1:35 M1083 FMTV Standard Cargo Truck

1:35 M1083 FMTV Standard Cargo Truck - a Trumpeter kit

A plastic kit of the American M1083 military cargo truck of the FMTV family in 1:35 scale from Trumpeter. This is the standard dropside cargo version with an unarmored cab.

The real subject

The abbreviation FMTV stands for the American family of medium tactical vehicles that replaced older cargo trucks from the 1990s onward. The family rests on two basic sizes: the lighter 4x4 and the heavier five-ton 6x6 series, which is where the M1083 belongs. The vehicles share the cab and most of their assemblies, which simplifies maintenance. In its standard form the M1083 carries its load on a dropside cargo bed with a tarpaulin and troop benches, it can be fitted with a light crane, or it can serve as a chassis for special bodies. FMTV vehicles served in Iraq and in Afghanistan and became the backbone of American supply transport; later they also received an armored cab, but that is a separate variant.

Building and painting tips

Assemble the frame and the axles on a flat board so that the model stands on all its wheels. Paint the cab separately and fit it only after the glazing, masking the glass with masking fluid. Set the tarpaulin apart with a flatter shade and a fine surface texture so that it does not look like plastic. American vehicles wear either a single-color green or the three-color camouflage, or else a desert shade; choose according to the period you are building. Weather mainly the wheel wells, the sides of the cargo bed and the steps with dust pigments.

Who the model is for

• for collectors of modern American equipment
• for modelers who build supply columns and logistics
• for intermediate experience, because a cargo truck is a rewarding build
• as a companion to a diorama with armored vehicles

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