Bronco 1/35 US GPW 1/4 ton 4x4 Utility Vehicle

At the end of WWII, Dwight Eisenhower named five things that he considered to be part of the reason that the Allies were victorious. Surprisingly, most of them were not offensive weapons at all and one of them was the Jeep. WWII was a perfect example of the importance of supply and reconnaissance. If you have them, then you will be able to carry on the fight. Often times an army outran its supply line and what was a sterling rout of the enemy, turned into a defensive battle while awaiting more supplies.

Anyway, the Jeep is as synonymous with Americans in WWII and Korea as anything else. Though the actual vehicles used for what was the jeep's original mission have changed, the concept is basically the same. A relatively small four wheel drive vehicle for transporting men and priority supplies as well as being used for light recce. Its ability to travel and relatively high speeds on prepared surfaces and yet go off road with little problem made the Jeep the icon of the war that it became. Even modern Jeeps are instantly recognizable as such for the basic look has been unchanged, though refined, since the early 1940s.

It was not that many years ago when the number of companies producing Jeep kits in 1/35 was small. Now it seems that any company that does a line of armor will include a Jeep. Of course, due to the undoubtedly exorbitant licensing fees now charged by companies for subjects produced for the government and paid for by taxpayers, this is simply referred to as a 1/4 ton 4x4 truck.

Typical of a Bronco kit, the detailing is superb and the kit contains a rather large number of parts for such a small model. This boxing includes the 10 cwt trailer that was often carried behind Jeeps for hauling cargo and other items, such as ammunition for light field guns.

The kit is not a curbside and compes with a nicely detailed flathead four banger. The one-piece chassis is where one will attach all the various suspension and driveline bits and pieces. This includes a full exhaust system. The steering can be built in three variations; straight ahead, left turn and right turn, each option having its own construction section.

The interior provides the usual seating for four and one can have the aft storage bins open or closed. One can also put shrouds over the headlights if one wishes. On the passenger side of the dash one can install a machine gun holder. The option for one on a post behind the front seats is also provided. The windscreen can be built with the glass open or closed; the entire assembly can be posed down on the hood as well. Same for the hood, which has parts for open and closed. In the front one can install the standard bumper, one with a tow bar on it and another with wire cutter.

The trailer is a small kit in and of itself. It can be posed with the stand down or attached behind the Jeep. It is nice that the kit comes with an assortment of items to put into or onto the vehicle including jerry cans, ammo cans, weapons, blanket rolls and other things. The photo etch fret is pretty extensive considering the size of the vehicle and is mostly used for things like brackets and handles as well as the ammo can support on the machine gun. The kit also comes with three figures as shown on the box art. One driving and two riding. Both markings options are for the 82nd Airborne in Normandy during June 1944. It is probably not unusual, then, to note that the front seat passenger with the radio on the box art looks like John Wayne.

Another nicely done Jeep and one that comes with a lot of options and a pretty good level of detailing as well. I am sure we will see other boxings of this vehicle as that is pretty much the norm nowadays.

February 2013

Thanks to www.dragonmodelsusa.com for the preview kit. You can find this kit at your favorite hobby shop or on-line retailer.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly, please contact the editor or see other details in the Note to Contributors.

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