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In-Box Review
135
Lkw Wolf
Lkw gl leicht Wolf Short Wheelbase
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by: Rob van Kan [ STRANIERO ]

introduction

The 'Wolf' or Mercedes G is a light all-terrain vehicle in use with many armies – including Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, France (as Peugeot P4) and Austria (as Puch G) - and was, before Revell issued this kit, a much requested item by modellers of modern armour and softskin vehicles. The basic kit of the short wheelbase soft-top has loads of possibilities for altering since so many different versions of the Geländewagen are in use - from field ambulances to the USMC Interim Fast Attack Vehicle.

review

The box contains three sprues of green plastic, one separately packed sprue of clear plastic (my kit actually contains two), five 'rubber' wheels, a small decal sheet and instructions with a length of wire for the antenna taped to them in typical Revell fashion. There is little or no flash apparent, and most ejection pin marks are in the right places - invisible after construction. On both my front windshields there's a little pit above the driver's position which will need cleanup.

Overall it has nice detail, although I can't be too happy with the boxy and untextured look of the soft-top. Together with the thick and also untextured windows it will look far too rigid. Detail on the wheel rims is a bit soft as well; in one of my wheels a little hole is left where the plastic apparently did not completely fill the mould. The spare wheel is the same as all the other wheels which is, to the best of my knowledge, incorrect. The back of it is also hollow, leaving you with no alternative but to mount the soft-top. What's more - even the spare wheel cover is rigid and hollow. This should be a loose cover and of course closed on all sides.

Sink marks are apparent on the front bumper and around the headlights - cleaning the latter up would mean losing the fine texture of that part (which, on the original vehicle, is plastic). You could use parts of the alternative Puch G grille if these have come out better - but you'll have to cut both grilles up for that. The tyres have pits, blemishes, no brand names and a hollow profile. The kit has no engine and only a minimum representation of one on the bottom. Another glaring omission for a potentially open topped vehicle are the foot pedals. There's not even a moulded-in representation of them.

In closing, the decals are printed slightly off register. You can create your own German army plates but the Dutch decal option is incomplete since it has no unit markings (which are similar to those of the Bundeswehr). The font used for the yellow Dutch license plates is way off the mark as well. However, Revell has never produced a correct Dutch plate - not even for their 1/24 car and truck kits - so that's not a big surprise.

conclusion

As usual with Revell of Germany's own mouldings, it's a mixed bag. It will need a lot of TLC to come up to the standard of most modellers.
SUMMARY
Highs: The subject matter is the high point here, as it presents loads of possibilities for sufferers of Advanced Modelling Syndrome. The decals are reasonably good too, bar the flaws in the Dutch section.
Lows: Soft detail in parts, bad wheels and tyres, the lifeless softtop, the thick clear parts with the front windshield and -frame moulded as one part, no foot pedals, no engine at all.
Verdict: It's the only game in town for the little Mercedes.
Percentage Rating
50%
  Scale: 1:35
  Mfg. ID: 03069
  Suggested Retail: 15 euros
  PUBLISHED: Apr 18, 2009
  NATIONALITY: Germany
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 50.00%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 83.55%

About Rob van Kan (Straniero)
FROM: COSENZA, ITALY

I am a professional translator of English and French. Dutchman by birth, Italian by choice. Feel free to ask me language questions - I speak Dutch, German, English, French, and every day a bit more Italian. Glad to help. I am trying to get back into the hobby and into hobby forums, after being t...

Copyright ©2021 text by Rob van Kan [ STRANIERO ]. All rights reserved.



Comments

good review, although mine didnt come with any sink marks on the wheels, so i would have probably given it an 80, the top is a bit horrible, but i think it would be pretty easy to scratch?
APR 18, 2009 - 07:28 AM
I bought two of these kits and both are chopped up now. I bought the Azimut conversion sets for http://www.phpshopxml.com/azimut.shop/CID/758e373ab3ab8157fccf6d273f7f5e34/function/itemPageDisplay/shopItemCode/AZI35170 which I hope to make into a Dutch MB 290 Photobucket Photobucket and the http://www.phpshopxml.com/azimut.shop/CID/758e373ab3ab8157fccf6d273f7f5e34/function/itemPageDisplay/shopItemCode/AZI35110 or search Azimut site for AZI35110 and AZI35170, which I will make into the French Panhard Special Forces vehicle. Photobucket I really like the way Azimut made it so simple to extend the frame and body parts with minimal surgery. Like you said, it is the only game in town if you build in 1/35th. regards Bill Oh and thanks to Frenchy for helping me understand these vehicles.
APR 18, 2009 - 07:42 AM
Thanks for publishing my review. I may have been a bit harsh but this was one subject I wanted a lot myself. It's sad then to see that you'll have to deck the thing out with aftermarket just to be acceptable. Thanks for the links to the Azimut stuff. That looks great. I've done some browsing for pictures and I might give it a go out-of-box with minor adaptations. Too bad about those tyres though... I may try to give them some 'air' by loading them with wire to act like a spring.
APR 18, 2009 - 08:33 AM
Good review Rob. I too, have the kit, but I picked up one of the Azimut conversions for it, #35199, came with resin tires and wheels, so you can have my kit ones if you want them. Just PM me your address, and I'll pop them in the mail.
APR 19, 2009 - 01:35 PM
Thanks for the kind words and the offer. But I'll work with the tyres and I need to cover one wheel anyway (the spare). So the wheel with the moulding error will not be visible. And with the Italian postal service as it is, I wouldn't ask anyone to send me anything anyway...
APR 20, 2009 - 08:09 AM
   
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