Zvezda 1/35 L4500R Maultier

[Dave Ward]

Time to return to the bench! The Zvezda L4500R was a variation on their earlier L4500 wheeled truck, it was issued in 2012, and the first Zvezda model I made that approached the standards of the major manufacturers. I have made this model before - I placed two cheeky bids on two separate lots on ebay, hoping I'd be lucky on one, and ended up with both. I made one straight away ( long since landfill ), and the other has been sitting patiently in the stash.

The box is full of caramel colored sprues. There are 426 parts, but as the driver is away on detached duty, mine has a few less! The parts are all nicely moulded, with no flash at all, the wheels are 3-part plastic sandwiches, and the tracks link and length. I believe there are all the parts needed to make the L4500, and all of these ( wheels, axles etc ) will be consigned to the spares box. You can make the load area either open & high sided, or low sided with a canvas tilt.
This model was reboxed ( briefly ) by Revell, but this boxing didn't have the canvas tilt.
I'll put up a few sprue shots, and some detail pictures before I take the scalpel to them
Dave

 

[Jim R]

Hi Dave
Glad your mojo is returning and I reckon this is a good choice. Zvezda has come on in leaps and bounds with some of its later kits.
Jim

 

[Dave Ward]

I'm not going to put up all the sprues, but here's a selection!

The load bed sprues - high or low sided, and the canvas tilt
This is the new sprue for the 1/2 track section - the tracked running gear was taken directly from the Panzer II

 

[Dave Ward]

And a few detail shots...........................
A big engine

Radiator & bonnet insignia.....................


Drive sprocket , individual links & link lengths

The characteristic Pz. II springs

The plastic tyres there is one hub & 2 sidewalls to each

The whole model is flat-pack, built up chassis, cab & load bed, so a square chassis will be the starting point.
As with all Zvezda models, there is no PE, but the level of detail is such that I don't think that is needed.
Nearly 1500 of these beasts were made, but there is only one marking option - I'm going to have to look around for others.
Dave

 

[Deleted member 7181]

Count me in Dave.

 

[outrunner]

I will pull up a seat before it gets busy.

Andy.

 

[scottie3158]

Dave I'm in.

 

[Mini Me]

Hi Dave, Check out "Nuts and Bolts" issue #28 if you need reference material. Good luck with this it is a very interesting vehicle and looks the "Dogs" when paired up with a Pak 43/41 in tow. Rick H.

 

[grumpa]

I've always wanted to do one of those!
Will keep an eye on for sure.

Jim

 

[Dave Ward]

Off and running - last evenings assembly - 22 pieces

Not going to spend anymore time on this - the bonnet will be closed, so all this will be unseen
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Given the overall dimensions of the L4500, the chassis looks a little narrow. You have to trim off the spring locators of the conentional rear axles. Ladder frame construction, parts fitting very well.


The sub frame for the tracked suspension - a tricky little assembly of 32 parts, you have to really study the instructions & dry fit to see how it all goes together


These are the important bits to get flat & even - I'll allow them to really dry overnight.
Been a really miserable day here, dark, overcast & hasn't stopped raining - glad I don't have to out!
Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

Great start on this. Always fancied a go at a maultier but have yet to get around to it.

 

[boatman]

WELL Dave its nice to see you back at the bench keep up the good work an your intrest in modelling this is a very unusuall veckile never seen one of the before will follow your build
chris

 

[Jakko]

a very unusuall veckile never seen one of the before

The Germans converted a number of different types of lorry to halftracks for use in Russia, all with suspensions derived from other vehicles. This one uses a suspension based on that of Panzerkampfwagen II light tank, the more common lighter lorries used one based on that of the British light tanks and carriers.

 

[outrunner]

Looks like a great model Dave, making me feel jealous now, I want one.

Andy.

 

[minitnkr]

Photos for discussion purposes only. Kinda cool if you have a couple PAK 44s? in the stash.

Better shot of camo scheme. Seems to have less green than previous.

HTH. PaulE

 

[Dave Ward]

Last evenings assembly - Whilst the chassis & subframe are really hardening off - The load bed..............................


The fit is excellent, only the sprue attachments to clean up. It's not a difficult assembly, but you have to pay close attention to the instructions - I was, and still managed to get two pieces the wrong way round! Nice wood texture on the bed & sides. I may fit the tilt to this assembly, just for ease of handling.

Paul, those photos show that thing was big! Sadly, I don't have any Pak44s in the stash
Dave

 

[Jakko]

Photos for discussion purposes only. Kinda cool if you have a couple PAK 44s? in the stash.

8,8 cm PaK 43. The only PaK 44 was the 12,8 cm, which looks similar but rather bigger; you can tell these are not that by (among other things) the pneumatic tyres and the mudguards over the wheels.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Good to see that you're back at the bench Dave and that you've hit it running. Great stuff.

 

[Dave Ward]

I assembled the tilt - needs a bit of work on some of the joints - despite my care, I still managed to break off one of the tie downs..........


The chassis continues, sub frame added - brackets/braces of all sorts, towing hook, air reservoir, engine, exhaust pipe & silencer..............

Next will be the prop shaft and drive axle - and I still haven't reached the stage where the rear track suspension begins to be fitted.
There is still a lot of bits to be added, and those instructions need really close scrutiny. The fit so far has been excellent, and I'm really liking this build. I keep on wondering when to start the paint process, but just a few more parts................
f you have never seen this site, then it & it's sister 'Engines of the Red Army' are worth a visit https://www.o5m6.de/wehrmacht/mercedes_l4500r.php
Dave