Category Archives: 1:50

The History of Vilmer Toys, Part IX: Mercedes-Benz Short-Bonnet Trucks

By Karl Schnelle

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

The actual short-nosed or short-bonneted Mercedes cab came out in 1959 and was updated over time for many years. Several collectors have identified the Vilmer Toys casting as the Mercedes-Benz L 1113, which came out in the early 1960s. Other names given this cab were the pig-nose, snub-nose, or Kurzhauber (short-bonnet in German)!

As mentioned in Part VIII of this series on Vilmer Toys from Denmark, the Mercedes-Benz truck appeared in at least two catalog sheets, along with these other trucks:

  1. Trader, Bedford TK, small Dodge, Mercedes-Benz (below left)
  2. Trader, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo (below right)

So we can assume that the Mercedes short-bonnet came out around the same time as the Thames Trader and before the Volvo. The Vilmer family scrap book (Facebook, Sep 2023) shows newspaper clippings with three of these trucks pictured in December 1964, so perhaps Vilmer introduced the Mercedes at some point before then, but in in time for Christmas 1964 sales.

The Models

The catalogs above show several different body types attached to the short-bonnet trucks – 850-854 open or tarp covered, 855 Foderbus, 856 dump truck with front shovel attachment, 857 fire ladder truck, 860 Falck tow truck, and 862 cattle truck. I wonder if any more were issued?

The most common versions seem to be the plain flatbed, with or without plastic tonneau cover. I have never seen one with milk jugs (#851), but they are easily lost. From the black & white catalog, the covered versions could be civilian, ambulance, and military.

More uncommon are the #855 Foderbus (animal feed truck) and the #857 fire ladder truck. I think these two are my favorites of the bunch. The Foderbus is one of the few Vilmer with advertising on it. KFK (Korn- og Foderstof Kompagniet) was a large corn and fodder (and other dry goods) company in Aarhus, DK. The decal sheet (below) is from the Vilmer family scrapbook.

Here is a slightly worn Foderbus from different angles:

The other versions seem to be very rare – there is a nice #860 Falck flatbed tow truck on flickr now. The tow truck and #862 cattle truck are also shown by Ed Force (Classic Miniature Vehicles of Northern Europe, 2002). I did see these three online (dba.dk auction site) in various worn states, photos below.

Variations

One obvious variation is to the #850 truck where the early version (above left) had rails which seem to be fragile, so perhaps Vilmer removed them from the casting. Then the simpler rear bed had either 4 or 7 upright supports on the sides of the beds, as seen in the white/blue (7) and yellow/blue (4) examples above.

Also, 856 might have not come with the front attachment as the one below has no holes on the sides of the cab.

Finally, three years ago, Hans Jørgen Wagner identified two cab types – different castings on his green Foderbus and red ladder truck. In both cases, the plastic front headlights were used to ‘rivet’ the plastic grill onto the cab.

Chico Toys and MetOsul Copies

Like the Thames Trader, the Mercedes casting was also transferred to Chico Toys in Columbia, South America, perhaps in the early 1970s. In a a similar fashion, the rear platforms are made in soft plastic, and the wheels are the same one-piece type speed wheels.

Seven version are shown on the back of a Chico Toys catalog sheet. with the open cement mixer never seen as a Vilmer Mercedes (just the Vilmer Volvo).

Six of them are shown below (no plain covered truck).

Then, about 1980, production of the Mercedes truck went to Portugal where they were produced by MetOsul.  That is the only Chico that has been seen made by Metosul, so there is a chance that they did not receive the actual molds but reverse engineered the cab and added different rear platforms like the Sonap gasoline tanker. Only three rear platforms have been identified: tarp covered truck (identical to Vilmer or Chico), box truck, and the tanker.

Here are the MetOsul, Vilmer, and Chico all stacked together.

Here are photos of the plain MetOsul truck without tarp.

That brings us to the end of the Mercedes short-bonnet truck story. Stay tuned for the Volvo long-nose truck next!


We welcome your comments and questions.   Please go to our Model Auto Review Facebook page or email the Editors at maronlineeditor at gmail.com.

Vilmer Rocket Truck

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

I thought I would share my excitement, and perhaps show you a variation on a Vilmer Army truck. In Karl Schnelle’s great series on Vilmers, he showed a photo of an old leaflet on Army vehicles, see below, and the vertical bracket for the #462 Chevrolet Rocket Truck appeared shaped – i.e., not semi-circular. He also included two photos from Vilmer collectors that illustrated two of the Rocket Trucks, and they both appear to have semi-circular brackets for the launch rail.

The photo below of the two trucks I recently acquired shows my Rocket Truck to be consistent with the leaflet illustration, i.e., the bracket is shaped, so there appears to variations in the type of bracket used to support the launch rail. My bracket is fixed, so the launch angle cannot be changed. I don’t know if the semi-circular ones can slide on their arc, thereby changing the launch angle.

I got these two models for an American expat living in Latvia. The Rocket Truck has a few imperfections in the paint, but the Covered Truck is near mint. Great additions to my collection.

Cheers…

Robin Godwin


Reply from Karl Schnelle:

By huge coincidence, I just got a scanned copy of the Vilmer scrapbook that the son of the owner has had all these years – 58 pages that his Mother put together! I cut out two photos of the rocket truck (called a Nike Rocket on one page, even though it does not resemble a Nike at all)… The first photo is dated 1960.


We welcome your comments and questions.   Please go to our Model Auto Review Facebook page or email the Editors at maronlineeditor at gmail.com.

POLISTIL TANKS – PART 8 (Corrected)

By Robin Godwin

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

This will be a rambling observation and a fishing expedition wrapped into one. A fishing expedition because I don’t have all the answers, and I’m hoping a better informed reader can fill in the gaps. A rambling observation because, well, I don’t have all the answers, and will make some assumptions based on what I do know.

