April 16, 2026

Preview: Two interesting kits in 72nd scale from Roden incoming...

Roden has two new interesting kits for sale next month – a big German prime mover from WWII & a provider on skis! See more about them and the kits in our preview...


Preview: Two interesting kits in 72nd scale from Roden incoming...

Roden has sent news of two of their new releases: Kit #065, the Fairchild C-123 "Provider", in 1/72nd scale, plus Kit #740, the Borgward B3000 – also in 72nd scale. We have a look at them both in our preview...

Borgward B3000 
From Roden
Kit No # 740
1/72nd Scale
The Borgward B 3000 was a German 3-tonne medium-duty truck produced from 1938 by Carl F.W. Borgward GmbH in Bremen. Initially built for civilian use, it was rapidly adopted by the Wehrmacht for military logistics, becoming part of the standardised Einheits-Lkw 3t programme aimed at ensuring reliable, adaptable transport across Europe, North Africa, and Russia. Available in rear-wheel drive (4x2) and all-wheel drive (4x4) variants, it was powered by either a 78 hp petrol or 75 hp diesel inline-six engine, with a top speed of ~80 km/h and 500 km range.

Borgward B 3000 A in the Battle of Villers-Bocage on the invasion front in 1944
Deployed widely from 1941 onward, the B 3000 hauled fuel, ammunition, and personnel across key theatres, including the Balkans, North Africa, and the Eastern Front — though its performance suffered in extreme winter conditions. It also served the Luftwaffe for airfield logistics and was adapted into specialised variants like tankers, ambulances, and mobile radio workshops. To simplify wartime production, the original metal cab was replaced with a wooden frame covered in canvas, and the distinctive grille was dropped.

A 1939 Borgward B3000S/O restored and sold at auction recently (Got $11.5K USD?)
By 1944, around 30,000 units had been built, making it a backbone of German military transport alongside the Opel Blitz and Mercedes L3000. Its design directly influenced Borgward’s post-war B 4000 series, which carried forward its reliable engineering into civilian and export markets during Germany’s reconstruction.

The kit: 
As you can see from the CAD drawing of the truck below, this will make a great rendering of this vehicle in a smaller scale.
Sprue Layout: CAD drawings of the sprues here show four grey plastic sprues plus a clear sprue for transparencies.
Marking choices – three machines from the mid-war timeframe, one in Tunisia, one in Norway and one from the Eastern Front.
The decals include vehicle & unit markings, number plates and stencils.


Fairchild C-123J Provider
From Roden
Kit No # 065
1/72nd Scale
The Fairchild C-123 “Provider” emerged from the 1947 Chase XC-123 prototype as a revolutionary transport aircraft, distinguished by its rear-loading ramp that enabled rapid loading of oversized cargo — a major advancement over earlier designs with side hatches. The U.S. Air Force recognized its potential and commissioned Fairchild to produce 302 units, designated C-123B, with the first flying in 1954 and entering service by 1955. The aircraft was also adopted by the Coast Guard as the HC-123B and exported to allied nations including Thailand, South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, South Korea, Taiwan, Venezuela, and Saudi Arabia. Its involvement with CIA-linked Air America in South-east Asia during the Vietnam War remains a shadowed chapter in its history.

C-123J Provider 56-4391 of the 144th TAS/176th TAG Alaska ANG
In Alaska, the C-123 found a unique and vital role as the C-123J — a specialised variant fitted with Fairchild J44 jet engines at the wingtips and ski landing gear to operate in extreme Arctic conditions. These modifications allowed the aircraft to take off from short, damaged, or snow-covered runways, making them indispensable after the 1964 Alaska earthquake. With Anchorage’s control tower destroyed, C-123J crews used onboard radios as mobile command centres, directing rescue flights and coordinating landings. In the first week alone, the 144th Squadron flew 77 sorties, delivering over 60 tonnes of cargo and hundreds of passengers — often being the first to reach devastated coastal towns like Valdez and Seward.

Alaska's 144th Air Transport/Tac Airlift Sqdn was the only ANG unit to fly C-123 Providers as their mission aircraft, with the ski-equipped Fairchild C-123J in the 1960s/70s.
Though only 10 C-123Js were ever converted, their impact was profound — they delivered fuel, medical aid, and even Easter baskets to uplift spirits after the disaster and helped transport components for Bailey bridges to restore critical infrastructure. Tragically, one aircraft crashed during a snowstorm in Valdez, claiming the lives of Adjutant General Thomas Carroll and three others. Today, no C-123J remains airworthy, but several are preserved as static displays in Alaska, most notably at the Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry in Wasilla and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage — enduring tributes to their rugged service and lifesaving missions.


The kit: 
This kit in 72nd scale represents the aircraft from the Alaska Air National Guard in the 60s & 70s.

Sprue Layout: CAD drawings of the sprues here show ten grey plastic sprues plus a clear sprue for transparencies.
Marking choices – there are four colourful markings of ski-equipped Providers from the 60s & 70s.
The decal sheet provides markings for the four (national markings x 1)

You can find out more about Roden's kits on their website