Tamiya 35317 - 1:35 German 6x4 Truck Krupp Protze

1:35 scale plastic model kit of the German 6x4 Krupp Protze (Kfz.70) off-road truck

Tamiya 35317 reproduces the Krupp Protze (Kfz.70) – a German light 6x4 off-road truck used, among other roles, as a personnel carrier and artillery tractor. The vehicle was distinguished by its strongly sloped hood and its running gear with two rear axles.

The model is made from new tooling, capturing the vehicle's distinctive shape. The complex rear suspension is reproduced in detail, including the horizontally placed coil springs. The cargo area is enhanced with equipment: an MG34 machine gun, a Pz.B.39 anti-tank rifle and ammunition boxes. Enamelled wire is also included to represent barbed wire.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues with the cab, sloped hood and cargo bed
• Complex rear suspension with horizontally placed coil springs
• Cargo area equipment: MG34 machine gun, Pz.B.39 anti-tank rifle, ammo boxes
• Enamelled wire to represent barbed wire
• Three figures: driver and two infantrymen
• Decal sheet
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Item number: 35317
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Assembled length: 146 mm, width: 52 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate (complex suspension, equipment)

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

Building the model:

Thanks to the excellent part fit typical of Tamiya, the model is approachable even for less experienced builders, although the complex rear suspension and small equipment call for care. The cargo area equipment and the figures are best painted separately before final assembly.

Paint colours are chosen according to the marking option – German grey (Panzergrau) or dark yellow with camouflage patches. Military vehicles are usually finished with a matt varnish, and the detail and recesses benefit from a wash and dry-brushing.

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 – Krupp Protze (Kfz.70):

The Krupp Protze is a German light 6x4 off-road truck produced from the mid-1930s. It was characterised by its strongly sloped, streamlined hood, beneath which sat an air-cooled engine, and by its two rear axles, which gave it good off-road mobility. In the Kfz.70 variant, the vehicle served as a personnel carrier.

The Krupp Protze was used on many fronts, both for transporting soldiers and supplies and as a tractor for light guns, including the 3.7 cm PaK anti-tank gun. Its simple, reliable construction meant it performed well in field conditions during the early and middle periods of the war.

Original specifications (Krupp Protze Kfz.70):

• Length: approx. 5.1 m
• Width: approx. 1.95 m
• Height: approx. 1.96 m
• Kerb weight: approx. 2.45 t
• Drive: 6x4
• Powerplant: air-cooled petrol engine, approx. 60 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 70 km/h
• Role: personnel carrier, artillery tractor

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.