Let’s start with the accessories that were included with models C.A. 101 to 105, and we’ll go back to the 1976 French Polistil catalogue that I referenced in Part 1 of this series. Along with six tanks, Polistil also apparently sold a line of 48 individually boxed diecast soldiers/ accessories as article CA 10 (whether sold all together or individually, I can’t confirm) many of which were included with the first 5 Tanks. Before we go further, I’m definitely not a toy soldier collector, so can’t always tell at a glance if the helmets/weapons are period correct, or even nationality correct. Notwithstanding, these are exquisitely cast figures (but let down on paint finish), originally included as accessories (6 Tanks x 3 each = 18 different – these were pictured in Part 1, but I‘m pretty sure the last three were never sold with the last Tank). Later the range apparently expanded to 48 and the soldiers/accessories appeared boxed as British, German, American and Russian soldiers, consistent with the Tank issues (2 x British, 2 x German, 1 x American, and 1 x Russian). As I mentioned in the individual articles, box illustrations (photos) of enclosed soldiers only sometimes matched the contents. That said, my C.A. 104 Centurion Tank features full agreement across the board – the actual items match the box photos, which agree with the 1976 catalogue illustration. C.A. 105 Leopard had a compliment of soldiers/accessories completely different from those shown on the box, but they did match those shown in the 1976 catalogue. 

Photo from a 1976 French catalogue.  I cannot state for certain that 48 different figures were actually produced. The ones illustrated above all seem to have appeared as accessories with the tanks. The clear plastic boxed American soldier was issued as a German with the Leopard Tank. An exigency of the time, perhaps just plain sloppy, or were there ever any Americans produced, since the M60 Tank did not include accessories?


I remember advertisements for sets of plastic toy soldiers in American produced comic books of my youth (comics that, had I kept, would have enabled me to retire to the south of France). Clip the coupon, send money, and they would be mailed out. Kremli of Italy used US comic artwork and inserted Italian into the speech bubbles. I wonder if Italian produced soldiers were also offered in place of the US plastic soldiers. I can’t confirm this, but the photo below from an Italian eBay vendor seems to support it. The vendor confirmed that the soldier was about 3 cm, consistent with the Polistil tank issues.

 Issued by Kremli of Italy. The box in this case is generic and appears to be completely cardboard. The box illustrates what appears to be a British soldier in hot weather gear (short pants). Neither the illustration nor the metal soldier is illustrated in the 1976 catalogue. Polistil on the box, made in metal (Polistil had a line of larger scale plastic soldiers as well), and the base shape common to the tank issues – this is undoubtedly from the CA 10 series of 48 soldiers (photo internet), repackaged for Kremli


Kremli gives you the faithful metal reproductions of the toy soldiers of the British, Russian and German armies.’ No mention of American soldiers – perhaps some evidence that Polistil never did produce American soldiers. Even with this extra avenue for sales, it appears that real toy soldier collectors are not interested in these 1:50 scale models (it isn’t really a toy soldier scale). I’ve scoured a few toy soldier websites and perused specialist magazines but there is just no mention. Hard to tell with just a few photos, but it would appear the Kremli issues and the CA 10 issues from the catalog photo are raw unpainted metal, whereas the Tank issues were painted (usually badly, with poor coverage) the same colour as the accompanying Tank  (photo internet)


The Centurion soldiers were the first numbered soldiers (I don’t have the box/soldiers for the later C.A.105 Leopard, so these may be numbered as well). The mortar is unnumbered, having been used for the earlier C.A. 103 Königstiger. The bases slip under the flanges in the plastic retainer, and indentations in the bases slide over the plastic protrusions, holding the accessories secure. I could go on with more details of some soldiers seen on eBay that are likely Polistil, but I’ll wait until I have further evidence. The collector in me wants to know the whole story, but I don’t need to own all the different soldier castings


I have already discussed the packaging for C.A. 101 to 105 in earlier articles, and illustrated the change for C.A. 106 in Part 7 of this series. A couple of things are worth commenting on. For 1976, Polistil seems to have split production into a toy range CLUB 33 and a High Fidelity CLUB range of more detailed models. In 1977, there was a separate catalogue for each range, and the tanks ended up in the HF CLUB catalogue. They are all pictured without any accessories, perhaps indicating that the new, smaller, packaging, sans accessories, was on the way for the full range, (or perhaps they decided to just sell the soldiers/accessories separately as CA 10) and yes, even the monstrous Königstiger would have fit the new box. No soldiers/accessories are illustrated in the HF CLUB catalogue, but I don’t have the CLUB 33 catalogue to confirm or deny their continued production.

C.A. 106 M60-A1 box side. The explanation for the HF CLUB is in the fine print in Italian, English, French and German. Operating feature schematics are unique to the M60 Tank


The listing of the full Carro Armato range on the new style HF CLUB box implies that all would be available in a similar box. Are the box photos a foreshadowing of things to come? I can’t tell what the bottom right tracked vehicle is, but the other three are German WW II vehicles/guns including an Sd.Kfz Half Track, and a Tiger 1 Tank (which had both already been modelled by Solido). Both of these were sold in Polistil’s 1:72 plastic kit range, so scale plans would already have existed. It would have been nice if Polistil had continued on with the range but no new models appeared after 1976. The metal tanks appeared in the 1977 catalogue, but I don’t have any later publications

I have been unable to find deletion dates for the Tanks, but I would guess they didn’t make it to the 1980s. Neither Ed Force nor Paolo Rampini give deletion dates, nor do they even acknowledge the soldiers that were sold individually. Hence, any additional information would be very much appreciated. Finally, many thanks to those who have offered corrections and additional information throughout this series., it definitely helps keep accuracy at the forefront.

Editor’s Note: Since Robin wrote this article an entry on small scale world a blog which covers model soldiers has come to light suggesting that Polistil derived their soldier figures from figures in other ranges. For those who would like to read more about this go to this link.


We welcome your comments and questions.   Please go to our Model Auto Review Facebook page or email the Editors at maronlineeditor at gmail.com.

Hoffmann Modellspielwaren, Addendum

By Stephen Paul Hardy, Karl Schnelle and Thomas Howard

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

[Header photo: auctionet.com]

This is an Addendum to our four-part series; Part 4 was published recently.

One of the undoubted benefits of MAR Online is that unlike printed copy magazines it gives us the ability to respond quickly to the dynamics of any feature we publish. We see this time and time again thanks to our reader responses and on occasions in our ability to update our articles when new information comes to hand.

