Here is a review by Jean-Luc Formery (TedMamere) of the Unimodels 1:48 scale BZ-38 refueller truck. A very nice kit to accompany a VVS fighter in a diorama scene.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Nice one Jean-luc

I've had my eye on this and the Maxim truck for a little while now. Odd that they've finally changed the decals - I was almost sure some of the marking on the original sheet were destined for the bowser!

All the best

Rowan

That looks very nice indeed. I thought the price must be a misprint, really good value.

Now, if someone would produce USAAF refuelling trucks in 1/48 - not to forget a RAF Albion bowser and Bedford Q without the refuelling booms, as used in WW2.

Hi Iain

Welcome to Aeroscale. I certainly echo your call for injection moulded 1:48 American and British airfield vehicles - and how about some German and Italian ones too.

All the best

Rowan

Hi Guys

just to put in some more info:

Brit. vehicles .. have a look at Accuate Armours program

US: there are a lot conversions for the Jimmy out there. Revell did a set with a tractor (probably post WW2, but not sure), and Tamiya will finally re-issue their Tractor separately from the Corsair kit (have 2 of those because of the tractor)

of course I agree that a bit more in plastic would be nice. Did I mention that i hate the rubber tiures of this kit ...

J-L: as always nice review!

all the best

Steffen

Hi Steffen

There's some wonderful resin stuff out there, but the unavoidable cost of such kits inevitably puts them beyond the reach of many modellers. So far the mainstream manufacturers haven't really woken up to the full potential of the market for larger airfied vehicles (bowsers, ambulances and fire tenders) but, hopefully, Tamiya will have realised they're on to something with the sales of their Tilly, which sold out within days in the UK and deliveries couldn't keep up with demand for some time.

Yes, those tyres are a weak point in these UM kits. I don't like vinyl/rubber tyres often either. Hauler do a nice set of resin replacements, but they obviously bump up the price a bit (they seem to be out of stock at Modlimex at the moment - perhaps Petr's had a run on them with the release of these new kits).

All the best

Rowan

Hi Rowan

I know that you know and obvoiusly J-L too. But I wanted to add some info for others that might not. ... e.g. I have Jan's (Hauler) beautiful BZ-38 (as well as the Krupp) so there is no need for me to buy this one .. but I just got myself the AS-2 .. now that I have those beautiful spinners with starter hooks I need something to point at them

all the best

Steffen

Hi Steffen

I've just spotted that Model Hobbies has both kits in stock at a very nice UK price. I think I may need to get myself a moving-house present! (I'll mount Rest Models' gorgeous resin Quad Maxim on the AA truck).

All the best

Rowan

Hi Rowan,

Thanks for the welcome, been a member for a while now but haven't posted.

Yes, German would be nice, too. I have been building 1/48 vehicles for some time as they take up less space than aircraft - practically run out of shelf space. I built the Monogram Cletrac and bomb trailer as I had given up waiting - admittedly, in the end not much remained of the kit parts when I had finished, though!. Now working on the Peolini Dodge ambulance which I bought just recently.

Regarding the Tamiya Tilly, after I got it I discovered that the Austin version was only in use Post War.

Hi Iain,




No, it's not a misprint. I've checked again and it's the right price.

personally, I have decided not to buy 1/48 scale resin vehicles anymore. I've built some and they always were a lot more difficult to assemble than the plastic ones (though the Accurate Armor kits are real gems). Tamiya, Hasegawa, Italeri, ICM are all easier kits to work with. The price is another important factor. You can have the whole collection of UM trucks for one Accurate Armor kit!

I will continue to buy resin stuff for figures, animals and smaller things though. In the past three years we have received the following vehicles kits:
- Tilly (Tamiya)
- Kurogane (Tamiya and Hasegawa)
- Isuzu TX 40 Fuel truck (Hasegawa)
- Isuzu Truck (Hasegawa)
- Japanese Motorcycle and Sidecar (Hasegawa)
- BMW 327 (Hasegawa)
- Opel Blitz (Italeri/Tamiya)
- Jeep (Tamiya and hasegawa)
- GAZ Truck in 4 versions (Unimodels)
etc...
I have most of them in resin as well but I don't think I will build them anymore...

Jean-Luc

I love that 1/48 Tamiya/Hasegawa/UM 1/48 ww2 vehicles for aircraft dio's

Cheers Nick

Hi Iain

I hadn't realised that - but perhaps it explains the driver's essentially post-war beret (if you're going for the RAF option).

All the best

Rowan

Hi Rowan,

I didn't realise it until after I got it, but it is a nice little model - as long as you don't use the spurious markings! The AA kit of the Standard Tilly is correct for WW2, though.

I was in touch with Derek Hansen at Accurate Armour yesterday and they will be doing the boomless Bedford QL refueller as usd later in WW2 and with Second TAF in Europe and at a later date the Albion bowser as used pre-war and in the early years of WW2.

I have several AA kits and they are the Rolls Royce of 1/48 scale vehicles - all they need is to add some printed clear sheet for the windows a la Peolini Dodge ambulance. Of course, I wouldn't complain if Tamiya did these vehicles but the odds are against it ......... until I have built the AA kits, anyway.

Iain

Hi Iain,

Please build your Accurate Armor resin kits as soon as possible. Once you have started, Tamiya or Hasegawa will show up with their plastic versions...

Jean-Luc