1:35 Opel Blitz late spare wheel rim (2pcs)

The late variant of the disc

The late version corresponds to vehicles from the second half of the war, when German production saved on material and time wherever it could. The pair of parts in the package covers the wheel the truck carried as a reserve, and on a model what stands out from it is above all the front face with the center and the pressed shapes.

Where the spare sits on the truck

On the three-ton vehicle the spare wheel was most often stowed under the load floor or on the side of the frame; on some conversions the crews moved it up onto the cargo bed for quicker access. That is exactly why it pays to have the disc in a form that stands up to close inspection: in a finished scene this piece of equipment is often nearer the viewer's eye than many another part of the chassis.

The truck at the close of the conflict

Late vehicles can be recognized by the simplified cab, in which wood replaced part of the sheet metal. It was a solution born of necessity, but it worked, and a great many were built. A model in that form has quite a different character from the smooth prewar examples, and small things such as a correctly shaped disc support that impression. The accessory assumes that you will set the part from the original frame aside. When fitting it, check whether the height of the center matches the mounting on the model, and adjust it with abrasive paper if need be.

The mounting is worth a few extra minutes

On the real trucks the spare wheel was held by a bracket with a bolt, sometimes backed up by a strap or a chain against working loose on the move. This can be imitated with thin wire and a strip of foil. The result is unobtrusive, but it is exactly such small things that decide whether a finished vehicle looks like one in everyday use.