One of the realities of the traditional printed paper “publish and be damned” scenarios is that inevitably new information appears out of the woodwork as soon as the magazine comes off of the printing press.

Whilst, as yet, no new information has come to light about Hoffmann Modellspielwaren’s history or general product range, what has surprised us is the story within the story concerning the 1962 Esso garage. Without a doubt the identification of the model (Jaguar) in the box top artwork of the Esso merchandised version prompted a fabulous sub-story and reader feedback. But the story then went deeper when further internet research threw up information that we were previously unaware of.


Let’s back track to Part 1 of the original four part serialisation. We briefly touched on the introduction of the Tankstelle 1.41 and 1.41-B by way of a new item flyer from 1962. This was annotated with the captioning “für Dinky usw” (for Dinky etc.,). In the absence of any other information, we assumed firstly that 1.41 and 1.41-B are consistent in scale with all the other contemporary Hoffmann catalogue items intended to be model railway layout compatible and therefore HO. Secondly working on that assumption, we also assumed that annotation was a ploy to attract additional sales outside of the model railway fraternity by drawing attention to its intended compatibility with OO scale models such as the Dublo Dinky and Matchbox ranges.

Not long after that Part 1 was published, we became aware of photographs of a mint (and subsequently assembled) example of the Esso Tankstelle 1.41-B kit on a German website. The accompanying photographs confounded us somewhat about the garage’s scale given the variety of differing size scale models displayed on its forecourt. To help identify the car on the box top, we asked our readers and they responded! The majority consider it a Dinky Toys 195 Jaguar 3.4 litre saloon.

Soon after that, we found some new internet information on a German auction site with more photographs of the Esso boxed set detailing information that had previously not been clear in the other photographs. The description on one of the long sides of the box top of that Esso merchandise version clearly labelled it as 1:50!

Photo: auctionet.com

We had only previously had a clear sight of the other long side of the box in photographs that did not carry any scale information and the box ends which just carried reference to manufacture by Hoffmann Modellspielwaren and it range of model railway compatible HO products. These photographs were incidentally much clearer also in that the wheels of the Jaguar could be seen to have axle pins protruding through the hubs and in doing so conclusively consolidating the discussions prompted by the WOSSAT? A Hoffmann Car Question?!

Photo: auctionet.com

So the 1962 Hoffmann Tankstelle 1.41 and 1.41-B were unique in that they sat at 1:50 scale in an otherwise HO scale dominated range of products. And to go right back to the start, bridging the assumptions we said we made in Part 1 together with all the responses to WOSSAT? A Hoffmann Car Question? And the consensus that the Jaguar was from Dinky’s 1/43 range it is now clear that what Hoffmann’s annotation in the 1962 new items flyer “für Dinkv usw” (for Dinky etc.,) did not allude to Dublo Dinky but to compatibility (within constraints of imaginative play) to various scales including 1:43. Given that the Hoffmann Tankstelle 1.41 and 1.41-B was announced in 1962, it also sits comfortably within, chronologically, the period 1960 to 1965 that Dinky’s #195 January 3.4l was a current model.

We can’t help but wonder had the box top for the Esso package version already been photographed when that annotation was written, or did it follow later coincidentally using a Dinky Toy?

Well we have got no nearer to solving the boxed set 11915 mystery but as a knock on are excited that we have at least pieced together the story of a vintage model garage that has very strong Modellauto connotations.


We welcome your comments and questions.   Please go to our Model Auto Review Facebook page or email the Editors at maronlineeditor at gmail.com.

Polistil Tanks – Part 7

By Robin Godwin

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

#C.A. 106 was the American M-60 A1 and the last in the series, although there may have been more models planned at one point. Released in 1976, it was the first and only tank (to my knowledge) to come in the new smaller window packaging, without accessories such as soldiers or mortars. Also gone was the “dispatches” that had been printed on the earlier boxes, replaced with photos of what appear to be Second World War German military equipment that perhaps had been planned for the range going forward. At least some of the vehicles pictured appeared in Polistils 1:72 plastic military kit range, so the basic drawings and a master would have existed to facilitate production in 1:50.

New packaging eliminated the accessories, and the screw mounting to the base (although the screw holes were cast into the model base, they have no threads, so they have never been screwed – apologies… perhaps indicating a late decision to go with a smaller outer box). Hefty inner shaped card held the considerable weight of the model well, but one subsequently likely can’t find a truly mint box, just because the model could shift a bit in handling. My box is missing the clear cello dust shield. Depictions of the operating features are still there, and show the hatch on the Commander’s cupola as openable, but I can’t get mine to budge, and I’m not going to force it. A new logo is included on the bottom of the box, that being “HF Club” – HF for high fidelity. Perhaps the intent was to ultimately include all the tanks in the “HF Club” with the smaller boxes. All six tanks appear in the 1977 Polistil HF Club catalogue without their accompanying accessories/soldiers


The M60-A1 seems to be the hardest of the series to find. I read years ago, and of course I don’t remember where, that Polistil upped the minimum quantity order for retailers, but this proved unpopular. Hence there are fewer to be found today (and when they are, they are easily the most expensive of the six). Did reduced demand lead to the ultimate cancellation of the series? Is this just conjecture or myth that I am perpetuating here? If an informed reader knows more, please comment accordingly.

There were contemporary companies that also modelled the A1 version. Corgi issued a toylike (scale unstated but smaller than 1:50) Hong Kong cast A1 with firing mechanism and plastic projectiles in 1974, but it doesn’t fare well in comparison. They reissued the model as a Corgi Classics in a set with a Diamond T Transporter – this had the mould reworked to remove the firing mechanism, and a different camo applied, but otherwise remained toylike.  Tomy issued three excellent M60s in its 1:87 Combat Tomica series from the mid-70s; the M60, M60-A1 and M60-A1-E1 (a developmental tank featuring a much larger caliber barrel), and there were other Asian small scale toylike issues as well. Solido (and others) did an M48, the Main Battle Tank from which the M60 evolved (and recently did an M60-A1 in their revived 1:48 scale military range, but I don’t have one). So here is another example of Polistil modeling a then current Cold War tank, but avoiding duplication with main competitors Solido. Just for fun, I illustrate the Polistil alongside a Tamiya M60 (not A1) Advancing Mini Tank in 1:48 scale from 2002. It features a battery-powered motor and is entirely in plastic. Thus some detail compromises had to be made to ensure some sort of robustness. There were four tanks in the Tamiya series.


