recently offered as a new tooled 1/35 scale plastic kit by MiniArt and ICM. With these kits on the market, DEF Model soon produced two sets of resin replacement wheels for MiniArt kit, while the ones designed for ICM kit are planned to be released this month.
I already wrote a review on DEF Model US G506(G7107) Cargo Truck Wheel Set - Early Type (link), and this review deals with US G506(G7107) Cargo Truck Wheel Set - General Type (DW30059).
Review:
The set is packed in a sturdy cardboard box. The box art image displays the contents of the set and specifies it is designed to fit MiniArt kit.
Opening the box reveals a zip-lock bag with resin pieces, masking sheets and masking instructions.
The quality of cast is one of the most important aspects of aftermarket resin sets and DEF Model never fails to impress. The pieces are superbly detailed, with all the fine points nicely defined and I found no imperfections in the resin whatsoever. The thin resin flash in the wheel rim openings should be carefully removed using the back of an X-acto blade.
The casting blocks on the road wheels are located at the tire ground contact, so removing them should present no problems. The resulting “scar” is not visible once the wheels are installed on the vehicle. The casting block on the spare tire is engineered with attachment points which follow the tire tread. I suggest carefully cleaning these and there should be no need to recreate the tread pattern.
The tire represented in this set is US Special Service Master Grip 7.50-20. These tires resemble the standard US Army 7.50-20 NDT type tires, but the tread pattern is different as well as the sidewall details.
The tire in the DEF Model set looks very authentic. The characteristic tread pattern is nicely delivered and the sidewall details are just amazing… check out the tiny inscriptions, clearly legible under magnification: U.S. SPECIAL SERVICE, MASTER GRIP, 7.50-20 8 PLY. Wow!
This set includes 6 road wheels, 2 front and 4 rear wheels, labeled on their casting blocks A, B and B2. A is the front wheel, while B and B2 make dual rear wheels.
Front wheel:
Dual rear wheels:
Notice the stubs and holes which help in adjusting the rear wheels and fixing them together.
The road wheels are depicted with a slight compression of the tire on ground level. The effect realistically recreates the sag of the tire due to the weight of the vehicle.
Spare wheel:
Fitting the wheels:
The wheels are designed as a direct replacement to plastic wheels supplied with MiniArt’s kit. The front resin wheels fit to the Bc1/Bc15 kit parts, while the rear resin wheels should be fixed to the Bc16/A80/A81 kit parts. The image from DEF Model website could help: link.
Wheel masks:
Two large pre-cut masking sheets are included in this kit. The masks are of help when painting the wheels, allowing airbrushing without overspray. The instruction leaflet shows two different ways of applying the masks and painting the wheels.
Conclusion:
US G506(G7107) Cargo Truck Wheel Set - General Type (DM30059) from DEF Model is a resin replacement wheel set designed for MiniArt’s G506(G7107) 1/35 scale truck kits. The set delivers 6 road wheels and a spare tire, superbly cast and with ton of details impressively delivered in resin. The characteristic tread pattern of US Special Service Master Grip tire is realistically reproduced. The wheel masks are an added bonus.
Altogether, I can highly recommend this set for those who wish a slightly different look for their G506(G7107) models.
A big thanks to DEF Model for this review sample.