Alright I going to build a jeep diorama in the near future. That revolves around my old MOS (back in the day) 0321 Marine Recon, we used lots of jeeps.

So what is the first look.

I received to today my order of 7 jeeps and PE parts.
2 Tamiyas
4 Italeri (3 Willy's and 1 Commando)
1 Revell Germany Combo Jeep and M34 Truck

Upon first inspection of the kits the Tamiya's look really nice, little to no flash, thin part that do no look toy'ish. I know there has been much talk about how Tamiya has been lacking in recent days but I must say the JEEP MB appears to be a very nice model. The Italieri appear to be nice to but some noticable short cuts have been taken. Such as molding the low engine case to the frame. Many of the parts looked a little thick, but not toy'ish thick. Still not as nice as the Tamiya but not all a bad looking model thus far.
What can I say about the Revell Germany Model ... I'm glad I only bought one!! I got this because of the M34 packaged with it, all goes back to you get what you pay for. This thing is thick, toy'ish and many parts that the other 2 models had are molded as one with this thing. The entire undercarrage, springs, shocks, muffler,lower engine have all been molded as one piece. The plastic is a bright green not the OD of the other two. The only good thing I can say about this model on first look is at least it has rubber wheels.

I have not seen any other Jeep models so I can not comment on those. But in short if you are needed to build a Jeep for a diorama or just to have, I would avoid the Revell Germany which clearly is an old reissue or at least looks like one. The Italeri is good and alot less money the the Tamiya but the Tamiya is by far the best in this bunch. As I have siad this is a first look and we will have to see how well they go together.

I'm sure many of you seasoned modeller have far more information on this models than I do but for those not in the know and looking to build a Jeep. I hope this helps.

Later
Dave

I've never seen the Revell version but I have to echo the Tamiya and Italeri

Sounds likea good review series. Hint hint

The Revell Jeep and M34 are reboxed Monogram kits from the 1950s. The Italeri Jeeps are from the 1980s and are still good kits.

Tamiya's latest Jeep is from the 1999-2000 time frame and quite nice. They also have a 1970s one kicking around that is not as good as the later offerings. I built their SAS Jeep and thought it turned out quite well.

Revell also reboxes a modified version of the Italeri Jeep. They added fender guards, radio and a machine gun. Probably the best version of an Italeri Jeep around. If you check out my profile you will see a link to a review I did on it way back when the site first started.

If you can find it, KMC made a really nice resin and photo etched update set for the Italeri Jeep. It is set 35-1004, I found mine in the clearance bin of my local shop. All the labels fell off the box and it was sort of like pot luck. Good find at $5.

How does Sabot know these things? He is like the guru of model history. I think he should write a book.
Yes the Revell looks straight out of the 50's a simple non complex model for a simple non complex time.
I got the Tamiya as I knew they where good as I one I was building I picked up at the LHS. The Italeri were on sale so who can pass up a sale? I can't not on models or others vices. THe Revell seemed to cheap to be any good so I only got one, I wasn't disappointed it was to cheap to be any good. I'm seeing battle damage for these two.

Dave

The older Tamiya one Sabot is speaking of can be distinquished by having a trailer with it. The SAS Jeep is based on the same kit. There really is no comparison between those two and the newer one. The level of detail just isn't there.

Dave, Good lord son, less than a month and already over 200 posts....a record i'm sure.

Don't forget the versions by heller, skybow and academy.

As for his knowlege of kits, the Major can't be beat when it comes to U.S.Military vehicles. Right Sargent?

btw... if you have a couple kits left over, you might want to try this...

good luck and we want lots of pics...

kglack

I'll try to remember the pictures I get "into it" and totally forget the in process pic. I haven't completely worked on the diorama yet, I just caught a turkey day sale at Great Models and figured I'd jump on it and work out the details later. I know it will be a Lebanon urban setting.

I agree Sabot is extremely knowledgable and it is indeed impressive. I'm serious he should write a book, I'd buy one. Call it "The History of the Model"

BTW
Is the old Tamiya the "Mutt" I have one of those and it has a trailer. I have that one in the 'to build' pile.

Now that one I should try (kglack43 post), what is it as I'm unsure if I have seen it before.

Later
Dave

No the old Tamiya referred to is a MB. The MUTT came out later.

The old Tamiya MB Jeep is kit #35015 and represents a WW2 Jeep. The MUTT #35130 is an M151A2, a late Vietnam era Ford Jeep that was in use up into the early 1990s. The Mutt was issued in three variants, a machine gun equipped one (35123), TOW equipped one (35124) and the one with soft top and trailer.

Academy copied these kits in their early days and recently released an all-new series of M151A1 kits and one new hardtop M151A2 with trailer.

The Heller WW2 Jeep is forgettable. The Skybow (now AFV Club) M38A1 and A1C Jeeps are superb late 50s-early 60s Jeeps. Although my sergeant major talks about his provost marshall having one as an official staff vehicle into the 1970s.

OK thanks for that info I wasn't sure on the Ford Mutt. if it was old or newer. I'd agree on the Heller models I haven't seen that onem but what few models I have seen of theirs have been sad and cheap. Earlier this years I bought some bug models for my kid and they weresad and cheap good thing the price was cheap too.

I've got the Heller kit. I built one a long time ago, helped my son build one about 2 years ago and got a bagged kit (no box) off of someone on a model site real cheap.

I've been told that this Jeep is actually a post war Hotchkiss licensed built Jeep and not a WW2 variant. I do not know enough about Jeeps to be able to confirm or deny this information.

The detail is not as nice as the Italeri kit (or new Tamiya). My kit is a Polish reissue and comes with 3 Polish Army markings and one Carpathian Rifle Bn. It comes with a trailer, softtop and a couple of crewmen.

Well so far the Tamiya kit in going together very nicely, everything fits very well and only a couple of small spots needed filler like where the left springs attach to the frame. Had a pretty mean mold line on the tires but nothing that couldn't be sanded out and over all the flash has been very minimal. I noticed what seems to be one error but I'm not to that point yet, where the 50 cal mounts in the back, the direction show a small alignment hole for the unipod gun mount but I'm not seeing one in the bed of the Jeep. so it might have a flaw there. I'll know more when I get to that point in the build.
Anyhow ...
That be the up date thus far.

Later
Dave

With the Tamiya (recent release) as a base model and buying up some of the Italeri jeeps - their 'commando' Car and Jeep ambulance, their are a lot of very cheap conversion possibilities. The first mentioned in particular has some superb additions - long range fuel tanks for the S.A.S. European version for example along with some quite good Lewis 'K' Guns and the little 'split' windscreens. As jeeps they're not up to modern standards but....Jim

hej



If it is a m-201 hotchkiss, it would have the airfilter on the left side of the engine and two batt. (24volts) at the right side.
A bigger generator. one extra "plug" at the back for 24 volts and a lot more small things.

valle