Certainly the Polistil is as detailed as the others in the series, so discontinuing the soldiers/accessories may be the only manufacturing economy exercised. I mentioned in part 1 of this series that there was some commonality in drive sprockets between some of the models, but as I have progressed, I have been proven wrong – all the wheels are unique to each model. The road wheels replicate the aluminum wheels very well – simpler patterned steel wheels were also available on the real tank. As usual, the model is mostly metal with plastic add-ons. The .50 cal machine gun mounted in the Commander’s cupola is fragile plastic, and is often broken/missing on examples that have been played with. The usual gap between the last road wheel and the rear drive wheel is less noticeable on this model simply because the drive wheel is mounted higher on the chassis, giving better geometry for installing the tracks. If the tank looks tall, it’s because it is – a full two feet taller than it’s Cold War compatriot, the Leopard 1, and a foot taller than the Chieftain. The US embraced lower profile design with the later M1 Abrams, over two and a half feet lower than the M60-A1

The Polistil is listed as 1:50 and the Tamiya is listed as 1:48. The Tamiya is an M60, the Polistil an M60-A1 – many upgrades, but visible is the larger turret, and the addition of the infra-red searchlight box (although initial M60s also received the IR searchlight box as a later upgrade). The hull remained basically the same, with thicker armour among other upgrades, but these aren’t evident at this scale. The Commander’s cupola remained the same throughout the production run and accounts for some of the “tallness” of the tank. Three return rollers are cast into the Polistil, but are non-functional. The five round protuberances between the road wheels are suspension components. Tamiya omitted these details


The M60 was Americas main battle tank during the Cold War. Over 15,000 M60s of all variations (just under 8,000 A1 variants) were manufactured by the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant with many foreign sales. Production commenced in 1959, with A1 production commencing in 1962 and continuing until 1980. The M60 has seen action in many conflicts, the first being with the Israelis in the Yom Kippur war in 1973 where it fared well against Arab tanks, but sustained fairly high losses mostly due to being significantly outnumbered and the introduction of the Soviet built AT-3 ‘Sagger’ anti-tank missile, effectively employed by the Egyptians.


The main armament consisted of an M68 license-built 105 mm barrel derived from the British Royal Ordnance L7, used by the Chieftain. The Leopard 1 also used a German built derivative of the L7, meeting the NATO standardization requirements. The engine was upgraded for the A1 version, now being a Continental AVDS-1790-2 V12, air-cooled twin-turbo diesel engine, providing 750 hp. There are four crew members; Commander, Driver, Gunner and Loader. The tank weighed 52.6 tons. The M60 remains in service with several countries worldwide, although much upgraded.

The stowage basket on the turret rear is plastic. Rear hull and engine exhaust detail is simple but accurate. Markings are stickers (as with the others in the series), not decals or tampo, and are OK when applied to a completely flat surface, but always look like they are peeling when applied to an uneven surface


I would like to say that I deliberately turned one track inside out (the top one) to better demonstrate the manufacturing process, but truthfully, I never even noticed until writing this caption. The previous owner must have removed it, but it does serve to illustrate the centerline channel required for track guidance and the gaps that allow drive sprocket tooth engagement


So that is the complete 1:50 scale tank collection from Polistil – six excellent reproductions, four of which would have been current Cold War armour, covering a large part of the global inventory of tanks. In my opinion, the M60 is the best of the lot, if only because the gap between the last road wheel and the drive sprocket is the least offensive. I really wish Polistil had kept going. I also wish that a “spares company” (replacement parts) would have a go at some of the more easily lost plastic bits – guns, antennae, tow cables, tow hooks, I-R boxes, mortar projectiles, etc.

That may be the last of the tanks, but there is one more article to come where I will discuss the accessories and packaging in more detail. As usual when researching articles, one stumbles across interesting websites. There is an excellent Italian site that deals with Polistil (but does not include the 1:50 scale tanks, for some reason) at www.quellidellapolistil.it


We welcome your comments and questions.   Please go to our Model Auto Review Facebook page or email the Editors at maronlineeditor at gmail.com.

Header picture of tank in box which appears at the head of this post is from the LastDodo.Com website.

Polistil 1:50 Scale Tanks – Part 6

By Robin Godwin

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

C.A. 105 was the German Leopard 1 tank and was released in 1975. I said in Part 1 of this series that I had never seen a box for this model, but a few boxed models have recently popped up on eBay, and it is the same large pattern as the first four, containing 3 soldiers/accessories, but no “dispatch” verbiage on the outside (or at least it is reduced to two sides or less, that I can’t see on internet photos).  It is clear that Solido and Polistil (and others) thought the Leopard worthy of modelling at around the same time, (shortly after the time that export sales kicked in) as we have our first overlapping models between the two manufacturers – the Solido base is dated 12/1974. Lots of others also modelled the Leopard around the same time, including Mebetoys and Siku at 1:55 scale, Gama and Dinky, larger. I wrote about the Leopard 1 in Model Auto Review #52, May/June 1991, with a few updates over the years, including MAR #136, Nov 1999, shortly after acquiring the Polistil Leopard model at a Houten, NL toy show.

Editors Note: Although the linked PDF will appear in the link window below it is so small that it is not very readable. If you use the download button you can download a PDF document containing the scans . You may then open that on your machine in whatever PDF reader you use. You may then wish to select the ‘page width’ option to read it in comfort!


Although real introduction dates varied, the Leopard was an operational compatriot of the British Chieftain, US M-60, French AMX-30 and others, so it’s not surprising that toy companies took the opportunity to model them. But the Leopard seems to have been the most popular choice, perhaps because it more or less became the NATO standard tank from the 1970s (except UK with Chieftain, US (and Turkey) with M-60, and France with AMX-30) with over 4,700 tanks and an additional 1,700 plus utility and anti-aircraft vehicles based on the Leopard chassis. Toy companies also modelled Leopard based recovery vehicles, bridging and anti-aircraft vehicles, and several variants of the Leopard 1 along with a fictional rocket launcher (Mebetoys).

