Review
This offering from MiniArt arrives in a cardboard tray with a separate card lid depicing the artwork. Inside the sprues are packaged in a single plastic bag, with a loose instruction booklet. An examination of the parts, reveals no obvious moulding issues beyond the usual ejector pin marks. If I had a complaint about the packaging its that I would like to see the contents in more than one bag to reduce the risk of damage to the finer mouldings. I also would prefer the decals were not packaged with the clear sprues, due to the risk of damaging the decals.
This Opal blitz offering from MiniArt has a multi part chassis, and so excellent detail continues throughout the model to represent the oily parts of the vehicle throughout. The tyres for the model have been moulded using the sliced technique requiring that the modeller cleans up the parts well and assembles correctly in order to have the best detail on both the tread and firewall of the tyres. The modeller who wants perfection will need to add the wire and piping detail, but as best as I can tell all other engineering aspects have been provided in the release. A negative for me, is that the front wheels cannot be shown turned. To further enhance the engineering aspects of the model the firewall between the cab and the engine has very good detail on both faces with quite a lot of components needing to be added to the interior of the firewall to finish it off well.
The engine bay can be viewed as the cover can be shown open. The manufacturers name has been well replicated on the grille of the model. The cab itself inside and out has been well tackled with doors cards included on the doors, which removes the fear about ejector pin marks. You will need to check the rood of the cab interior though. The glazing is of a suitable thickness to avoid many of the issues that can occur. Wiper blades have been provided with the option of photo etched or plastic, and the door windows can be shown open or closed. The hood had be accurately shown open as previously discussed, and even includes supports to support the hood in the open position.
The cargo bed of the truck has not been scrimped on as regards details, with the wooden bed and side walls having good surface detail. The various catches that hold the side rails open or closed both options of which are available and some detail will need to be removed if you wish to use the photo etch brackets that would be used to tie down a canvas top. Those that do not wish to tackle this fine photo etch - leave the moulded on detail.
MiniArt has provided 6 finishing options for this release and these are:
Unidentified Unit Luftwaffe, Poland 1939
Unidentified Unit Wehrmacht, Poland 1939
267th Infantry Division, France, 1940
Organisation “Todt”, 1939-40
31st Infantry Division, Rifle Company, Eastern Front, 1940
62nd Separate Motorcycle Battalion, 2nd Ukraninan Front, Red Army, Czechoslovakia, Spring 1945
Conclusion
This release from MiniArt has a lot of appeal as the detail provided from either the high end modeller by using all of the photo etched elements or the less advanced modeller, or someone who does not like using photo etch via the moulded on detail of the plastic parts. The detail included within the model is of an especially high standard, with the only detail you need to consider adding being the wire and cables for an extremely highly detailed offering.