Bilek's 1/35
Tank Trailer

By Chris Banyai-Riepl

The Kit

This is a reboxing of the old Italeri kit, made obvious by the "Italeri - Made in Italy" markings on the bottom of the chassis. This is really more of an accessory rather than a standalone kit, as it is just the tank trailer. It really cries out to have a truck or jeep pulling it along.

The parts are molded in a light gray plastic and the molds have held up well. There's only 30 parts to this kit, and the engineering is very straightforward. Building this up will easily be a one-night affair. The tank is split into upper and lower halves, with separate end pieces. This fits onto a one-piece chassis with the fenders molded on.

Mounted to the chassis are a couple boxes, the axle leaf springs, and the front wheel. The main wheels and tires are split in half, while the front wheel is a single piece with a separate fork. Accessories include a pump handle and hose and separate taillights.

The decals are basic but well printed. For the most part they are all in white, with a fender marking being a white circle with a red "C" and a black "3" on it. That pretty much means there's no registration problem. You get the "FLAMMABLE" markings for the sides, as well as the "Do Not Fill Above" markings. Also included are three white stars (only one of which is marked out on the instructions), numbers for the rear bumper, and the ID numbers for the box sides and rear of the tank. The decals are thin and have a matte finish and should pose no problems in applying.

Conclusions

This is an excellent accessory to a 1/35 armor collection. With the general markings and wide variety of vehicles that towed this trailer, you can add quite a bit of variety to a display with this little gem. If you missed the Italeri boxing, don't pass this one up. The molding is still in great shape and will provide a relaxing weekend build.