Thursday, April 4

Preview update: 1/35th scale Opel Blitz 3t truck "military service" from MiniArt.

We have seen MiniArt's new Opel Blitz 3t truck in CAD & art, but today we get to see not only the plastic being assembled, but the colour profiles of the six contenders in our updated preview...

Preview update: 1/35th scale Opel Blitz 3t truck "military service" from MiniArt.

German 3T cargo truck 3.6-36S pritsche normal type military service
From MiniArt
1/35th scale
Kit No#35442
Six marking choices included in the box.

The Subject: Opel Blitz 3.6-36s
From 1939, the Blitz 3.6 three-tonne version was used in large numbers by the German armed forces (Wehrmacht) throughout World War II. Variants included an elongated version and the four-wheel drive Blitz A. To cope with the bad road conditions and the rasputitsa mud seasons on the Eastern Front, a half-tracked Maultier ("mule") Sd.Kfz. 3 version was built using tracks and suspension based on the British Universal Carrier. Among others, these were used as service vehicles for the Messerschmitt Me 323 military transport aircraft.
Military personnel 5th SS Viking divisions (5 SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") repair the wheels of the Opel Blitz 3.6-36S truck
The light basic model was manufactured as Blitz 2.5 in Rüsselsheim until 1942 and again from 1946, equipped with the 55 hp (41 kW) Opel Super 6 engine. On 6 August 1944, the Opelwerk Brandenburg was devastated by an RAF air raid. Until the end of the war, about 2,500 Blitz 3.6 trucks were built by order of Minister of Armaments Albert Speer at the Mannheim plant of the rival Daimler-Benz company, while production of its own Mercedes-Benz L3000 model had to be discontinued.

Opel Blitz 3t. 4x2 truck. Deutsches Afrika Korps - Benghazi January - 1942.
After the war, the facilities in Brandenburg were completely dismantled at the behest of the Soviet Military Administration, while Daimler-Benz in Mannheim resumed building the Blitz 3.6 under the designation L 701 until 1949. The last 467 medium trucks were again assembled by Opel in Rüsselsheim until production finally discontinued in 1954 without a successor.

The Kit: CADs...
We have some nice CADs of this kit providing some details of the makeup of the model. A walk around of the whole
There you have the full engine and chassis without the cab and tray. Fuel tank, thick tyres, radiator all look great here. Just add some wiring to the engine and you are good.
The naked tray with spare wheel and spare Jerry can is shown here. This will be for the fist of MANY trays attached to this truck we are sure of it.
MiniArt has given us the whole engine and bay with bonnet (hood) able to be removed if that is your wish.
The wooden tray with metal carriage work looks like you can use the plastic or photo-etch tie-ons...
Some tie on latches are replaced by etch (as an option shown here), along with some other last minute addition details. Leave them until last guys!
I was surprised by the restraint of photo-etch used in this it. Only the thinnest parts of he model would need to be supplanted with etch.
The full open tray will be no-doubt packed full of stowage and gear on most people's kits

Plastic on plastic:
To add to these CAD shots showing us how the kit fits together and what it generally looks like, these shots of some of the sub-assemblies show a lot more detail of the actual plastic under construction.

The chassis and suspension for truck models are kind of like the cockpit or tracks for tanks - it always seems where you start off! This one looks detailed but uncomplicated to build.
A good view of the engine on the chassis with radiator in place. The only thing needed here we would think is the ignition harness and some engine wiring for this kit.
Here is the chassis frame with the engine and fuel tank attached ready to have the cab and tray placed upon them...
Some images showing the underside of the tray and the wooden sides and rear. A pretty uncomplicated build we think. 
You will notice throughout this build the lack of photo-etch in this kit. There are options to replace some of these parts of the kit, like the tie down notches with photo-etch, but without seems very nice also!
You can see from the cabin frame from the rear that front windscreen frame and roof slips on to this part along the natural sea of the gutter that runs horizontally over the doors so limited seams to worry about repairing.
The front part of the cab and bonnet (hood) is shown here, with the front grille and horse shoe for good luck included. The single lamp for the left fender is here also. You can see the steerage link there and some of the parts for the engine bay attached to the firewall...
The parts together in smaller construction sequences before final painting and placement. We will have more on this soon enough...

Marking choices (X6)
There are six marking choices for this truck included in the box. These are all military or quasi-military service trucks as an example the workgroup "Operation Todt" service vehicles.

This kit from MiniArt will soon be available - Until then, keep an eye on the MiniArt's website or just look in here for more info on MiniArt’s new stuff.