Attack Hobbies

1/72 Tatra T-111 Einheitsfuherhaus

Kit Number: 72836

Reviewed by  Travis Russ, IPMS# 32760

MSRP: $17.00 Modified Reissue. 64 pieces molded in dark green and light grey. Tatra is a vehicle manufacturer located in the Czech Republic. The company was founded in 1850 as a carriage manufacturer. Depending on your sources Tatra is either the second or third oldest car manufacturer in the world behind Daimler Benz. Production of Tatra automobiles stopped in the late 1990's, but the company still produces all-wheel-drive trucks. The T-111 is a ten wheel, all wheel drive, heavy cargo truck. It is powered by a 12 cylinder air cooled diesel engine. The all wheel drive system is unique in that the drive shafts, differentials and transfer cases are all hooked to or contained in a tube style sub-frame. This offers greater rigidity and protection for the axles and drives in rough conditions. It was manufactured in many forms, one being the previously released Attack Hobby 1/72 scale T-111 Kundendiensttruppenwagen or Troop Service Car which had an all metal enclosed rear section. The version featured here is the Einheitsfuherhaus, or heavy cargo truck. This kit is based on the previous release, sharing cab and chassis, with the new pieces being molded in light grey. These new sprues include the wooden drop-side bed and canvas cover. All of the parts are molded in a hard but not brittle styrene. There is some flash present but it is minimal and is fairly easy to clean up. Clear parts are well molded but rather thick. Instructions consist of a single two sided sheet with exploded views. Construction began with the bed and chassis. The parts are well molded, but pay special attention to frame parts A26. As one has two holes and one has one hole. The two-hole part goes forward. The bed assembles fairly easily but required a bit of jigging getting it to set up square. The detail is excellent in this scale and all of the detail molded onto the sides and tailgate is quite fine. Next, on to building the cab. The hood and grille are separate pieces and also have fine louver detail. The grille is molded closed so the remarkable little engine will be lost from view. Some fiddling is required to get the hood, grille, firewall and fender unit to align. I would recommend assembling the rear part of the cab first which consists of the doors, cab rear wall and firewall first, and then mating this to the hood and fender unit. Interior detail consists of a bench seat, steering wheel and shift levers. Leave the roof section off until last to aid in setting the glass after final painting. Exterior cab details include shrouded headlamps outside mirror and two styles of horns. The cargo cover is one piece and a little thick. The unique drive system is molded in three pieces with the central tube, front and rear drives and leaf springs as one piece with just two end cap details to be added. Wheel and tires are nicely detailed with axle ends and lug nut detail even in the deeply cast rear wheels. The inner rear tires mount to the one piece outer tire/ rim units, which is quite helpful in getting things aligned. The 12-cylinder engine is a three piece affair with separate cylinder heads and front belt drive system. Assembling the bed to the frame was quite easy, but adding the cab took some small reinforcing rods to keep the alignment. After bed and cab are joined, the lower tube chassis is cemented in place. There are four locating tabs on the bed frame; remove the two most rearward ones, otherwise the drive system sits too far forward in the front wheel wells. Two different camouflage schemes are given for the two marking options. One is solid Dark Yellow and another Dark Yellow with Dark Green striping. Both are from Eastern Front Wehrmacht units circa1944. Aside from a few alignment issues, the only recommendations I would make would be to replace the overly thick glass with acetate and perhaps vac-forming a new rear cover if you wish to display that bed full of supplies. Recommended. Overall, this is a nicely done kit with great potential. It would look at home in any situation whether delivering ammo to front line troops or a new Jumo engine for your Me-262. Many Thanks to Attack Hobby Kits and IPMS for the review sample.

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