The Leopard was designed by Porsche for speed and mobility, rather than being heavily armoured. Thus its final weight was in the vicinity of 42 tons vs 62 for the Chieftain and nearly 53 tons for the M-60 A1. The gun was a license built German version of the British Royal Ordnance L7 105mm rifled barrel, which was also the basis for the M-60 gun, thus ensuring munitions interoperability pretty much throughout NATO. Krauss-Maffei was the main manufacturer with most of the Italian Leopards built under license by OTO Melara. The tank had a crew of four – commander, gunner, loader and driver. Propulsion was a 10 cylinder MTU multi-fuel engine developing 830 horsepower, yielding an impressive power to weight ratio (for a tank, that is) and excellent performance. Wikipedia states that the Leopard saw action in Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Turkish Kurdish skirmishes. There doesn’t appear to be much data about their combat effectiveness (perhaps not yet declassified), but watch this space, as surplus NATO Leopard 1s (mostly Danish Leopard 1 A5s) are finding their way to Ukraine, hence we may finally see that Cold War tank matchup.

As with the other tanks in the series, this Polistil has a pleasing weight in hand, with excellent reproduction for the time – the road wheel to sprocket gap is forgivable. Many additional plastic detail parts add significantly to the fidelity of the model.

Where to start? The machine gun on the model is the same wrong one as used on the Chieftain and Tiger II models, but seems to appear on most eBay sales. The gun illustrated on the box matches the one on my model. Smoke grenade launchers differ between model and box. None of the illustrated accessories are contained in the box… the mortar used with the Tiger II and the Centurion is pictured, but it looks like the actual accessory is a MANPATS (man portable anti-tank system). The tow cables, visible on the model in black plastic over the rear of the hull, are missing from the box photo. Perhaps print lead times necessitated the use of a pre-production model for photography. (Photo from the internet) 


It’s interesting to have a Solido to compare to, as they were the main competition. Both manufacturers featured all metal construction with metal tracks, both even featuring the horizontal sliding rear axle to facilitate track installation. But the engineering approach is different, with each resulting in inaccuracies.

The Polistil wheel/track system relies on a centerline track indentation, which means the roadwheels have a centre ridge to help with alignment, and the drive sprocket (and, erroneously, the front idler wheel, not shown) feature teeth, which actually engage the track. When compressed forward, the teeth hit the roadwheel ridge, restricting axle travel. Accordingly, the slot for the axle is larger to allow track installation, with resultant distortion of the side view. On the positive side, the road wheels appear better aligned in the track, and not inset like the Solido


The Solido system has a shorter rear axle throw, simply because the road wheels run between two rows of pins for alignment. The rear drive sprocket is grooved to straddle these pins and has no teeth, allowing overlap with the last road wheel, which is the reason for the shorter horizontal gap. Less distortion when viewed side on, but the roadwheels are unrealistically inset to make it all work. Casting details on the Solido are marred by poor “fill” of the mould. I have a few period Solidos with this problem


Different solutions to the same challenge. The Solido drive wheel gap is much less obvious but inset of the road wheels towards the hull is obvious even on a side view. However, the Solido wheels are more accurate. The Solido features the distinctive track skirts, with the Polistil lacking same. Generally, the Italian Leopards were first delivered without track skirts, but Polistil gave this model a German Bundeswehr livery and German models were generally delivered with track skirts. Stowage basket at the rear of the Polistil is just one of many plastic accessories, including the tools. The Solido stowage basket is part of the turret casting (as are the tools part of the hull casting) – a master class in diecasting. Both shapes of exhaust grill were utilized but the Solido version was more common. Lack of skirts obliges the manufacturer to provide suspension detail and (non-rotating) return rollers. The Solido track links are a tighter pitch, so closer to the actual number of links on the real thing


In my update to Leopard Tanks published in MAR #135, I mentioned that the Polistil sat a little tall, but I never put it alongside the Solido. It is really only marginally taller, but the lack of track skirts seems to exaggerate this. Both companies modeled an opening commander’s hatch – Solido is rear hinged, and the Polistil is lift and rotate, which all the references I viewed indicate is correct. Solido searchlight box is cast into the mantlet, with the Polistil being a separate plastic piece. The Leopard had two machine guns, one co-ax with the main gun, and the other mounted on the commander’s cupola ring (both improperly fixed to the hull in these examples). The Solido MG is a better representation.


This is a very well made model, with lots of additional plastic add-on detail including lights, front mirrors, infra-red search light, mantlet cover in black, smoke dischargers, turret rear stowage basket, tools and tow cables (missing here – does anybody make spares?). The cast pin visible behind the turret is the upper stay for the right tow cable, and the projection at rear behind the tracks is the lower stay


I had the privilege (?) of a Canadian Leopard familiarisation ride way back in 1987, and was able to witness the gun aiming and stabilization system while in motion. It is disconcerting to be aiming at a target almost 90 degrees to the left of the tank while the tank is moving rapidly forward. Standing up through the open hatch in the turret means you are also facing 90 degrees left. Good peripheral vision saved me from head injury, as the driver mowed down a six inch wide tree in front which came crashing onto the turret. Army and Air Force rivalries, eh?


We welcome your comments and questions.   Please go to our Model Auto Review Facebook page or email the Editors at maronlineeditor at gmail.com.

It caught the Editor’s Eye

By Maz Woolley

Your Editor spends quite a bit of time reading emails sent out by manufacturers and wholesalers and there are often items that catch the eye. This article shares some items from a few makers which are of interest.


Tecnomodel

These models are made in resin to 1:18 scale and are in the highest detail range offered by Tecnomodel and are made in Italy I believe. They are beautifully made and finished but are much more expensive than GT Spirit and other similar producers of 1:18 scale models who have their models made in China.

T18-EX09A McLaren Elva Light Blue – Orange 2020

T18-EX09B McLaren Elva car #4 Gloss Black – White 2020

T18-EX09C McLaren Elva Metallic Orange Matte Effect 2020

Said by McLaren to ‘push daring design language forward‘. It looks back to ‘Bruce McLaren’s original race conquering open top sports cars of the 1960s – the M1A, M1B and M1C‘.

