Wednesday, June 16

MiniArt's new 35th scale G-506 trucks series starts with the U.S. Army G7107 4X4 1.5t cargo truck

The US Army G7107 4x4 1.5 tonne cargo trucks helped carry the Allies to victory over the Axis powers during World War II. Now Miniart enters the fray with this popular vehicle with their own 35th scale newly-tooled kit. We have features & CADs of the newest truck in their new series in our preview...

MiniArt's new 35th scale G-506 trucks series  start with the U.S. Army G7107 4X4 1.5t cargo truck 

 U.S. Army G7107 4X4 1,5t Cargo Truck 
Kit No #35380
1/35th scale
The kit contas a truck + one figure & ight barrels
Four colour variants are included in this kit
Photo-etch parts are included
MiniArt has embarked on a new set of World War II military trucks in the form of the units of the legendary G-506 trucks Series of 1.5 tonne trucks. the first truck off the line is the U.S. Army G7107 4X4 1.5t cargo truck. This one packed with eight 44 gallon drums of a load in 35th scale...
The subject: U.S. Army G7107 4X4 1,5t Cargo Truck
As part of the G506 series of trucks, the G7107 is well known and widely released in 35th scale model circles, but not so as detailed as this one we think. The G7107 is the basic cargo truck of the G506 series, with a standard 9-foot bed. 
The G7107 Cargo Truck was produced with cargo beds made of both wood and metal. It was a medium four wheel drive truck used by the United States Army and its allies during and after World War II. This series came in standard cargo, as well as many specialist type bodies. They became standard 1.5-ton 4x4 trucks for the US Army and Army Air Corps during World War II.

One of the 9th Service Command trucks that is captured in the box art of this kit
For power, the G506 used a Chevrolet BV-1001-UP, a 235 cu in (3.9 L) overhead valve inline-six cylinder gasoline engine developing 83 hp (62 kW) at 3,100 rpm and 184 lbf⋅ft (249 N⋅m) of torque at 1,000 rpm.
 
A double exposure photo acting as a cut away showing the engine and front chassis of the truck
During World War II, the US military purchased a total of 167,373 four by four 11⁄2-ton trucks, and Chevrolet supplied the great majority of them. About 47,000 of the G7107 and G7117 model trucks were shipped to the Soviet Union as part of the Lend-Lease program. The Soviet Red Army's logistics/transport capabilities improved dramatically in the spring and summer of 1943 largely as a result of the steady supply of American-made trucks (such as Studebaker US6s and the Chevrolet G506s) for the USSR.

The most notable G7107 in Soviet service was the rocket firing Katyusha trucks
The G506 had a ladder frame with two live beam axles on semi-elliptic leaf springs. GM banjo type axles were used, these axles were also used in later GMC CCKW 2+1⁄2 ton (2,268kg) trucks. There were three wheelbases, 125 in (318 cm) extra short wheelbase used only on the G7128 Bomb servicer, 145 in (368 cm) short wheelbase (a majority of production), and the 175 in (444 cm) long wheelbase. All models had hydraulic brakes with vacuum boost, 7.50-20" tires and dual rear tires.

Germans captured and used these trucks in large numbers from the Soviet lend lease vehicles, this Chevrolet G7107. Note Notek light on the left fender. Kursk, 1943.
Almost all G-506s had closed Chevrolet cabs, shared with the closed cab versions of the GMC CCKW – except for three models. A panel van version was built for the Army Signal Corps, open cabs were used on bomb servicers and cab over engine types were used for long-bodied cargo trucks. The pilot models had flat top panels of the front fender, but production trucks had arches over at the fender crowns
 
A restored modern day  G7107
The kit: Miniart's new 35th scale U.S. Army G7107 4X4 1.5t cargo truck 
MiniArt aim to make a whole series of the Chevrolet G-506 trucks, and they have started off smartly with one of the more common types, the metal welded trayed G7107 4X4 1.5t cargo truck. this kit has four marking types, it also includes a driver and the eight barrels as cargo that it carries on the rear tray. Renown author David Doyle is credited with his assistance from MiniArt in this project, and he is a good man to have on a project like this so high hopes abound for this kit...
We have some CAD images of the kit to show you that indicate a lot of the features of this forthcoming kit...

The truck comes with the metal welded tray type
The cab comes in several curved parts that join at seams to make construction easier. The roof itself is a single part.
The full chassis, engine, running gear, suspension and linkages for the truck are included
A spare wheel is of course included. The full engine bay is provided in this boxing.
Passenger doors, the hood and tailgate can be posed open or closed
The steel wire mesh is provided in this photo-etched parts, as are the battery brackets. the rear cargo door can also be posed open.
There are two options for the front fenders that sit above two types of wheels provided int he kit. The rear bumpers are also photo-etched.
The bonnet (hood) is of course able to be opened to show off that lovely engine compartment
The front grille for the front is made from Photo-etch - MiniArt supply tools to bend this in the correct manner
A look at the plastic photo-etch bending tools provided in the kit.
The side bracket fo the trucks tools is included with photo-etched details.
The circular nine pointed door symbol and other markings are for the 9th Service Command, that is one of the trucks portrayed in this boxing.
Eight 44 gallon drums are included in this kit
Windshields of the truck can be posed open or closed, the passenger side windows can also be posed half closed /open & the carbo rope hooks are photo etched for scale thickness.
That is all we know about this kit so far, See more about all of MiniArt's kits on their website...

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