Willys Jeep
Verlinden 522
1:48th Scale
Review by Terry Ashley
This review is of the original set #522 and I will update this when set #2213 is released if the set is any different but Verlinden's track record with re-issues would indicate it will be the same.
The set consist of 29 parts in dark yellow resin, 18 finely etched parts and a length of thin wire and plastic rod plus a sheet a thin clear sheet for the windscreen and a small instruction sheet.
Quality of the resin casting is quite clean overall with just the usual casting blocks to be removed and no other blemishes such as flash or air holes.
The main body is cast in one piece with a huge casting block on the bottom that will take a bit of effort to remove and unfortunately this casting is badly twisted and warped and is basically unusable.
Putting that aside for a moment to look at the other details which are quite good and after removing the lower casting block there are separate front and rear differentials, axles and leaf springs with the plastic rod for the drive shaft and this gives quite good detail to the undersides.
The detail included on the inside of the body is quite good with the lower sections of the front seats, driver's foot pedals and central transmission hump all included with separate seat back rests and dash board with cast on instrument details plus the steering wheel with the column from the plastic rod.
The windscreen is in etched brass with the two sections of the screen trapping the clear sheet between them for good scale thickness of the screen.
Other etched parts are the front and rear bumpers, the folded roof tilts, rear jerry can holder if you don't use the resin can which has an etched handle and aerial mount as well as the head light guard and these etched parts do add some nice detail definition to the model. A US field radio is included for the rear if you wish to use this?
Overall the detail is quite good with the well defined resin details and etched parts but as mentioned the badly warped body makes this all quite academic unless you are prepared to live with the warped body.
The instructions are a small double sided sheet with the numbered parts payout
for easy identification and exploded view drawings showing the location of
the parts during assembly.
These are quite easy to follow as there aren't that
many parts and shouldn't poae any problems during assembly.
As I mentioned this is the original kit and hopefully Verlinden will do something about the body casting with the re-issue set because if they don't it will basically be a waste of time. To be updated when set #2213 is available.
Page created 27 August 2005