ITALERI 1:35TH SCALE HORCH KFZ.15

This all-terrain staff car was made famous by the Desert Fox, General Erwin Rommel, who used the vehicle as his ride during the long desert campaign.

It therefore seemed fitting to decorate our Italeri 1:35th Horch (Ref: 6215) in Afrika Korps markings. It would also be a good excuse to model the little staff car opened up. This kit was made many years ago, before the current painting vogues, so the paintjob is old school!

The kit itself needs little introduction. It’s one of the Italian manufacturers “oldies” that has been in the catalogue for years. Justifiably so in our opinion, as it is a great little kit. There’s some 140 parts & the vehicle depicted is the type manufactured from 1937 to 1943 with the spare wheels (which also served as un-ditching wheels) mounted externally on the body.

The model shows some fine moulding & good levels of detail so don’t be put off – this kit hails from a golden age of Italeri kits that still stand up well even today.

As the car would be open, it seemed sensible to add some interest to the crew area so a Verlinden resin radio set was added to a scratch-built table.

Otherwise, the model was painted in enamels & so far – touch wood - the vinyl wheels which often crack or decay are still intact. The fun part, of course, was that interior, which was decked out in a range of Dragon, Verlinden & Tamiya accessories & weapons. A German flag was made in lead foil to add some colour.

The model was mounted on a simple diorama with a Dragon Afrika Korps figure set for company.

It’s funny to see just how far painting techniques have come since we made this kit but there’s still the beginnings of the chipping & washes we all know & love of late - if you look hard enough.

Hope you like it! Don’t forget to rate any models on Scale War Machines using the stars below.