TMN: Preview: MiniArt has us hooked on their 35th scale G7117 1.5T 4x4 wrecker.

MiniArt's latest in the Chevy truck range is the G7117 1.5T 4x4 Cargo Truck – but this one has the wrecker gear, a hoist on a rail out the rear & a trailer! We look at them in our preview...

Preview: MiniArt has us hooked on their 35th scale G7117 1.5T 4x4 wrecker.

G7117 1.5t 4X4 Maintenance Shop Truck w/Trailer MiniArt

From MiniArt

Kit No #35498

1/35th scale

Two colour variants are included in this kit

Photo-etch parts are included

Product Link on the MiniArt Website

The Subject: G7117 1.5T 4x4 wrecking truck & trailer

The Chevrolet 1.5-tonne 4x4 Cargo Truck (G7107) was part of the G506 series of 1.5-tonne closed-cab trucks built by Chevrolet in large numbers during World War II. The G7107 is the basic cargo truck of the G506 series, with a standard 9-foot bed. The G7107 series of trucks was produced with cargo beds made of both wood and metal.

A good view of the rear of the wrecker, with that frame protruding from the canvas. This held the 1.5 t pulley that was able to lift and to drag things. Engineering tools were stored inside & on the outside of the vehicle to assist the soldiers.

A close-up of the winch on the truck that signifies it as a G7117 variant of the truck.

These trucks had a winch on the front bumper, which was one of the identifying points of the G7117 trucks. The wrecker variant also had a 1.5-tonne winch on a sliding rail that protruded out of the rear of the truck. Whatever was picked up could (as long as it fitted) be moved via the sliding rail back inside the truck for transport or to be worked on under cover if needed.

One of the subjects from this boxing is seen in operations in New Caledonia in 1942, pulling a Jeep for recovery.

A serviceman standing at the back of a wrecker from the 28th Infantry Division's motor pool. You can see the engineering tools, like the compressor and other gear, in the rear of the bed (but not in the kit, mind you).

The "Ben Hur" trailer:

The ‘Ben Hur’ 1-ton WWII U.S. Army trailer was produced by many manufacturers during the WWII. It was produced with a wood body from mid-1942, but later was changed back to steel construction. This trailer was towed by most trucks in the range of 1 1/2 ton or larger but often by armored personal carriers and halftracks as well. Its primary purpose was to transport general cargo, but the Signal Corps modified it to carry several different types of generators.

The Ben Hur trailer was nicknamed after its major manufacturer, the Ben Hur Mfg. Co., although there were many other companies that produced it between 1941 and 1945.

The G518 One-Tonne cargo trailer, known as the "Ben Hur" trailer, was made to tow behind 2.5 ton trucks but during the war could be found being towed behind 1-ton to 7.5-ton trucks and even some armoured vehicles.

The trailer consisted of an 8-foot-long x 4-foot-wide steel or wood box mounted on a single-axle trailer. Usually the trailer was covered with a frame and tarpaulin.

Variations of the trailer were used to haul fire pumps, mobile kitchens, generators, and other goods. These trailers were built from 1941 to 1945.

G518 Trailers were made by the following companies: American Bantam, Ben Hur, Century Boat Works, Checker, Dorsey, Gertenslager, Henney, Hercules Body, Highland Body & Trailer, Hobbs, Hyde, Mifflinburg Body, Naburs, Nash Kelvinator, Omaha Standard Body, Pke, Queen City, Redman, Steel Products, Strick, Transportation Equipment Corp, Truck Engineering Corporation, Willys Overland, Winter Weiss, Baker, Covered Waggon Co., Keystone, and Streich. These trailers were built from 1941 to 1945. Payload and gross weight vary with the calibre of ammunition carried.

The new kit from MiniArt:

We have some images of the kit's parts and a rich list of options to show you a lot of the features of this forthcoming kit...

Kit features:

- The truck adds the front-mounted PTO winch to differentiate it from the G7107 kit. The rear pulley & rails, plus engineering tools, are included.

- The truck comes with wooden slats or railings.

- The front grille is made from photo-etch or from plastic; this is a choice for the modeller. -There is also a choice for both of these in the rear bumper.

- The cargo tray can be covered with either this custom-made tarpaulin for the kit, or it can be left bare, with the ribbing of the truck and wooden sideboards. Your choice.

- The full chassis, engine, running gear, suspension and linkages for the truck are included

- A spare wheel is included.

-The full engine bay is provided in this box.

- Passenger doors, the hood, and the tailgate can be posed open or closed. Also, the bonnet (hood) is, of course, able to be opened to show off that lovely engine compartment. The steel wire mesh is provided in these photo-etched parts, as are the battery brackets.

- The rear cargo door can also be posed open.

- The cab comes in several curved parts that join at seams to make construction easier. The roof itself is a single part.

- The side bracket for the truck's tools is included with photo-etched details.

- The rear benches can be posed flat or horizontally

The plastic parts of the kit are dominated by the truck; there are too many here to mention.