Friday, August 18, 2006

Gratification


VW Type 93
Originally uploaded by Phil_Parker.
It helps if the model goes together well. Building a kit that doesn’t fit together has the opposite effect and is likely to result in the parts being thrown in the direction of the nearest wall !

Anyway, I started a plastic kit. Plastic kits fit nicely into the role of quick, satisfying task. In theory all you do is cut out the bits and stick them together. Of course I had to pick a kit that needed a bit more work than this. A Polish model of the rare Volkswagen Type 93.

The prototype was built during the war as an adaptation of the famous Beetle. This hadn’t actually gone into full production when the war started but the factory was responsible for a number of German military vehicles. The logic of building a small van based largely on the bodyshell which the presses already existed for. Strangely the design wasn’t perpetuated after the conflict. When VW produced a small van they made a completely new design based on the Ghia chassis, the Fridolin.

The kit is from “Military Wheels” range and cost £5.99 from Gee Dee models of Nottingham. It’s not expensive but that shows in the quality of the parts. Flash, the like of which I haven’t seen for years is all over the place. It’s not difficult to remove but would be a challenge for a novice. The plastic is a bit softer than we are used to as well.

That said, the kit fits together OK and a couple of hours after I opened the box the model was as you see in the photo. I’d had a relaxing evening and the box isn’t going to make it into the store cupboard.

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