Tamiya 35338 - 1:35 Toyota Model AB Phaeton

1:35 scale plastic model kit of the Japanese Toyota Model AB Phaeton staff car

Tamiya 35338 reproduces the Toyota Model AB Phaeton – a Japanese passenger car produced from 1936, part of the line begun by the Model AA, one of this maker's first mass-produced cars. The AB shared many features with the AA, including a 3.4-litre inline-six engine and a body influenced by American cars. It differed in its folding cloth roof, movable front windscreen and front-hinged doors.

The model is made from new tooling, based on detailed study of surviving examples. It captures the elegant, classically rounded body with its characteristic radiator grille. The folding roof can be assembled deployed or stowed, and the auxiliary seats deployed or stowed away. The ladder frame, chassis, engine underside and interior are also reproduced.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues and clear parts (windows, headlights)
• Folding cloth roof assembled deployed or stowed
• Folding auxiliary seats (deployed or stowed)
• Detailed ladder frame, chassis, engine underside and interior
• Driver figure
• Decal sheet
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Item number: 35338
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Assembled length: approx. 135 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 the excellent part fit typical of Tamiya, the model is approachable even for less experienced builders. The detailed interior and engine are best painted before the body is closed up. The choice of assembling the roof and auxiliary seats deployed or stowed is best made at the outset. The driver figure is best painted separately.

For painting, the Japanese khaki colour used on the military versions is recommended, matching the chosen marking 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 detail and recesses
• Optionally: pigments for dust and mud effects

About the vehicle – Toyota Model AB Phaeton:

The Toyota Model AB Phaeton was a development of the Model AA – one of Toyota's first mass-produced cars. Introduced in 1936, it shared with its predecessor a 3.4-litre inline-six engine and live-axle leaf-spring suspension. Unlike the closed Model AA, it received a folding cloth roof, which is why it is classed as a phaeton body.

The outbreak of war soon after production began meant that most examples never reached private customers, but were instead sent to the military. The vehicles were painted khaki and used mainly as staff cars. By 1938, 353 examples of the Model AB had been built.

Original specifications (Toyota Model AB Phaeton):

• Engine: inline, 6-cylinder, 3.4-litre
• Body: phaeton type, with a folding cloth roof
• Suspension: live axles with leaf springs
• Role: passenger car, staff car in the military version
• Debut: 1936
• Production: until 1938, 353 examples

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.