Background
Apart from armour, Czech manufacturer Skoda produced cars during the War; in fact they produced many different types throughout the war period.
The type 903 was produced from 1940 to 1942. References are difficult to find, but from information that Plus Model themselves provide, it was a 3-axle car that was originally developed for the Czech army, and used many parts from the famous Skoda ‘Superb’. The body of the car was of a wooden framework, with a skin of metal sheet. The chassis was the back-bone type, rear-wheel drive and good cross-country ability. A total of 42 cars were produced for the Wehrmacht, of which 2 examples survive today.
box contents
As seen from the photographs, the kit arrived in the typical end-opening box, which doe not appear too strong. Inside however, can be found 3 bags, one of which is bubblewrap, and a sealed bag containing a fairly extensive photo-etched fret, decals, a clear dash insert, and a small sheet of clear acetate. All the main resin parts are contained within the bubble-wrap bag, and consist of a pinkish resin as can be seen in the photographs.
The car roof is supplied as 2 vac-formed clear parts, and Plus Model also include 2 lengths of copper wire.
The instructions are supplied as a small 3 fold sheet. Some historical information is given in both Czech and English, with the actual construction stages being line drawings. They look relatively easy to follow, and at the begining some simple painting instructions are given. The model can either be finished in Panzer grey or dark yellow, and decals are supplied for registration plates etc.
parts
There is a lot less flash present than one would expect on a resin kit of this nature. Upon very close examination, the sheer quality of the parts has to be seen to be believed! It is absolutely crying out to be built. A full engine is included, with full detail included on the engine firewall. Underneath the car, the chassis is fully detailed, including all the detail of the engine, transmission and drive shaft that you would expect to find if you looked under the real thing!
The wheels are positionable, increasing the models’ diorama potential. The finesse of the photo-etched parts is also incredible, including the radiator grill and a separate ‘Skoda’ nameplate for the front of the grill.
The rear luggage compartment can be posed open using a photo-etched hinge, and Plus Model even provide a gorgeous set of resin luggage to sit in the compartment.
A set of finely cast tools is provided for mounting around the car. I cannot find fault with the casting of this kit. I cannot find any bubbles in the resin, or mis-casts, and all the pour-blocks look as though they will be easy to remove with a small razor saw. The detail of parts such as the door furniture is nothing short of stunning!
conclusion
A stunning kit that I think offers amazing value for money. It’s not for the modeller who is unfamiliar with resin, but having said that, it will look amazing when built and painted. I can almost see the General sitting in the back!
