Tamiya

1/35 Russian Tank Division Reconnaissance Team with Amphibious ¼-ton 4x4 Truck

Kit Number: 89771-2500

Reviewed by  Chuck Bush, IPMS# 42838

MSRP: $27.99 Website: www.tamiya.com During World War II the United States sent, to its allies, millions of dollars worth of supplies and equipment under the Lend Lease program. One of the items sent was the Ford G.P.A. Jeep, sometimes referred to as the Seep. American forces were not thrilled with the Seep because it was unstable to drive and tended to leak. The Russians used it for river crossings all the way to Berlin. They were so impressed that they built their own version based on the GAZ-69. Tamiya has re released their G.P.A. Jeep kit and added to it a sprue of 4 Russian figures from ICM. I am not a figure builder or painter so I did not use the figures. They are molded in tan plastic in casual, resting posses. A holstered side arm is included for each figure. There is also one sub machine gun and some canteens and some cans. The sprue of 2 American figures with weapons and stowage for the vehicle is also included. The original decal sheet is provided. Also in the box is a small decal sheet of Russian slogans, as well as some ID numbers and 2 small stars. The instruction sheet for the ICM figures explains the decal sheet. The box is marked Limited Edition.

The original instruction sheet for the G.P.A. Jeep has not been amended to cover a Russian vehicle. I found a few pictures and some information on the web. The only differences I can find is that the rope bumpers and the jerry can were left off of some vehicles. Also many vehicles have no markings at all, or only a hand painted slogan. These vehicles were not repainted by the Russians, so OD is the color of choice. Building this kit is very straight forward. It is an average mid 70's "shake and bake" Tamiya kit. The wheels have plastic tires molded on, the windshield is molded in clear plastic, and the headlights have clear lenses. The overall fit is good, the molding is crisp and there is very little flash. Actual building time was about 3 hours, and I'm a slow builder. I had no problems with the build. The decals are all white, and have a shiny finish. This is a nice kit for any modeler, including beginners. You can build an American or Russian version, you get a total of 6 figures, and the fit is good. I would like to thank Tamiya and IPMS/USA for the review sample.

Information, images, and all other items placed electronically on this site are the intellectual property of IPMS/USA ®.