Vauxhall D-Type

Roden, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Graham Carter

Summary

Background

Not THAT D-Type!!  - this is a staff car produced in Britain from 1912 until 1922 and derived from the Vauxhall Type C, probably better known as the ‘Prince Henry’, under which name Airfix did a 1/32 kit back in the mists of time. About 1500 were built for official staff duties wherever the British Army needed them, in the UK, Europe, East Africa and the Middle East, and I’m sure some ended up in India as well. King George V used one to visit the troops on the Western Front after the signing of the Armistice in 1918.

FirstLook
  
This lovely little kit comes in the usual Roden flimsy end-opening box and contains 54 pale grey parts on two sprues, five clear parts, a small decal sheet and an 8-page A5 instruction booklet. The box top illustration shows a lonely example about to be trammelled by a monstrous ghostly Male (or is it Female ?) Tank Mark IV - an odd way to illustrate the vehicle, but it is eye-catching. The spoked interior surface of the wheels is not reproduced in the kit, just the disc exteriors as shown in the images below.

Parts are very finely moulded and little flash is evident. Roden is using better quality moulding equipment these days and it shows in this kit, the downside being that this is not a cheap kit at $A21 for a vehicle 60mm long and 20mm wide!! However a lovely replica will be the reward of a little care in construction.

Chassis and running gear make up 22 parts and the rest gives a detailed body and the accessories such as lights, horn and a choice of raised or folded ‘canvas’ tilts. All parts are nicely moulded and the quilted/buttoned seats are a delight. All colours are called out at each stage in Vallejo numbers and by name for users of other brands.

The kit contents:

These photos show the finesse of the parts and moulded details, some of which are very fine indeed:

Three decals choices, all in overall green ( probably the Bronze-green used by the British Army) are given:

• King George’s personal car from 1918 and

• two cars from unknown units on the Western Front, one of which is preserved today.

Schemes are illustrated in colour on the rear of the box.

All in all a lovely little kit and I can see a number of these gracing dioramas and vignettes set in the 1912 -1930 era. Now who makes a kit of a 1/72 George V??

My kit came through Glen Burns “Red Horse” of Creative Models at an APMA meeting.

I have started building this kit and each part does need some seam-work and a lot of care in lining up the chassis, springs, running gear and axles. I replaced some of the finer rods such as steering rods, gear lever and handbrake with stretched sprue as the kit parts were too hard to trim neatly and a couple broke. The folded hood does not fit too well so I will be building mine with the hood up. I also varied the sequence of construction by building the body onto the chassis before adding the interior to assist in the painting.I will also be replacing the lights with mini jewels.

Conclusion

This is a great little model of an important and neglected vehicle that served all over the Empire  and one that will enhance any vignette and diorama or just add scale to a collection of aircraft or vehicles. Care in construction and painting will be rewarded. Recommended to the modeller in the ‘One True Scale’.

Purchased by the reviewer.