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The Kit
This review will focus on the construction of the kit. A preview of my initial impressions of this kit can be found here.
It should be noted here though that the box top art work for the wagon has been flipped: the left side is depicted as the right side.
The Build
Out-of-the-box the kit gives a fairly decent representation of the Hf.2 wagon and the only major error that really should be fixed is the frame that runs around the
front of the wagon. This frame should not be there, so cut it off. With it gone the wagon looks a whole lot better. Refer to the above pictures
that illustrate the portion of the frame needing removal.
I wanted to build my kit with the inside visible so the kit's cover for the box was scrapped. Doing this unfortunately exposes the interior and its complete lack of detail
which has to be added. To that end all of the visible interior surfaces of the box need to have plank lines scribed and wood grain added, as do the top side and underside
of the bed. Panel lines were done with a scribing tool and wood grain with the tip of my hobby knife. For some reason there are vertical grooves on the insides of
the side boards which need to be filled before starting any scribing. Also needing attention are a set of large injection relief blocks on the top side of the bed
that also need to be removed and a pair of ejector pin marks that mar the external faces of each of the sideboards that require fixing.
The body panels all fit together with pegs and holes. Unfortunately all the holes run completely through the parts while the locating pegs do not
do the same, leaving deep depressions. I filled all the holes on the floor panel save the rear most set of two. These were left to help with the alignment of
the box.
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As per usual for a quick-build war gaming kit, some extra detail was desired to make a display worthy model.
This involved:
- Adding a shovel from spares box and its associated diagonal mount. Browsing through the sources shows that this feature was pretty much standard for the Hf.2.
- Replacing the overly thick arm rests with new versions made from thin wire.
- The tongue is much too short and was replaced with a new one cut from some round plastic rod. I had no information on what its length should be, so I placed the
horses in front of the wagon and measured out to where it looked right according to my reference photos.
There should be a hook on its fore end which I scrounged from
my spares box.
- Adding brackets for the box cover's support braces, these being cut from some small plastic channel.
- The kit needs a better brakes and mechanism. At the front right I added a brake handle and the shaft that runs vertically down the side. This was attached to
a V-shaped
lever made from plastic rod. The kit's brakes are incorrect. They are not individual items as depicted in the kit but are part of a bar that runs from side-to-side
across the underside of the bed. A new brake bar was cut from square plastic rod. Then I added a linkage rod from the V-shaped lever back to the top of the bar.
I was unable to find any information on how the brake lever links to the bar though I'd guess that it's a bit more complicated than the simple solution I used.
- Adding hinges to front storage box located under the seat.
- The foot rest was modified. The kit part is much too thick so it was sanded and scraped to make it thinner. The front supporting braces were reduced and
legs for the braces were added. A lip was also added to top edge.
- Added hooks from the spares box to the yoke .
- I decided to not mount the spare wheel so handles and brackets and holder for the spare were added to rear panel.
- Support braces added to underside of the bed. I had no idea where they should go exactly, so I made an educated guess and added them where the notches for the
side panel tabs are located.
- Angled braces to rear axle.
- The kit's wheel hubs have 12 bolt heads.
Pictures in my references show only 6 bolt heads, which also jives with the picture on the box top. The kit's bolts were sanded off and new ones added using
individual bolt decals from Archer Fine Transfers. The 12 bolt hubs appear to be based on the German World War
One Heavy Provision Wagon 05, which according to reference [1], is an almost identical predecessor of the Hf.2.
For some visual interest and not just leave a bare box I added some stowage: a pair of tarps from Value Gear, one placed inside the box and the other put under
the foot rest; a sack made from 2-part epoxy; and a wood crate fished from the spares box. as a finishing touch a resin pail from
Armand Bayardi was hooked over the
brake handle.
Partway through the build I noticed that the diagonal braces on the front right side have been flipped. HäT has them molded to form a sort of "M"
when they should actually form a sort of "W". As I was most of the way through the build at this time I didn't correct the error and left the bracing as is.
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Conclusion
Out-of-the-box this is a reasonable kit, acceptable as is for war gaming or for inclusion in a diorama. For a display model some extra detail works wonders.
References
[1] German Infantry Carts, Army Field Wagons, Army Sleds 1900-1945, Wilfried Kopenhagen, Schiffer Military History, Atglen 2000 ISBN: 0-7643-1273-1
[2] panzerarmee.com
[3] kfzderwehrmacht.de
Review sample purchased by the author.
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