The name also harks back to a producer of sports cars and racing cars in Sussex from the mid 1950s. The Elva name was a contraction of the French ‘Elle Va‘ – ‘She goes‘ in English. Many of their cars made in the 1960s were lightweight, mid-engined and sporty, a heritage McLaren draws upon in its promotional material. It is the lightest street legal car that McLaren has ever made and is fitted with a 4.0 Litre V* engine of over 800 bhp and it is capable of exceeding 200 mph.

The Tecnomodel certainly seems to capture the low and aggressive shape and the fine detail of grilles, wheels and interior.


Model Car Group

Model Car Group produce diecast 1:18 scale models made for them in China. The first group of models has just been announced so may be a short while before they become available. The Barkas has already appeared in their range as a van but now appears as a minibus. The Opel Manta B has also been produced before but here it is in a new colour.


MCG 18007 Barkas B 1000 Minibus Blue/White 1965

MCG 18009 Barkas B 1000 Minibus People’s Police (Volkspolizei) 1965

MCG 18010 Barkas B 1000 Minibus Fire Brigade Ambulance 1965

MCG 18424 Opel Manta B Matt Metallic Red 1991

The following models from Model Car Group are expected to arrive on the market in April and appear to be new in this range.


Fiat 126 Red 1972
Fiat Polski 126 Dark Blue 1972

Fiat 126 Abarth Look White 1972

The Fiat 126 was in production for twenty-eight years. Initially made in Italy most production was moved to Poland where the bulk of the cars were made under Fiat and Polski Fiat badging dependent on the intended market. It was also assembled/built in smaller numbers at Zastava in Yugoslavia and Steyr Puch in Austria. All in all over 4.5 Million 126‘s were made.

Model Car Garage use the base casting to create several versions of this car with the badging and wheels changed as appropriate.


Ixo

Ixo has produced a wealth of 1:43 scale rally sport vehicles in recent years. These are diecast in China and are rather dearer than Corgi Vanguards but cheaper than Minichamps or Spark here in the UK. They have also made several support vehicles which are popular with collector. The photographs below show three support units which are expected on the market soon.


IXO RAC418 Opel Admiral B Caravan Team Irmscher

IXO RAC419 Bedford Blitz Rally Assistance Irmscher

IXO RAC420 Volkswagen LT LWB Service Assistance

These images are all pre-production samples and consequently some small changes might be expected on the models when they arrive. Each of these will be welcomed by collectors to complement racing cars in these liveries.


IMC Models

Starting out as a supplier of models to construction equipment manufacturers this Netherlands based company launched a consumer range in 2015 under the IMC brand. They produce models in the Netherlands to 1:87, 1:50, 1:32 and 1:25 scales. They are highly detailed models with many parts and replicate many of the movements that the original vehicles is capable of. Build in plastics, laser cut and photoetched metals with additional cast white metal parts the models are all finished in manufacturer correct liveries.

Here we look at two models that they have produced in the liveries of UK based operators.


IMC 320087 Davies Demag AC220-5 1:50 Scale

Founded in 1979, Davies Crane Hire Ltd is a family run business and one of the largest independent crane hire companies in Wales. They have four depots: Carmarthen, Port Talbot, Milford Haven and Cardiff. This IMC operated crane is finished in their current livery and they do actually operate an AC220 Demag crane.


IMC 320205 Ainscough Liebherr LTM1450-8.1 1:87 Scale

Based across 30 locations across England, Wales and Scotland Ainscough have access to over 400 cranes to hire. They operate a diverse fleet and a Liebherr LTM1450 is one of the many Liebherr vehicles offered for hire.


We welcome your comments and questions.   Please go to our Model Auto Review Facebook page or email the Editors at maronlineeditor at gmail.com.

Polistil Tanks Part 5

By Robin Godwin

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

C.A. 104 Centurion was another 1974 release for Polistil and came in the usual big box accompanied by two soldiers and the same mortar gun and rounds that showed up first with the Tiger II model.  

As the first UK post-war tank, Centurion production coincided with the 1950s explosion of the diecast toy industry. Dinky, Matchbox. Benbros, Britains (large and Lilliput series), Kemlows, and Budgie all made toylike replicas. The first three looked like Centurions, with rubber tracks, but the cast simulated road wheels spoiled an otherwise reasonable model. The Kemlows had no tracks at all, fitted instead with two axles and underside roller wheels. The Budgie also had roller wheels with no rubber tracks, but their effort was more caricature than replica. The larger Britains had offset roller wheels so that when moved forward it gave the impression of traversing uneven ground. The cast tracks and wheels were quite realistic, as was the tank in general. The OO scale Lilliput version also had cast tracks/wheels and was non-rolling, but quite accurate. These were all 1950s and 1960s models, some of which stayed in their respective ranges for many years. The Corgi and Corgi Junior Centurions came along much later than the other UK manufacturers (1973 and 1976 respectively) but, like all the others mentioned above, simply don’t compare to the 1:50 scale Polistil Mark 5. One little known contemporary, PlayMe of Spain, produced an all-metal Centurion to 1:48 scale and utilized tracks identical to Solido cast tracks. I have included a comparison photo, but the Spanish effort is not as well done as the Italian one. (PlayMe will feature in a future article). Asian based toy companies also produced Centurions, usually in small scale, with Tomy standing out from the others. Polistil’s major competition, Solido, passed on the Centurion. All this to say that the Centurion was a popular choice among toymakers, and at least part of that may have been that the real vehicle was exported widely and saw action in many conflicts around the world.

