1:35 GPW 1/4 ton 4x4 Utility Track Mod.1942 w/10-CWT & Airborne Crew

American quarter-ton GPW utility truck with trailer and airborne crew 1:35 — Bronco

An injection-molded plastic kit of the American quarter-ton GPW light utility truck in its 1942 form, with a trailer rated at ten hundredweight and with figures of an airborne crew, in 1:35 scale from Bronco. From a single package you can therefore build a whole scene.

The real subject

GPW was the designation of the jeep that Ford built to common drawings, while the practically identical vehicles from Willys carried the designation MB. The differences are slight but they matter to a modeler: the Ford, for instance, has a differently shaped crossmember under the nose and stamped its mark into some of the parts. The jeep became one of the most significant vehicles of the war, and it towed a small two-wheeled trailer that carried ammunition, equipment or a radio set. Airborne units received their jeeps in a modified form so that they would fit into a glider.

Building and painting tips

Decide at the start how you will build the scene: a vehicle with a trailer and figures works best when the figures have a relationship to the vehicle. Finish and paint the inside of the vehicle and the trailer before you close the assembly up; an open jeep has nowhere to hide anything. The canvas top over the cab can be built either raised or folded down. Clean the seam lines off the figures, paint the face and hands separately and seat them only after painting. It pays to add some small items of your own to the load in the trailer so that it is not empty.

Who the model is for

• Builders of dioramas with American airborne troops
• Collectors of jeeps and light vehicles in 1:35 scale
• Modelers who want a whole scene in one package
• Builders with basic experience

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.