60-70s Southern Vietnamese Riding Vehicle Set (4 kits in box)

The Honda Cub 1970s

The Peugeot bicycle 1952

Introduction

Gecko models are fast becoming one of my favourite model manufacturers. They have released a new model depicting the two-wheeled modes of transport in Vietnam during the War 1960s –1970s. This new model kit release is 4 kits in 1 box, depicting the Honda Cub, Honda 67 (SS50), Lambretta and the Peugeot bicycle 1950s for ladies

History

Vietnam 1960 to the 1970s a war that started on May 7, 1954

When Viet Minh troops under General. Vo Nguyen Giap overran the French base at Dien Bien Phu. The stunning victory by Vietnamese forces brings an end to nearly a century of French colonial rule in Indochina.

June 1, 1954

The Saigon Military Mission, a covert operation to conduct psychological warfare and paramilitary activities in South Vietnam, is launched under the command of U.S. Air Force Col. Edward Lansdale. This marks the beginning of the Vietnam War. Many of the mission’s ongoing efforts are directed at supporting the regime of the South Vietnamese President. Ngo Dinh Diem.

July 21, 1954

The Geneva Accords effectively divided Vietnam into two at the 17th parallel. Although the Accords explicitly state that the 17th parallel “should not in any way be interpreted as constituting a political or territorial boundary,” it is quickly afforded exactly that status.

Meanwhile, in civilian life in South Vietnam carries on as best it can during the circumstances that it finds itself in, with a divide between the North Vietnam communist rule and South Vietnam, whose leader at that time wanted to follow a more democratic lifestyle.

1950s

During the 1950s, most of the motorcycles in both the Democratic Republic of Vietnam ("North Vietnam") and the Republic of Vietnam ("South Vietnam") were imported from France.

One of the popular motorcycle brands in Vietnam during this period was the French-made Mobylette (also known as Moby) by the French manufacturer Motobecane. It had the highest speed of 64 km/h. Mobylette's cute exterior won many fans, and Moby enthusiasts still remember it to this day.

1960s and 1970s

The 1960s were called the Italian era, or the era of the European wave, with most of the motorcycles from Europe, particularly Italy. The Italian-made Lambrettas and Vespas ruled the streets of the Republic of Vietnam. These were typically European-style, classy and functional designs.

The 1960s also saw the rise of Japan-made motorcycles in the Republic of Vietnam. In this period, the importation of Japan-made Honda motorcycles was subsidised by U.S. dollars to aid in the "nation-building efforts" of the Saigon-led government. Honda 67 and Honda Cubs were the most famous models. These stylish Japanese motorcycles became popular among civil servants due to their affordability. In Saigon back then, a Honda motorcycle was a sign of social status.

During the Vietnam War (1960s-1970s), North Vietnam had a variety of bicycle brands including some that were produced in France (by Peugeot, ...

The Ho Chi Minh Trail (Vietnamese: Đường mòn Hồ Chí Minh), also called Annamite Range Trail (Vietnamese: Đường Trường Sơn), was a logistical network of roads and trails that ran from North Vietnam to South Vietnam through the kingdoms of Laos and Cambodia. The system provided support, in the form of manpower and materiel, to the Viet Cong (or "VC") and the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), during the Vietnam War. Construction for the network began following the North Vietnamese invasion of Laos in July 1959. At the time, it was believed to be the main supply route; however, it later transpired that the Sihanouk Trail, which ran through Cambodia, was handling significantly more material.

Parts of what became the trail had existed for centuries as primitive footpaths that enabled trade. The area through which the system meandered was among the most challenging in Southeast Asia: a sparsely populated region of rugged mountains 500–2,400 metres (1,500–8,000 ft) in elevation, triple-canopy jungle and dense tropical rainforests. Pre-First Indochina War, the routes were known as the "Southward March", "Eastward March", "Westward March", and "Northward March" 74 During the First Indochina War the Việt Minh maintained north–south communications and logistics by expanding on this system of trails and paths, and called the routes the "Trans-West Supply Line" (running in south Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand) and the "Trans-Indochina Link" (running in north Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand).

Review First Impressions.

The box is a carton style that then fits into a sleeve with openings at each end. The artwork is a black and white photo somewhere in South Vietnam with colour versions of the three motorcycles and the Peugeot Bicycle lady's version. The box itself, being the carton type with the individual thin cardboard sleeve, is a sturdy box and one that I am sure will arrive at you in pristine condition due to its robust design and nature.

