introduction

Academy has added to their earlier 1/72 WWII vehicle set with a really nice Deuce-and-a-half.

kit contents

The kit comes on four trees: 3 in dark olive green, one in clear. Additionally, you get a sheet of markings for two vehicles.

Of the three green sprues, one is made up of only the accessory parts: 3 barrels, 3 each of 4 different types of boxes, 3 each of 2 types of jerry cans, 2 Browning .30cal's, 2 .50cal's, and various ammo boxes, tripods, bipods, etc. The other two, along with the clear sprue, make up the truck.

The truck is a pretty straight-forward layout. Single-piece chassis/frame, rudimentary engine, the cab is made up from a roof hood, sides, back, and interior tub, all of which sit on a frame that includes the front fenders. The bed area builds up from 9 parts (depending on options taken). Wheels/tires are single-piece moldings, in plastic (no vinyl). The front bumper has the winch molded in, so no options there.

The choices you do get are whether to put the bench seats in the upright or folded position, whether to put the bunched-up canvas cover at the front of the bed or use instead bracing for a ring-mounted .50cal, and whether or not to install the ring mount in the cab roof (the roof has the circle etched-in on the underside).

Overall, the molding is very nice. There is a little bit of flash, more than we're used to with current-release kits. Two of the jerry cans have nasty sink-holes on one side (which can be hidden, of course). The chassis frame is a little thick in places, and the lack of choice over the winch is an unfortunate limitation. The machine guns themselves look very nice for the scale. The markings are all white, so there is no danger of register problem.

in conclusion

In general, this is a really nice kit, though the basic asking price from Squadron ($16.96) is a little steep for a 1/72 scale vehicle, even with the sprue of accessories. Still, a nice kit of an important subject.