News from the Continent – Herpa June/July 2017

By Hans-Georg Schmitt

Photographs are by, and copyright of the Author.

In this post I take a look at a selection of models released by Herpa between January and July 2017 with comments on each release.

1:43 Scale

The models are diecast for Herpa.

Herpa’s new Porsche models were first announced earlier this year but were only recently released to collectors. Perhaps Porsche took all the first batch of models and Herpa had to make a further batch for its own collectors.  As these models are also sold in Porsche boxes the quality of these models has to be right.

 

071086 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Coupe racing yellow

The body shape is faithful to the original and the paint is fault free and captures Porsche racing yellow very well.  A number of small parts are separately inserted to give a good level of detail. The interior is black: dashboard, steering wheel and centre console capture the full size cars features very well.  At the rear end the two exhaust pipes are finished in chrome. The baseplate is quite well detailed. Through the finely cast “alloy” wheel rims the brake discs and calipers are clearly visible.

 

071093 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Coupe dark blue metallic

The model is made to the same quality as the yellow version. The body is well painted in dark blue metallic. The interior is in medium brown. All other features are to the same standard as the yellow car.

Take a look at the photograph below showing the fine detail at the rear of the car including the printed lettering, exhausts and the finely etched panel lines and the well integrated lights.

 

1:87 Scale Models

Here are descriptions of some of the 1:87 models made in plastic.

In January Herpa announced the following Military items. We can now look at them in more detail.

745673 Soviet Tank T34/85

This model is based upon a tank captured by the German Wehrmacht and then marked with German Army markings. It was used 1945 in the battle for East Prussia. Much detail is moulded into the body but the tanks tracks and wheels are nicely captured.

 

745697 Opel Blitz Tanker

The original for this well detailed miniature was used by the German Wehrmacht in 1944 in Belgium. It is fitted with the metal pre-war drivers cab and not the wartime utility one.


 

Moving on to civilian vehicles released recently we have three to look at including a set with a trailer.

028790 Trabant 601 Universal with roof rack and Quek Junior Caravan

The citizens of the DDR went on holidays just like the citizens of the Federal Republic on the other side of the border. Loading their Trabants and Wartburgs with goods and people and towing a small caravan many headed to the coastline of the Baltic sea, Hungarian Lakes, or Polish Mountains.  The journey must have been slow with the 900 cc two stroke engine struggling gamely up any uphill stretches.

Here Herpa give us their 601 Universal again with a  roof rack and luggage as well as a tow hook. They also give us a Quek Junior Caravan which was made in the DDR and had a lifting roof section which is suggested by the moulding on the roof of the model. This caravan was fitted with overrun brakes which must have been essential to allow the lightweight Trabants and Wartburgs to tow the caravan downhill.

093033 BMW X1 “Bavarian Police”

In September 2016, the Bavarian Police too, officially adopted blue colour-sections on their vehicles. To achieve the complicated multi-colour markings the model has to be printed several times.

 

038423-003 Volkswagen Passat Variant (estate)

The Variant is the most popular body type of the Passat range in Germany.  Herpa has now released it with a body moulded in deep black and fitted with a contrasting light grey moulded interior. The silver fittings are neatly printed on, except for the grille which is silver plated. The model has some parts moulded separately and then inserted to add detail.


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