Tamiya 12689 - 1:35 US 10-In-1 Ration Cartons WWII

Tamiya papercraft — US WWII 10-in-1 ration cartons in 1:35 scale

Tamiya 12689 is a set of miniature US 10-in-1 ration cartons in 1:35 scale, intended for dioramas and scenes from the Second World War. It is a papercraft set: a single printed sheet measuring 200 × 195 mm from which you cut, fold and glue eight complete sets of cartons yourself. These are not injection-moulded plastic parts and not decals.

Each carton consists of a sleeve, an outer carton and inner boxes. That construction lets you display a carton closed or partly slid out of its sleeve — a simple way to build a scene with supplies being unpacked rather than a neatly stacked pile of boxes.

What is in the box:

• Printed card sheet measuring 200 × 195 mm for cutting out and assembly
• Eight complete sets of 10-in-1 ration cartons in 1:35 scale
• Parts of each carton: sleeve, outer carton and inner boxes

Specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Product number: 12689
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Type: papercraft set (ration cartons)
• Material: printed card
• Sheet size: 200 × 195 mm
• Contents: eight complete sets of cartons
• Subject: US 10-in-1 rations of the Second World War
• Use: vehicle stowage and dioramas
• Required for assembly: hobby knife, tweezers and paper glue

Papercraft for dioramas — realistic boxes made of real paper

A papercraft set is a different kind of accessory from the usual detail-up parts: instead of ready-made components you get a printed card sheet with the box nets laid out on it. You cut them out with a hobby knife, fold along the lines and glue them with paper glue. The result is remarkably convincing, because the miniature carton really is made of paper — it has the same texture, edges and folding behaviour as the original, which is hard to match in moulded plastic.

A sharp hobby knife with a fresh blade, fine tweezers for positioning small parts and a paper glue are all useful here. It helps to work on a cutting mat and to apply glue sparingly so the paper does not buckle. Scoring the fold lines gently with a blunt tool beforehand makes the box close more neatly. This is a suggested approach rather than a fixed procedure — the final technique is up to the modeller.

Eight complete sets from one sheet are enough for a load stowed on a vehicle, a stack of supplies beside a command post, or several smaller accents scattered across a diorama.

About the original 10-in-1 ration

The 10-in-1 was a US ration of the Second World War, designed to provide a full day of food for ten soldiers. It was packed in large cartons that were convenient to transport and to issue to whole squads, unlike individual rations.

Ration cartons were frequently carried on vehicles — strapped to tank hulls, loaded onto truck beds and stacked at supply points. That made them an instantly recognisable detail of Western Front scenes and an excellent complement to dioramas featuring American vehicles.

About the manufacturer — Tamiya:

Tamiya is a Japanese company based in Shizuoka, founded in 1946 and originally a timber business; it started producing plastic model kits in 1960. Its catalogue today covers 1:35 military models, aircraft, ships, cars and motorcycles, radio-controlled models, as well as paints, tools and model accessories. The company is known for well-engineered moulds, clear instructions and consistent parts fit. The Tamiya accessory range also includes diorama materials and items for detailing scenes — papercraft sheets, decal sheets and flexible detail-up cable.