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Product no.: Dragon :540006766 |
64.99 €
Price incl. VAT, plus delivery
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product details
Brand new mule ambulance with fine details Introduced in 1942, the 7.1 ton Mule was largely successful, if not quite as mobile as purpose-built half-tracks. An interesting variation was a mule ambulance that could be used for battlefield evacuation. Dragon is proud to be the first manufacturer to offer a plastic kit of this unique vehicle! Built to the standards expected of current generation modelers, this stunning 1/35 scale kit is based on Dragon's existing Mule. The rear ambulance body is completely new, including a filigree ladder on the rear and side doors and a matching step. The rear door opens to reveal a fully featured ambulance interior, which has been painstakingly recreated in as much detail as possible, using wartime photos as a reference. Inside is an elaborate framework for up to nine stretchers, which can be manufactured in a configuration to suit the model maker's requirements. In fact, the detailed exterior and interior of the rear body offers model builders unlimited possibilities. In the past, only experienced modelers could have attempted to build such an extensive ambulance conversion themselves, but now Dragon is making this type available to everyone! For the model maker looking to depict a realistic winter scene on the Eastern Front, this mule ambulance offers something different. dragons: The kit content Dragon/Cyber Hobby has already released two versions of the Maultier Halftrack. I suspect many people have been waiting for this version. There's just something...something about it. We don't see many ambulance versions released in plastic by major manufacturers, so this one came as a bit of a surprise when it was first announced. After all, we haven't even seen an ambulance version of the Sd.Kfz.251, and we've seen more than a few of them released since the first one! Many of the sprues have of course been seen in previous versions of this vehicle and yet there is a surprising number of new ones in this one to allow the modeler to construct the rear body. Given that every area of this model is fully detailed...including the interior of the rear ambulance body...it's clear why so many new sprues are required. There are eight new sprues in total...although some of them are admittedly small. However, some of them are quite large! There is a brand new 'L' sprue that supplies the large pieces that together make up the actual rear body, there are 'P1' sprues to supply new cab steps, and various parts at the foot of the cab to allow the rear body to work properly to fit, and 'P2' to supply the cabinets to fit the ambulance's body, and sprue 'M' for the doors and roof among some other parts. 'N' supplies a variety of smaller ambulance fittings and fittings, with stretchers being supplied on the new 'Q' sprue. A new small transparent sprue is included, which also provides all the necessary glazing for the rear body. Construction begins with the assembly of all landing gear. First there are the two front wheels, for which we are getting new hubs in this version. They are identical to the old ones...just come on a new sprue as the old sprue is not included in this version. Once the suspension components such as front leaf springs, axles and parts of the drive train are assembled to the slipformed chassis, the suspension bogies for the track portion of the vehicle can be designed. These are well detailed, constructed from several parts, with the springs being injection molded solid parts. Since these were based on the same Carden Loyd tankette suspension system that those on the Universal Carrier were based on, and since I recently reviewed one of these with real springs...you can probably guess I'm not quite done with these enthused. Still, they should look reasonable enough once they're all painted! The road bike tires have embossed detailing on their sidewalls, and the chains are all single links. Included in this kit is a new wheel option consisting of three pieces, these are the spoked and solid type, although the other solid, non-spoked types are still included. The model also has a fully detailed engine and we also have the Opel Blitz truck engine on a different sprue marked as 'not to be used'. The engine has a detailed radiator, fan belts etc and the bonnet can be modeled open or closed as both open louvered sides are supplied as separate pieces and there is an etched brass 'Opel Blitz' logo for the front of the radiator. Of course, moving to the rear, the dive cabin is fully detailed, with everything you would expect and decals for the dashboards and even a separate fuel tank for under the seat. Both cabin doors are separate pieces, with details inside and out, including separate handles and even window regulators. The luggage rack and the spare wheel for the cab roof, both shown in the box picture, are included, but the full load of canisters in the luggage rack ... also in the box picture ... is not. Which I found a bit surprising. The construction then moves to the rear body and ambulance section. This consists of a base laid over cross members which attach to the chassis and to which separate side, end and roof panels are attached. There are separate doors for both side panels and the end panel which are detailed inside and out and the roof panel has the large raised center section with clear glazing. For the inside, the bottom panel has rib detailing, and the inside of each wall panel is also fully detailed. The forward bulkhead is provided with cupboards with various shelves etc. and nine stretchers are provided which can be placed in racks, offensic |