introduction

One of the more useful accessories is the ubiquitous fuel drum. Whether placed on an AFV (especially a truck) or in a diorama, they instantly suggest campaigning in the field. Modern vehicles need gas, and gas trucks make for inviting targets.

The usual solution is the Tamiya styrene jerrycan set, but they're a big pain in the ### because they're molded in two halves. Getting rid of the seam lines is a lot of work, and never quite looks 100% right. Resin drum sets are a better choice, but are usually pricy. Now Plus Model's "Easy Line" has released a set of two resin drums that can work in almost any generic setting.

what you get

Two resin drums come in a resealable glassine with a hang card top.

the review

What you see is what you get: the drums have a small pour plug that must be sawed off, so be sure to wear a dust mask when you do the cutting. But otherwise, there's not much to be said. Two drums, no markings; they look like German 200L drums, but are slightly smaller. Still, they probably could work in any setting where a fuel drum works (the Marines on Peleliu in the Pacific were supplied water in old fuel drums that wasn't always washed out properly).

Unlike styrene drums, these have no seam lines that need removing, and the detailing will "pop" when painted. Like most resin products, they're soft and you can see the bend in the rim of one of the drums supplied to Armorama for review. Still, I like my metal accessories well-used, so I'll leave it, though you can bend the resin back into position is you immerse it in hot water.

My suggestion on painting would be to use some metallic color like Vallejo's "dirty silver," then either apply the hairspray technique for peeling the paint, or just dirty them up with lots of oily gunk.

conclusion

If the price is right, these drums are a good addition to any diorama or softskin build. You could add some Voyager or Aber end caps with stenciling on them if you want to make them identifiably German, but that sort of defeats the point of the Easy Line sets. I applaud Plus Model for putting out accessories that are more-affordable and have a generic applicability.

Thanks to Plus Model for providing the review sample. When purchasing or ordering, please be sure to mention that you heard about the product on Armorama.