Review

This offering from MiniArt arrives in the usual manner with a single plastic bag containing all of the contents except the instruction booklet. The decals and photo etch are in a bag with the clear sprue, that is packed in the original bag - I am not a fan of this due to the risk of damage to the photo etch and decals. This is supplied in a cardboard tray with a card lid, and an examination has revealed that there are no broken or damaged parts. An examination of the contents raises only 1 concern, and that it that there are a very large number of very fine parts that could be easily broken on the sprue or damaged during removal. 

MiniArt has provided us here with a multi part chassis, the construction of which does mean that you will have to be careful to assemble it squarely as none of the cross members are wide enough to give you a positive configuration. However, the result is a very pleasing area of the model as regards detail. In typical MiniArt style, you are provided with a decent replication of the engine, requiring just the addition of some wires to mimic what is required. 

The cab of the truck has a decent interior, with all of the relevant controls being well replicated. Decals have been provided for the instruments. Door cards are separate from the doors, allowing the modeller to show the windows up or down. Moving forward the engine bay, the fire wall between the cab and the engine bay again has a large number of items present for areas such as battery and coolant storage. I appreciate that MiniArt has provided both photo etch and plastic wiper blades depending on your preference. The wheels on this release are moulded in 2 halves with nicely detailed hubs. The hood has been designed in such a way, that it can be shown open or closed, but it is my opinion that the side and top are also supposed to fold but that has not been replicated. 

The high sided cargo bed has quite a bit of detail to it, with nicely down wood effect replicated. Weapons storage has also been considered, and is provided in the model. The height of this bed does remind you in some ways of a gun truck. Another nice aspects is that the seats down each side are not pristine and have some features to them - which has not been duplicated with each seat having a different pattern to it. The rails for the potential for a canvas roof, have been provided folded and a tripod mounted MG34 is another nice touch within this area. The addition of tools and ammunition storage really lift this area of the model, and only makes me wish that MiniArt had provided the crew and figures in the release. One final area of concern, is that there is a lot of very fine photo etch in this release and so if you do not like using it, this may not be a model for you. 

MiniArt has provided 5 finishing options for this release:

20th Infantry Division. Poland, Autumn 1939

13th Infantry Division. France, Summer 1940

15th Infantry Division. Eastern Front, Winter 1941

21st Panzer Division. German Afrika Korps, 1942

Panzer Artillery Regiment 74, 2nd Panzer Division. France, Spring 1944

A nice aspect of this release is that MiniArt has provided a decent mix of finishing options and theatres of conflict.