When you think of Blitzkrieg, the humble bicycle probably isn't the first form of transport that springs to mind. But, while it's often acknowledged that the Germans made use of horses for longer than most western armies during WWII, it tends to be overlooked just how important the bicycle was too, known in the Wehrmacht as the M42 Truppenfahrrad.
An illustration of its widespread use comes when you look at accounts of the troop and equipment figures for Operation Sealion - the planned invasion of Britain. The outline for the assault envisaged two waves with a total force comprising some 260,000 men, supported by over 34,000 vehicles and 57,000 horses - and... an astonishing 26,000 bicycles.
So, CMK's new 3D-printed bicycles are certainly welcome and deserving of their place in dioramas and vignettes. The tan-coloured parts arrive in a bubble pack with a car backing and are printed with a sturdy "cage" around them for protection.
Once this is removed you can properly appreciate just how delicately formed the bicycles and accessories are. They really are quite remarkable, with a degree of detail that would be virtually impossible by other means - particularly when you consider that each bicycle is printed as a single piece. The thinness of the wheel spokes is far better than I've seen in other media, including photo-etch, and the only way I've seen them rivalled is by painstakingly "weaving" spokes by hand on a jig with fine wire.
Two bicycles are included. Both have a helmet and small crate strapped to the pannier rack over the rear wheel, while one has an open container for three grenades mounted under the crossbar and the other has what appears to be a cape or small tarpaulin on the handlebars.
The bicycles can be fitted out in a variety of ways, and extra equipment includes a pair of Panzerfäuste, a rifle and a holstered pistol, an MG 42 and a couple of gas mask cannisters.
Preparing the parts will require the utmost care due their delicate nature, and removing the bicycles from their web of tiny supports is not a task to be rushed. I'll use an RB Productions pico saw, which is ideal in situations like this because it minimises the chance of overstressing what you're working on. If you plan ahead I think it might be possible to keep some of the supports in place temporarily and use them to hold the parts while you do most of the painting and any weathering.
CMK provide a small sheet of instructions with a generic guide for working with 3D-printed parts and an overview of the equipment fit-outs for the bicycles. There aren't any painting suggestions, so you'll need to consult your references for this.
Conclusion
CMK's 1:48 German miliary bicycles are superbly produced and will add an extra element of scale and interest to dioramas or vignettes. Remarkably, they are also available in 1:72 too, so it can surely only be a matter of time before CMK release them in 1:35.
Also see our review of CMK's 1:48 standard men's bicycles here: https://aeroscale.net/news/3d-printed-men-s-bicycles
Set #P48018 is available now from Special Hobby - Price: 15.70 Euros
Many thanks to Special Hobby for the review sample.
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