Darren Baker reviews one of Tamiya''s older kits of the U.S. 2.5 ton 6x6 Cargo Truck.

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Hi Darren,

Nice review of a useful kit! Did you notice that the hood hold-down handles are not in the kit, but are in the "accessories" pack? Also, Heller makes a CCKW, and although I have one in my stash I cannot recall the relationship to the old Italeri open-top cargo truck kit (one I haven't laid hands on). I suspect the Heller kit may not be a repop of Italeri, but wiser folk will no doubt chime in...

So many variations, so little time!

Tom I had not noticed the tie downs but I know I have the Italeri one in the house which was purchased more yers ago than I care to remember. Perhaps I need to review that one as well.

Very nice review, Darren!

Nice job Darren.

The Heller kit is not the Italeri kit. Two different molds.

Good idea to take this model to focus, Darren. Yes, the Italeri kit is a bit simple but you can get it with closed cab and banjo axles. The Heller comes with open cab and split axles like the one of Tamiya but is better detailed than the other two and has a full tarp for the cab (doors incl.) and the cargo bay as well. It is my favorite kit but you need a bit of time to build it. The Tamiya Jimmy is the choice if you want to get a good result faster.

Harald that is the first time I have heard someone praise a heller kit, I will have to keep an eye open for that kit.

Darren that's the only Heller military kit i would do so. There are some car kits that are not bad but that is off topic.

Excellent idea to do this kit review!!!

I am going to wade in with a few critical comments myself on the Tamiya Deuce:

- Why do the hood tie down locks appear on the box art but you have to buy the after market detail set to get them?
- Why don't the included gas cans have lids/caps but SOME of Tamiya's after market sets have them?
- Why is the chassis frame molded as one big part whereby making the chassis look like it is made of big massive bars of cheese instead of the correct "C" channel profile? (Italeri gets it right on their Deuce!)
- And again as always; Why has Tamiya not come out with a hard cab version and/or a short wheelbase version of this kit? (Once more Italeri has Tamiya beat on several of these issues!)
- Why not raised lettering on the Tamiya tires when the tires are so much better than everyone else's in every other way?
- Tamiya adds a steering gear box (That you can't see.) to the end of the steering column. (Kudos) But then fails to include the much more visible pitman arm and drag link that Italeri (and every other Tamiya kit) has included for years.
- I'm told the Tamiya cab floor is incorrect. I will have to do more research on this question but I would not think it a good idea to skimp in this area on such a visible, open cab vehicle.
- Why no cloth top for the load box? (Heller does it on their fairly nice offering.)

On the plus side:

- Tamiya has done a FANTASTIC job on their wood framed load box that beats everyone else hands down!
- The tires and rims on the Tamiya offering also beat out the competition, no contest!
- The Tamiya kit does come with a more or less complete engine! Nice!
- Seats, dash, steering wheel and windshield are excellent and certainly beat out everyone else!

I would second that opinion; the Heller Deuce looks to be a good one! (I lifted the load box and tarp out of the kit to give a different look to my Navy Studibaker) but I plan to build the Heller kit in the near future with perhaps the air compressor conversion.

I am going to use the tamiya deuce an a half for a resupply a PT-109 in a Pacific theater would have they been used for that or only smaller logistical support. I want to put the torpedo's an depth chargers would fit in the back of a deuce an a half.

Happy molding

The fish might require a special trailer to be built but the depth charges could definately be handled by the Deuce.

Something like this might be perfect for the job:

This particular CCKW was a wrecker and shop truck but there was a bomb handling version as well.

Check out pages 19 and 20 of this thread:

http://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/203281&ord=&page=19

CCKW Bomb Truck - Photos from the TM:

Bomb truck appears to be MUCH easier to scratch build than the wrecker given that there are no curved "I" beams to build!

Found info on bomb trailer but so far nothing on torpedo traliers. I would think it would be this same trailer just equiped with two for and aft racks to carry two fish side by side.

Frenchy, would you possibly have anything?