Centurion development started in 1943, but it did not enter service until after the war. It was very successful, having fought in multiple wars, including with the British in Korea, and the Australians in Viet Nam. Centurions even fought each other in the Middle East (Israeli, Egyptian and Jordanian) and faced off against Syrian T-55s and T-62s during the Yon Kippur war. It evolved over the years to become a de facto “Universal tank” (instead of fitting into one of the wartime categories of Light, Infantry, or Cruiser, none of which were designed to engage enemy tanks). Many NATO nations employed the Centurion as well. It was a 50 ton machine with a crew of four, powered by a 650 hp Rolls-Royce Meteor V-12 gas engine (derived from the Merlin engine of Spitfire fame). The chassis also spawned support vehicles, such as bridging and recovery vehicles – perhaps a modeling opportunity missed by Polistil. From 1959, the 105mm gun was standard, and the Mark 5 featured a .30 caliber Browning machine gun at the Commander’s cupola. 4,423 Centurions were manufactured, with the bulk going to export. It was replaced in service by the Chieftain (Polistil C.A. 102).

Polistil has modelled an Israeli Mark 5 in desert camo, which means it has the larger 105mm gun (early marks featured a “20 pounder” (84mm) gun, as modelled by Dinky). The box “dispatch” from Mitla Pass is dated 17 October 1973, so in the middle of the Yom Kippur war on the Egyptian front, and historically correct. As usual the model is almost entirely metal, with plastic add-on bits, which can be easily lost. The turret machine gun is inaccurate (and is the same one that appeared on the German Tiger II. Along with the mortar accessory, it would seem that some production economies were creeping into the range). The rear drive axle displacement is very pronounced, and looks strange, but it seems not to have distorted the overall profile of the tank. After the unique Tiger II from my last article, Polistil has returned to the narrower track. Road wheels feature deep set hubs, just like the real thing and the gap between road wheels #2 and #3 is accurately represented. The rear drive wheel has the correct number of “spokes” represented, but fewer sprocket teeth due to track scale. The model is tall and bulky, like the real thing, with lower profiles coming on later British tanks, like the Chieftain. All in all, an excellent model and still the best 1:50ish scale reproduction.

The machine gun and antenna are colour cast in light brown plastic but would have been more authentic in black. Polistil has included a couple of track link spares on the glacis plate. The Centurion turret was cast with distinctive stowage bins attached to the sides, represented by plastic add-ons. The smoke grenade dischargers and rear exhausts are also plastic. Tow cables are cast into the hull


The two smaller holes are for the new two-screw fastening to the new larger oblong plastic support located beneath the Styrofoam packaging. It is assumed that the earlier single screw method proved inadequate for the very heavy models, particularly the previous King Tiger


1:50 Polistil, top, 1:48 PlayMe, bottom. PlayMe uses a similarly designed horizontal slot to slide the rear axle forward to allow tracks to slip on and off, but it is a shorter throw and hides behind the drive sprocket. The PlayMe is more toylike (except for the tracks) as it has an operating firing mechanism which results in an extra long barrel. I was always under the impression that the Polistil tracks were bigger, thicker and of greater pitch (meaning fewer links) than Solido, but a side-by-side occasioned by this article proves me wrong. If anyone needs to know more about PlayMe, click here https://thesimp.eu/playme.html


Centurion, left and Chieftain, right. Lower profile design on the Chieftain is evident despite the fact both real tanks used Centurion road wheels, which were larger diameter than the original Chieftain design – this to increase ground clearance. The model Chieftain profile should be even lower, but Polistil, for reasons unknown, used larger road wheels on their Chieftain than on the Centurion

The 1:48 PlayMe is a beast of a model but, with play features, lacks the finesse of the Polistil


We welcome your comments and questions.   Please go to our Model Auto Review Facebook page or email the Editors at maronlineeditor at gmail.com.

Polistil Tanks Part 4

By Robin Godwin

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

C.A. 103 Tiger II Königstiger , again at 1:50 scale, was issued in 1974 in the usual large box with three diecast accessories (two soldiers and a five-piece firing mortar, along with 10 plastic rounds on a sprue). The box ‘dispatch note’ details Tiger II activity around Nemours, France (south of Paris) in October of 1944, but it’s “hand written” in German, so a bit difficult to decipher.

This is a large and impressive model of a large and impressive tank. Polistil took the opportunity to manufacture wider (battle) tracks, which were required to support the weight and provide mobility to the near 70 ton tank in combat conditions (there were also narrower “transport tracks” available for rail shipping). This is the only Polistil tank of six produced that has wider tracks. Perhaps there was a long range plan at one point to include other German tanks in the range that utilized wider tracks.

Tiger II #105, according to The Online Tank Museum, was abandoned in Stavelot, Belgium during the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944, so this finish is unlikely. The colour here is closer to the pre-production Tiger II that would have been displayed in The Tank Museum, Bovington, in the 70s, perhaps the colour inspiration for the Polistil model (but different in many other details). The model displays beautifully alone or with the other Polistil tanks, but many flaws become evident when compared to a modern collectors’ model closely scaled. Note spare track mounted on the forward part of the turret. The splay on the top link is evident on every Polistil Tiger II model I have seen, so I think it’s more indicative of the track assembly process at the factory rather than a QC issue.


The Henschel built Tiger II started production in November 1943 with the first 50 having a horizontally curved turret front plate, which created a “shot-trap” (essentially a design flaw that could trap incoming shells between the hull and turret). A new flat plate design to eliminate the shot-trap and reduce the frontal area was used on all remaining Tiger IIs, and that is the version modelled by Polistil. Sources differ slightly, but total production was around 490, far short of the planned total, but Allied bombing raids severely disrupted production.

The tank itself was armed with a powerful 88 mm gun. This enabled German crews to fire accurately over longer distances than Allied tanks. Combined with heavier frontal armour, it was a formidable design and nearly indestructible in a frontal assault. The penalty for the extra armour was the weight and, subsequently, fuel economy, the power-to-weight ratio, and the mobility. The drive train was initially relatively unreliable (rear engine, front drive) and broke down frequently in action. One reference indicates that the Germans themselves destroyed more Tiger IIs than the Allies did, as they abandoned broken down vehicles. A change in Allied tactics to flanking manoeuvres, where possible, increased their success, as the Tiger II was more vulnerable from the sides.  It carried a crew of five and was powered by a 12 cylinder Maybach gasoline motor generating 600 horsepower initially, with later versions developing 700 hp.

