Review

These 2 offerings from Meng are provided in a cardboard tray with a card lid. The contents inside are individually packaged in bags, moulding quality is of a high standard. Access for removal of parts in all cases is good. The gates are small in size and not excessive in number. I have covered these 2 models in one review, as they are fundamentally the same with the exception of the tyres and a roof. I will say at the start, I have seen a number of complaints about the models - some of which I feel are unfair. So let’s delve in:

The floor of the models has good detail on both faces, which I feel when weathered should be visually pleasing. The rear axle has detailed parts rather than just a plain spigot, and the underside of the engine and exhaust are provided as separate detail but no other engine detail is entered into. The steering racks of the models are nicely detailed, but the steering geometry is fixed. The side panels have again good detail on both faces and so I like this detail. The steering console is a simplistic element of the model, and it is open in such a way that what I believe is the fuel tank is clearly visible and I am pleased to see that the lettering on the fuel tank is replicated in the model. The console itself will need to be painted as no decals are provided, but it would have been nice if a couple of dials had been included on the decal sheet. The slatted wooden floor has been included as a separate part, and in conjunction with the seats gives the interior a pleasing look. 

A bone of contention are the personal weapons that have been provided, this consists of 4 KAR 98s - which is a nice inclusion but unusable as the scale is extremely poor being very short. I chose to check them against MiniArt’s rifles and the Meng ones are significantly short. The stock and trigger guard appears to be correct, or at least near enough but from there to the muzzle - someone must have been on the razzle. The light fittings are good in all regards, including the Notek included and I was pleased to see that the rear convoy light has been clearly explained with regards to painting. The tyres which are different for both models, with the Eastern Front version having an all terrain type tyre including on the one that sits on the bonnet/hood. The North African version has what I have heard referred to as balloon tyres. Regardless of what they are called I like the balloon tyres. 

Continuing with the Eastern Front version, you have a reasonably nice looking cloth hood, with the windows in place throughout as you would expect with a vehicle in the cold. I have one complaint here, and that  is that the rear plastic windows almost look like they have been added as an after thought - as rather than being single lenses they are provided as quite a large piece of plastic that will be visible when looking inside the model. A spare fuel tank holder and a shovel are provided to attach on the left hand side of the vehicle. I cannot recall having seen a vehicle with this fuel tank bracket mounted, but field workshops often added bits and bobs as requested and the shovel would be the difference between life and death in snowy conditions. It is worth mentioning that the jerry can provided on the model has been finished with a white cross on it and I suspect it would have contained fuel as if water was in it, it would freeze and fail.  This means that the white cross should not be present unless my memory is worse than my wife points out. 

The finishing options for the Easter European option:

Communications unit, 7th Panzer Division, Wehrmacht, Kursk, 1943

12th SS Panzer Division, Hitlerjugend, France, 1944

Vehicle captured and used by US forces, Italy 1943

The North African offering is provided with the option of having the main windscreen in place or folded down onto the hood. The canvas roof is folded rather than deployed. The doors for both offerings are provided separately, with good detail inside and out. 2 jerry can holder frames are provided mounted on the front wheel arches - again these are indicated as being water due to the white cross, but I would have suspected there to be one with fuel and one with water. Again I have not seen these on an actual vehicle, but as previously it could be added in the field.

The finishing options for this specific release are:

Air Defence Unit, 15th Panzer Division, Wehrmacht, North Africa, 1942

21st Panzer Division, Wehrmacht, North Africa 1943

10th Panzer Division Wehrmacht

Conclusion

Giving thought to the 2 different models offered and covered here, I actually quite like what is provided. With the exception of the rifles, which are unforgivably well under scale and will have to be replaced. The jerry can holders, which I believe are field modifications can be added or left off as desired, but I would have expected to see fuel and water stored somewhere on the North African offering. As such, these are reasonably priced and to my mind a good pair of releases from Meng in 1/35th scale - I just do not know what happened with those rifles???