Opel Blitz Truck Kits

Manufacturer: ESCI

by Stephen Brezinski (sbrez(at)suscom-maine.net)

Vehicle History For The Modeler

These 1/72 scale model kits depict one of the most numerous, successful and important trucks of the German Wehrmacht from the 1930’s to 1945, so it can be displayed in either pre-war or late-war color and markings. Opel Company is a subsidiary of General Motors Company, and Blitz is German for "lightning". For the time this was a modern looking truck and was one of the most reliable and well-liked trucks used by the German and Axis Allies on all European and African war fronts. The Opel Blitz along with the Mercedes and Borgworg 3000 trucks were developed under the Schnell Program which was an effort to standardize the copious variety of Whermacht’s trucks prior to WW2.

This ESCI model is of the Opel Blitz S variant which is the 4 x 2 rear-wheel drive. There also was produced a 4 x 4 (four-wheel) drive Blitz in lesser numbers that differs enough from this two wheel drive variant that it may take significant scratchbuilding to do a conversion. The truck was rated as having a three-ton load capacity though keep in mind that the German designation of a 3-ton rating differed from the American. For example, the American 2.5 ton "deuce and a half" GMC or Studebaker trucks could actually carry five tons on a good road and were more robust.

There are an incredible number of conversion possibilities including lifting cranes for the bed, the Ersatz cab, radio and bakery trucks, kitchen trucks with a towed field kitchen in the rear, SP 20-mm Flak guns, etc.

Kit Description

Kit Similarities:

This vehicle had been released under ESCI, AMT ERTL, Revell model companies and other manufacturers since this model kit was first introduced in the late 1970’s or so. It may soon be released by Italeri (as of summer, 2003)?

A 1/72 scale plastic model kit consisting about 55 to 60 gray or tan color injection-molded styrene plastic parts, depending on which of the three variants you acquire: the cargo truck, ambulance box (van), or self propelled Flak variant.

The cab sprue is included with all three kits and consists of nine major separate cab pieces and the seven truck wheels, etc. I found the truck cab to be the trickiest subassembly. Fitting the cab doors with the roof may be difficult without some model putty. This complexity does give you the nice options of building it with one or more doors open or the engine sides removed to expose an engine. No engine is included and would have to be scratchbuilt. No windows are included and can be cut from clear plastic sheet. Width indicator posts can be made from wire for the front fenders.

The underside of the model is well detailed if you wish to model it crashed over on its side. Two of the tires have three ejection-pin marks that will need filling in and of course these are on the outside of the tire and very prominent.

Kit Contrarieties:

Cargo Truck Kit: The cargo truck comes with a sprue for the truck bed and tarp that includes also parts for three fuel drums. The cargo bed and sides have the impressions of the wood boards. Assembly of the cargo bed is with little problem. If the tarp is to be used add slats and supports for the inside, or perhaps scratch a new tarp using tissue or plastic bag.

Ambulance Van Kit: Contains a sprue for the box van which includes a long roof vent, two wide doors and detail on the sides depicting blanked over windows and doors. Interior detail is lacking on the sides and roof though the floor has the recessed lines of wood-board s. Depending on the particular version and use we can scribe the outlines windows and doors on the interior, or cut out the windows and doors.

Self-Propelled Flakvierling Kit: Comes with the sprue for the cargo truck bed as well as an additional sprue for the ESCI 20-mm four-barreled Fakvierling AA gun. The Flak gun sprue is the only sprue in the three kits to have figures. This is the same sprue as in the ESCI weapons Kit #8350. Make note that this version likely never existed except possibly as a poorly successful field modification. Adding up the weight of the gun, ammunition and crew the truck would be overloaded even for good roads. I have never seen any photos of a 4-barrel Flak mount, only a single 20-mm Flak gun mount. In Panzer Colors books there is a single photo of a heavy 37-mm Flak 36 on an Opel 2.5 ton though I believe that this was a field mount, and another photo identified as an Opel with a Flakvierling is on closer examination a 4-ton Mercedes 4500 truck.

Kit Instructions

Kit instructions are good and typical exploded view instructions without captions. Like with all models: dry fit, dry fit and dry fit before gluing.