On to the contents, there are four light grey in colour sprues, one for the Poeguet lady's bicycle, with the details which look very good on some parts and equally good on others. My only question is that a couple of parts I am sure are to scale and maybe slightly more solid, which I really appreciate, as far too many times while trying to place the pedals, for instance, to the cycle they have snapped quite easily.

I have very fond memories of the early 1970s. The Honda Cub as my mum used to have one in red and white, and took me to football practice on the back of her Cub. The detailing on this kit, anyone who may have had one of these motorcycles, or remembers a family member with one, will be, I am sure, very pleased with the amount of detail it has. I like the fact that it offers you two seating options with the older versions, with the wide singular seat and the more common double seat, enabling you to carry a passenger.

The Honda 67 (ss50), which, looking into the history of motorcycles in Vietnam this was another of those which seemed very popular, especially in the bigger towns and cities. The Honda 67 has been very accurately represented in detail to the original motorcycle itself, which again seems to be the way that Gecko goes about their engineering work, bringing you a very high-class molds, making an unmistakable copy of the original motorbike itself. With plenty of detail, the fuel tank itself follows the same lines as the real one, with engine detail to add to it.

Lastly, but by far but in no way compromised comes the motorcycles that made popular culture into a way of transport with the ever-growing mods and the undeniable love of the Vespa and Lambretta became a way of life. Going to the nearest seaside location on your Lambrettas for a meet-up that, unfortunately, would end up in a bundle with either rockers or skinheads. Whatever your culture, Lambretta and Vespa would appear. This particular kit is faithfully represented in detail with its delightful, curved lines around the back of the bike, hiding its engine and rear wheel and up the front, giving you a nice footing to place one's feet too. Undeniable, a Lambretta once opening its packet, superb work from Gecko again

Onto the building now to make something look as realistic as the real thing will of course mean there will be some very small and fragile parts to have to tackle in the build unfortunately it is the three powered motorcycles that will be an issue and some parental guidance if this going to be a child having to cut the smaller pieces of the sprues the Poeguet cycle on the other hand albeit to scale it is, shall we say, more durable then some of the parts on the other three kits that come in this 4 kits in 1 box from gecko models.

There are three clear sprues for the lights and indicators of the motorcycles, some of which are a perfect representation of the real headlights CCM series 3. Another top-notch mark for Gecko models and doing realistic representations.

On the building of the kits themselves, I do not see any issue with the building other than those smaller-sized parts already mentioned. I will be in due course building these kits as I am going to build a large diorama based on a location with a military base, possibly an airbase to so I will do a video on building these in due course.

The decal sheet is small, but nonetheless is very clear and colourful with some number plates and various other markings.

The photo-etch sheet has spokes and wheel rims for the cycle and motorcycles. Leaving nothing out, Gecko models have even done some plastic templates so that you can use these to bend the spokes and wheel rims to the exact depth so they not only sit well, but also look You will be able to keep the templates in case you do any further building of model cars and motorcycles or even bicycles, spokes and rims

Instruction booklet is colourful and to all intense and purposes easy to follow includes colour painting sections and for the Honda 67 there is two options one in black and one red The Honda Cub has three different colour options we have the Red and White which is the one that my mum had also a blue and white one and the last one in a stunning green colour. The Lambretta is silver or a pastel blue colour, and finally, the other

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

It is definitely the thought of how I can help the modellers and enable them to be able to make things easier to go together, thus giving them a chance to actually make a more detailed model without having to buy aftermarket details, and Gecko Models seems to be very adept at doing this. Of course, there will always be the need to purchase some other aftermarket options, but if, like me, you are on a fairly tight budget, then Gecko models are up there when it comes to this situation, and most of their kits are what I would call damn good prices and cheaper than most other companies, long may that last, please.

Conclusion

To be honest, I have already listed a number of reasons why to buy this kit. On top of that, the other reason is the wide categories of model kits that they produce, which is a really impressive range of subjects that they do, which could always catch someone’s eye.

Then take into account the equation 4 kits in 1 box for just over £20 British money, and I fail to see what would be holding you back. I will definitely tell you this kit is worth it 100%