Tamiya 35301 - 1:35 Citroen Traction 11CV Staff Car

1:35 scale plastic model kit of the French Citroën Traction 11CV staff car

Tamiya 35301 reproduces the Citroën Traction 11CV – a French passenger car that, when introduced, was among the most modern designs of its time. Its monocoque body and front-wheel drive gave it a low centre of gravity and good handling. The vehicle was widely used by the French army and, after the fall of France in 1940, pressed into German service in large numbers.

The model is made from new tooling, capturing the elegant, streamlined lines of the body and the pronounced front and rear fenders. The front doors can be assembled open, and the interior – with its dashboard and front and rear seats – is reproduced in fine detail.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues and a clear sprue (windows, headlights)
• Opening front doors
• Detailed interior: dashboard, front and rear seats
• Suspension details
• Wheels with tyres and their characteristic tread
• Driver figure
• Decal sheet for four marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Item number: 35301
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Assembled length: 125 mm, width: 48 mm
• Skill level: beginner

Note: This kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

Thanks to its small parts count and the excellent fit typical of Tamiya, the model is approachable even for beginners and makes for a quick, enjoyable project. The opening front doors allow the detailed interior to be displayed, which is best painted before the body is closed up.

Paint colours are chosen according to the option: German grey or dark yellow for Wehrmacht vehicles, dark military colours for the French version and any civilian colour for the civilian option. Car bodies are often finished with a semi-matt or satin varnish, and the interior detail benefits from a wash.

Tools you'll need:

• Modelling side cutters for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sandpaper for cleaning up sprue-gate marks
• Polystyrene cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Brushes of various sizes
• Model paints (acrylic or enamel)
• A wash to emphasise the interior detail

About the vehicle – Citroën Traction 11CV:

The Citroën Traction Avant, of which the 11CV is a variant, was produced from 1934 to 1957. The vehicle was ahead of its time thanks to its combination of a monocoque body, front-wheel drive and independent torsion-bar suspension – features that gave it excellent handling for the period and a low centre of gravity.

These cars were widely used by the French army, and after the occupation of France in 1940 large numbers passed into German service, where they were used as staff and passenger cars – from Western Europe to North Africa and the Eastern Front. They were valued, among others, by Luftwaffe pilots. The Traction Avant was also used by the French Resistance and, after liberation, by the Free French forces. Around 760,000 examples of all versions were built in total.

Original specifications (Citroën Traction 11CV):

• Length: approx. 4.5 m
• Width: approx. 1.62 m
• Height: approx. 1.52 m
• Seats: 5
• Powertrain: inline 4-cylinder engine, approx. 1.9 l, front-wheel drive
• Suspension: independent, torsion-bar
• Maximum speed: approx. 100 km/h
• Production: 1934–1957, approx. 760,000 examples in total

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 by Yoshio Tamiya in Shizuoka, regarded as the heart of the Japanese model industry. The company initially traded in timber, but from the late 1940s it produced wooden models, and in 1960 it launched its first plastic assembly kit. Two years later it introduced its iconic 1:35 scale tank, which set the worldwide standard scale for military modelling. The brand is renowned for exceptionally precise injection moulds and excellent part fit, which is why its kits are favoured by beginners and experienced modellers alike. The Military Miniature Series, to which this model belongs, comprises hundreds of items and is considered one of the most comprehensive 1:35 catalogues of military vehicles in the world. Alongside plastic kits, Tamiya offers a full range of modelling supplies: paints, glues, tools and brushes.