I usually work in 1/35, but I bought Italeri's 1/72 DUKW because I've always been interested by the appearance of this vehicle. I was surprised by the size of this vehicle - it's as long as a 1/72 Maus. (Ducks and Mice!! What kind of Mickey Mouse outfit is this, anyway??) :-) :-) . The model looks nice and is well detailed, but there is no driver. Unfortunately, Italeri has molded on such detail as the tools (the spade and bilge pump could have been separate items), and the anchor. Some parts are extremely tiny like the rear lights, one of which, which was being gripped too tightly in my tweezers, went spinning away into oblivion, not to be found. Battle damage - it got shot off. There's the usual tiny annoying gaps, found on most Italeri kits, to be filled. You can build the kit two ways - a simplified version for the wargamer, and the complete kit for the modeler. Decals are provided for British use at Normandy, two different sets of markings for Germany 1945, and one for USMC. I have one question about it. The trim vane on the nose of the vehicle is to be assembled in the up position. If I wanted to model it in the down position, would the two hydralic rods be visible under the vane, or would the vane cover them completely with just the ends visible?

If I am thinking of what you are talking about correctly, the rods would be visible and lay flat up next to the engine access panel (not sure what the proper terminology is here).

Here is a nice website where you can see some pictures...

http://www.kmk-scaleworld.be/walkaround/dukw/

Good luck!

here we go

Great pics. Thanks!