introduction

Your Scale Model Kits from Ukraine has recently begun producing a few resin replacement parts for modelers. Their first release is a set of resin non-directional tread wheels for U.S., and Lend Lease, 2 1/2 ton trucks.

the wheels

The replacement wheels, size 7.5-20, come packaged in a small 6 x 3.5 inch zip lock bag. The set consists of 12 wheels, so enough for the spare and an extra just in case. You also get six hubs for your wheels, four for the dual rear axle and a pair for the front. The set is a bit of an oddity in that the 12 tires are not the same manufacturer; you get six Goodyear and six Firestone, non-directional tread tires in the bag. With six of each you can place all of one or the other on the outside station for a uniform look. If you would like a more lived in look you can mix and match, I don’t think anyone much cared about consistency of manufacturer while in the field.

The wheels all have a bit of flash to remove as well as the normal clean-up at the mold seam and the pour plugs. Putting the wheels together with the hubs requires a bit of work to get a nice square join, the bolt detail needs to be removed from the inside, outside or both, depending on which wheel station you are working on. Removing the bolts from the inner face is a bit tricky to get a nice even surface for your CA glue to work with. Also, the hubs require some drilling out in order to fit on to the axle stub. You can use these wheels for lots of different kits so make sure you know what you need before you start drilling.

conclusion

I don’t see any real issues with this replacement set of wheels. If you are a fan of the resin wheels from Hussar Productions these will look very similar; perhaps just a bit rougher but still similar. If you are looking to replace and upgrade the wheels on a Studebaker or GMC and don’t want to deal with the seam on rubber tires these could be the way to go.