Introduction

As everybody knows, Operation Barbarossa in June 1941 was the invasion of Russia by Germany. During the next few years German forces were quick to realise the motorized vehicles and horses they used for transporting virtually everthing to their frontline forces, was almost useless under certain conditions.

Their solution was simple. They commandeered local transport, and one of the most effective methods of transportation they found were the peasants Panje horses, scruffy, small, but extremely powerful, these horses could pull carts and equipment through snow and mud that would effectively stop other vehicles dead. Small horsedrawn carts of various types were simply taken and used, and became ubiquitous on the Eastern Front, and were even pulled by hand when horses were unavailable.

Contents

This kit from Custom Dioramics represents a simple four-wheeled cart of the type used by German forces on the Eastern Front. The cover of the box shows a painted exxample in a dark yellow basecoat with a mottled grey camouflage scheme. Inside the box there is a single ziploc bag containing 10 cream coloured resin parts attached to pouring blocks. The resin is quite hard and difficult to work, but displays excellent surface detail, especially with regard to the simulation of woodgrain, which is very easy indeed to 'overdo'. The 10 parts are basically the four sides of the cart, base, four wheels and the hitching pole. No instructions are included, but are not really necessary since it is a very easy kit.

Clean up will be laborious. There is a lot of flash present, especially on each of the wheels, base and hitching pole. No warpage at all could be seen on the review sample, my only concern being the lack of detail on the reverse of each of the four wheels.

Recommended. Ever so slightly expensive, but it is an all-resin accessory and will prove really useful for any Eastern Front Diorama.

My thanks to Custom Dioramics for the review sample.