1:35 Road Wheels for Mercedes 4500 (Early Pattern)

Early pattern wheels for the Mercedes 4500, 1:35 scale

This is an accessory set, not a vehicle model. On a truck the wheels are what decides whether the vehicle on the model stands on the ground or floats above it. A resin casting has three advantages over a plastic component: it has no mold seam that would have to be removed from a circular part, it has a crisper rendering of the tread pattern, and it captures the transition between the tire and the rim more faithfully. The early pattern designation matters here: the tire tread changed during the war according to what was available and which raw material could be used at the time, so the individual production batches differ from one another.

The real subject

The Mercedes L4500 was a German heavy truck with a load capacity of around four and a half tons. It served for supply, for carrying equipment and as a chassis for bodies and cranes, and in its later wartime form it was built in a simplified version with a wooden cab. It was one of the mainstay types of German road transport.

Usage tips

• First wash the parts in lukewarm soapy water; this gets rid of any mold release residue.
• Cut the casting blocks off with a saw and true the seating surfaces with a file.
• Bond them with super glue; cement for plastic does not take on resin.
• Apply a primer before painting; paint does not hold on smooth resin.
• Do not paint the tires black; dark gray with dust on the sidewalls looks more convincing.

Who it is for

The set is for modelers of German trucks who are finishing off the chassis. Working with resin is not difficult, but it differs from plastic and calls for a different glue and a different preparation.

It is not a vehicle model. The base kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.