Tamiya 35308 - 1:35 British Light Utility Car 10hp

1:35 scale plastic model kit of the British Light Utility Car 10HP “Tilly”

Tamiya 35308 reproduces the British Light Utility Car 10HP – a pick-up-style vehicle built on a civilian passenger car chassis, pressed into service by the British army during WWII. Regardless of make or year, vehicles of this type were affectionately called “Tilly” by the troops.

The model is made from new tooling, capturing the compact, classic body shape developed from detailed studies of the original. The bonnet can be assembled open to reveal the detailed engine, and the opening doors allow the interior to be displayed. The rear gate can be posed open or closed.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues and clear parts (windows, headlights)
• Opening bonnet with a detailed engine
• Opening doors with a detailed interior
• Rear gate that can be posed open or closed
• Detailed suspension
• Driver figure
• Decal sheet for several marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Item number: 35308
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Assembled length: 112 mm, width: 46 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 detailed engine and interior are best painted before the body is closed up – thanks to the opening bonnet and doors, the detail remains visible on the finished model.

Paint colours are chosen according to the marking option, most often British olive military green or North African campaign colours. 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 detail and recesses
• Optionally: pigments for dust and mud effects

About the vehicle – Light Utility Car 10HP (“Tilly”):

During WWII, the British armed forces used the chassis of civilian passenger cars as the basis for light pick-up-style utility vehicles. Officially designated “Light Utility Car”, they were affectionately called “Tilly” by the troops. The vehicles were rear-wheel drive and lacked sufficient off-road ability, so they were in time replaced by four-wheel-drive designs.

Even so, the “Tilly” served throughout the war, used for liaison duties and transporting personnel and light equipment, especially at airfields and behind the front. Vehicles of this type took part in the Dunkirk evacuation, the fighting in North Africa and Italy, and operations in Western Europe following the Normandy invasion.

Original specifications (Light Utility Car 10HP):

• Construction: pick-up body on a civilian passenger car chassis
• Powertrain: petrol engine, rear-wheel drive
• Role: liaison and transport vehicle
• Service period: WWII (Dunkirk, North Africa, Italy, Western Europe, among others)
• Nickname: “Tilly”

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.