Detailing

Added details to make the ESCI/Italeri Opel are very similar to what we may do to any small scale softskin model.

• A nice feature of this ESCI truck is that it is not difficult to model the cab doors open. Simply scribe and separate along the little triangular body piece and after the cab is assembled attach the door(s) with some sort of supports such as wire pins.

• If we have the doors open we may wish to detail the cab interior with wire gear shift levers, a better steering wheel, and crew kit (stowage) on the seat.

• A rear-view mirror on the driver’s door can be constructed with a fine brass wire inserted in a hole just above the door hinge. The round mirror can be had from a thin disc shaved from sprue. Paint the mirror silver or glue on a disc of shiny foil.

• Width indicators are common to most all German WW2 trucks and autos; these are the rods with white balls atop sticking up out of the front fenders or bumper . These can be simply constructed. My method is to dip brass wire in white glue of Krystal Kleer and hang down so a ball of glue dries into a little ball at the end of the wire. Insert into drilled hole in fender or bumper as appropriate. (For an example see the kit boxtops and my photo of the late-model Opel below.)

• Windshields are imperative for a good display model. These can be constructed from clear styrene sheet from your hobby shop, or clear plastic from a food container.

Markings

All the Opel Blitz kits released by ESCI and its sister companies over the years appear to have a good selection of decent water-slide decals for one to four German vehicles. Examples of the decals for a release of the cargo truck and the ambulance van are included in the scan of the instructions. Decals are pretty basic: front & rear license plates, perhaps unit-markings, and red cross markings for the ambulances. Missing are the stenciled railroad shipping markings common to the doors of German trucks.

Above is an ESCI Blitz modified to a late war, metal cab version. Note that the missing Opel Blitz emblem on the grill, missing rear fenders, running boards replaced by simple steps, fender width indicators moved to middle of fender, and smaller headlights. For this model a supporting frame and slats were added to the bed and a new tarp made of plastic bag material.

Aftermarket Conversions & Kits

RetroModel, from the Czech Republic: #7203, complete kit of 3-ton Opel Blitz Type A (4x4) cargo truck. While not a conversion or aftermarket item this is a four-wheel drive version, complete model kit in 1/72 scale model based on the ESCI kit. This is a good quality, all-resin model kit.

Al By Models from France: Kit #779, Ford V3000S conversion for ESCI Opel Blitz model.

Al By Models Kit #709, Ford V3000S Conversion For ESCI Opel Blitz (same as #779 above?).

AL By Models Kit #865, Opel Blitz Einheitzfahrerhaus Cab Conversion for ESCI kit (a simplified cab of wood and cardboard construction.

Al By Models Kit #782, Maultier Conversion. "Maultier" is German for "Mule". This was a successful effort to create a better cross-county truck by converting the Opel (and Ford) trucks into halftracks. The kit is all resin with lengths of resin tracks to be warmed and wrapped around the wheels. Casting is superb. Tracks are molded onto the idler and drive sprocket for us.

Matador Models Complete model kit #7201 Gasoline Tanker, #7213 Opel Blitz Hydrogen Peroxide Fuel Tanker for rocket programs; #7218 Opel Blitz Articulated Fuel Tanker for Luftwaffe.

FM Details #72001 complete Opel Blitz Fuel Truck kit for Luftwaffe use.

TP Models Kit #7242 complete model kit of Opel Blitz Betriebsstoff Kesselkraftwagen, Kfz. 385 fuel truck

TP Models kit #72110 kit of Opel Blitz S armored cab & Flak 38 gun (used in Northern Europe, 1944-45).

Modeling Resources

Opel At War, Schiffer Publishing Co. A very good, inexpensive softcover book with information on the Opel Blitz and other Opel vehicles.

http://members.rogers.com/gparada/votw/truck.htm Achtung Panzer website section on softskins

http://www.panzernet.com/articulos/maquetas/opeljlm/opelblitz.htm Opel Blitz construction article, in Spanish (Espanol)

http://www.panzernet.com/articulos/descripciones/opelhisjl/opelhisjl.htm Opel Blitz vehicle history article in Spanish (Espanol).