1:48 JEEP towing bracket (HASEGAWA)

A towing bracket for the jeep in 1:48 scale (Hauler)

A small but rewarding accessory from the Czech maker Hauler, cut for a specific Hasegawa kit. The towing bracket mounts on the rear of the vehicle and in 1:48 scale it is a part a few millimeters across, on which its whole structure is nevertheless visible: the carrier plate, the pin and the shackle. The casting holds sharp edges and fine pressings that would disappear in an injection mold, and above all it makes it possible to hitch a trailer or a light weapon to the vehicle, which turns a model into a scene at a stroke.

What the bracket was for

The light cross-country vehicle of the quarter-ton class was used not only to carry people but also as a tractor. Behind it, it towed a small quarter-ton trailer with supplies, a field kitchen or ammunition, or a light weapon. Towing gear was therefore a standard part of the vehicle and in photographs you see it on practically every machine in the field. On a model it is one of the details that make the view of the rear of the vehicle interesting, because otherwise there is not much to see there.

Usage tips

First wash the casting in warm water with detergent and so remove the remains of release agent from the mold - without that the paint will not hold on the part. Cut the casting block off with a modeling saw a little away from the part and sand the remainder down; never break it off. Because the mating surface is small and the bracket tends to be loaded on a model, it pays to reinforce the joint: pre-drill a fine hole in both the part and the rear of the vehicle, glue in a piece of wire as a pin and only then fix the assembly with super glue. In color the bracket tends to be darker than the body, because it was often merely oiled or scuffed from hitching up - gentle drybrushing with a metallic shade on the edges of the shackle works reliably.

Who the accessory is for

• Modelers who want to hitch a trailer or a light weapon to the vehicle
• Diorama builders where the vehicle stands with its rear toward the viewer
• Those who are bothered by soft shapes and lost pressings on a plastic part
• Modelers who have already worked with castings and super glue

The accessory is supplied unpainted. The kit, the trailer, glue and paints are not included in the package.