The wider track is also a different pattern, seen here next to the Chieftain reviewed last time. The distinctive cast “Polistil” logo is the first appearance. Both the Chieftain and T-62 featured a font similar to that used for Königstiger on the base. Road wheels aret incorrect for a Tiger II in that there were actually two separate rows of wheels, inner and outer, that were not interleaved as above. The Tiger I did have interleaved wheels, so this is possibly just an error, or the foreshadowing of a planned future model, or perhaps a manufacturing consideration to make everything assemble or roll easier


Here is where one can criticize the Polistil effort. The lower model is a 1:48 scale Hobby Master Tiger II, made as a collectors’ model in 2006. If one assumes Hobby Master did a better job on scale, as I do, then it’s apparent that Polistil got the gross measurements wrong (length and width) as well as barrel length and turret details.


Polistil has erroneously mounted a generic machine gun (also used on the Centurion, which will be reviewed in the next part) in front of the loader’s hatch. The gun ring around the Commander’s cupola is wildly overscale and is where the machine gun should be fixed, as per the Hobby Master. My references indicate that the rear centre mounted antenna on the Polistil makes this a command version


The plastic cup distributes the weight of the model over a greater area, and ensures the styrofoam does not fail in shipping. To left are the mortar rounds still on the sprue


I have read articles from some collectors who are happy to dispose of older models once a newer more accurate version becomes available. I’m not one of those, particularly as the Polistil Tiger II is one of only six tanks in the series. Despite my criticisms above, this is still a wonderful model that displays really well by itself or with the other Polistil tanks. It’s big and heavy (only the chassis is metal on the Hobby Master, so is comparatively quite light). I have mentioned before that some of the plastic parts can be easily lost, and I’m sure I had both rear towing loops when I started writing this series. They clip on separately and are quite fragile, a point to note if buying from the internet. The next article will cover C.A. 104 Centurion.


We welcome your comments and questions.   Please go to our Model Auto Review Facebook page or email the Editors at maronlineeditor at gmail.com.

Polistil 1:50 Scale Tanks – Part 2

By Robin Godwin

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

C.A.101 T-62 Russian tank was introduced as the first of the series in 1974.  The large boxes of the first four models featured what one would call “operational dispatches” or perhaps “war reports” on three sides describing some historical action, which, presumably, the enclosed model would have been engaged in (the reports are dated). Wikipedia indicates that the only action at the time, “10.10.1973” would have been the Yom Kippur War, where the T-62 saw action with the Syrian and Egyptian Armies. A number were captured by the Israelis, and this fact alone may account for the fairly accurate reproduction of the tank (as in, “western” access to Soviet hardware), or not, since an October 1973 war may not have allowed sufficient model development time for a 1974 introduction. Regardless, Polistil seems to have had access to accurate data of some sort to produce the model – perhaps Russian Victory Day Parade photos. The “war report” box printing is in Cyrillic (and not Arabic?) so I’m unable to tell if it is authentic. Frankly I doubt it, it’s more likely historical fiction dreamed up by marketing to give the greater appearance of authenticity. The box also displays photos of three scale soldiers, of which two inside the box match. This was my first Polistil tank, bought new and tape sealed, so it seems to have come from the factory that way.

The T-62 is classed as a medium tank. It was introduced in 1961, and was a development of the earlier T-55 tank with an improved 115 mm smooth bore gun, which allowed the use of more sophisticated projectiles, increased the muzzle velocity, and greatly improved the firing range. The turret was new to handle the increased recoil of the larger gun, but followed the same low profile design of the earlier tank. It weighs 37 tons, has a crew of four and is propelled by a 12-cylinder diesel motor. The T-62 has seen lots of action over the years – indeed Russian T-62s (albeit much upgraded versions) have been spotted in use in the current Ukraine war.

Polistil did an admirable job capturing the low profile of the T-62. Overall detail and casting finesse is easily on a par with contemporary Solido tanks. To my knowledge, this was the first (and still the only) diecast scale model of a T-62 tank at what was then regarded as a fairly standard military scale of 1:50.

Tanks that came in large boxes were mounted to a shaped styrofoam base and held in place by an oversize plastic cup to distribute the weight of the model. A single screw held the model to the base. Accessories came already attached. The closest soldier is an interloper – the box shows a soldier standing peering through binoculars. The 375 on the side is a sticker and gives little clue as to nationality of this model, as there are no other markings. The inner box sticker nods to the Russian origin, while the outer box implies Yom Kippur action, so Syrian, which appear in archive photos to have been olive green, or Egyptian, which appear to have been sand coloured  

Depth of field makes the 1:72 PCT sourced model look larger than it is. But it is easy to see the results of 40 years of modelling evolution (and access to the real vehicle – this is from a Russian Eaglemoss partwork). The turret handrails are hugely oversize on the Polistil, perhaps for strength as they are separate plastic pieces. Most details are better-cast and more accurate in 1:72 although the handrails are merely cast-in raised ridges. In fairness, the smaller model was sold as a collector’s item whereas the Polistil was a toy. Road wheels are properly spaced on the smaller model, but the gap between the drive sprocket and last road wheel, to facilitate track installation as mentioned in Part 1, is very evident on the Polistil. It’s a bit hard to see, but the road wheels on the Polistil are fairly accurate, the five spokes are just deeper set than the Eaglemoss

This gives a better impression of the scale and detail differences. There are three external fuel tanks on the right fender, as well as a pair of 200 litre drum tanks mounted at the rear. The smaller model is missing the searchlight, which is mounted co-axially to the right of the gun on the Polistil. Other than the wheels, all of the plastic bits are visible in this photo – all eight fender accessories, fuel drums, machine gun, antenna, and searchlights. Unlike modern models, there is no glue holding them in place. They are either snap/press fit or in the case of the fender accessories, pinned into holes and then apparently “heat sealed” in place, similar to a rivet. While the metal pieces are very robust, the plastic accessories can be easily broken or lost

Tracks are stamped tin, folded in half and interlocked with the next. The single join points are centerline as opposed to Solidos cast tracks that feature two joins at the outer track edges. These are reasonably accurate, if way too bright. I am unable to find a master link. These links are common to five of the six models, just the number varies  


We welcome your comments and questions.   Please go to our Model Auto Review Facebook page or email the Editors at maronlineeditor at gmail.com.