1:72 Wheels for Jeep Willys with chains (underinflated)

Wheels with snow chains for the Jeep Willys 1:72, Firma49

This is an accessory set, not a vehicle model. It contains replacement wheels for the American Jeep Willys light off-road car in 1:72 scale, fitted with snow chains and modeled as underinflated: the tire is flattened where it meets the road, as it is on a loaded vehicle. It is exactly this detail that gives a finished model the sense of weight that kit wheels with a perfectly round outline usually lack.

The real subject

The Jeep Willys MB was a light four-wheel-drive off-road car, produced in large numbers during the Second World War and used for liaison, reconnaissance and supply duties. It was marked by a simple body with no doors, a folding windshield and a canvas roof. In winter and muddy terrain, anti-skid chains were fitted to the wheels, and it is this appearance that the set captures.

Building tips

Cut the parts off the gate with a saw or a cutting disc rather than with pliers, so that nothing chips. Clean up the seating surfaces, and before painting it is worth washing them in soapy water and letting them dry. Underinflated wheels have one correct position: the flattened part has to face down, so stand the model on a flat surface once the wheels are glued on and let the glue set there. On the chains, a dark base, light drybrushing with a metallic shade and finally dust pigments pressed into the tread all prove their worth.

Who the set is for

• Builders of Jeep Willys models in 1:72 scale
• Modelers who want realistically loaded tires
• Those interested in a winter or muddy diorama
• Anyone unhappy with the simplified wheels from the kit

This is an accessory, not a kit. The base model, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise. Check that it matches your kit before buying.