Everyone needs to eat, and for armies the issue is how to get food to the front. For the United States in WWII, the method involved packaging complete meals in cans. The system was efficient in government terms, but the meal selection was limited, the cans heavy, and long term consumption could lead to malnutrition. Nevertheless, the C ration had a long life, serving not just in WWII but on into Korea and Vietnam.
Review
Legend Productions offers a set of C ration boxes with late war markings for use as a model or diorama accessory.
The set comes in a small box with a photo of the completed kit contents on the front. This is also the assembly instruction. Inside the box are four resin pour blocks with two boxes on each block. The boxes have fine wood and board texturing. Once cleaned up they measure .359" wide, .564" long and .237" high. This comes out to 12.5" wide, 19.7" long and 8.3" tall. The actual box dimension, according to Tim Streeter's Modeling the US Army Website http://www.usarmymodels.com/ARTICLES/Rations/crations.html
12.75" x 19.25" x 7.75". An actual box measurement was 12.75" x 19.6" x 8", so the Legend Productions resin boxes are quite close in measurement.
The decal sheet included has markings for the top, both ends and the front of the box, with the printing clearly legible, if you can see print that small. The date of issue is March of 1944. There are enough decals for all 8 boxes. My sample had two decal sheets, so there is a full set of extras, but I don't know if this was intended or an error. The decals are very thin and snug down well with decal setting solution.
I painted the boxes with a mix of Tamiya desert yellow and deck tan, added a coat of gloss and placed the decals. That was it. With the boxes completed they are ready to be placed where I want.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I think this is a very handy accessory set, properly sized and with all the markings included. It should prove to be very useful. Browsing online revealed prices from $10.40 US up to $12.50. Many locations offered free shipping.
SUMMARY
Highs: Boxes are well sized and the decals are legible. Lows: none noted.Verdict: I think this is an excellent product that should prove useful in many settings.
Our Thanks to Legend Productions USA! This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us.
About Russ Amott (russamotto) FROM: UTAH, UNITED STATES
I got back into the hobby a few years back, and wanted to find ways to improve, which is how I found this site. Since joining Armorama I have improved tremendously by learning from others here, and have actually finished a couple of kits. I model to relax and have fun, but always look to improve. ...
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