1:48 Steyr 1500 Cargo Truck wood cab.for TAM

Steyr 1500 with the wooden cab, 1:48 scale

A conversion accessory for modelers building the German Steyr 1500 truck in 1:48 scale. The set replaces the cab of the vehicle with a wooden version, which gives the vehicle an unmistakable look and sets it apart from the commonly built form. It is not a complete model; the base kit of the truck has to be obtained separately.

The real subject

The Steyr 1500 was one of the widespread light trucks and cross-country cars of the German army in the Second World War and served in a range of body variants. Later on, some of the vehicles appeared with a simplified cab of wooden construction, as that was less demanding to produce. On a model this variant is recognizable at once, and in a diorama it reads differently from a smooth sheet-metal cab.

Building tips

First compare the parts of the set with the cab from the kit and plan the cuts. Wash the parts in lukewarm soapy water and let them dry. Cut the casting remains off with a saw, true the surfaces up with abrasive paper and protect your airways when sanding. Glue with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) and seat the cab dry before gluing it, so that it sits on the frame. Painting a wooden cab is rewarding: it helps to suggest the texture of the planking under the top coat and then to lift it gently once it has dried, so that the texture shows through even under camouflage paint.

Who the set is for

• Builders of German automotive subjects in 1:48 scale
• Modelers who want a less usual variant of a well-known vehicle
• Builders of dioramas where the vehicle has to catch the eye at first glance
• More experienced modelers used to conversions and sanding

This is an accessory set, not a complete model of the vehicle. It is supplied unpainted; the base kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.