New Airfix PAK 40 kit - is the truck of use to UK modellers?

[Stentor]

Airfix have reintroduced a 1:76 model of a PAK 40 gun and truck 

 

https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/airfix-vintage-pak-40-75mm-anti-tank-gun-truck-1-76.html

 

Can anybody identify the truck and would it be of any use to modellers of the UK in the 1950 / 60s?

 

Thanks

 

//Simon

[Fat Controller]

The lorry is an Opel Blitz, I believe. Whilst examples would have survived around Europe post-War, I would have been surprised if any had made it back to the UK, as there were thousands of British and American military-surplus vehicles available, with a support network in place.

Am I correct in thinking that 'Opel' were a Ford subsidiary until 1945, when General Motors took over the name and factories?

[petethemole]

The truck is an Opel Blitz 4x4, a product of the German division of General Motors. There was also a 4x2 version but I doubt any were sold in UK post war. The cab is not the same as the contemporary GM Bedford truck.

[petethemole]

Opel was part of GM; Ford had their own German division, also producing trucks for the Third Reich war effort. Guess where the profits ended up post-war.

[Clive Mortimore]

3 minutes ago, Stentor said:

Airfix have reintroduced a 1:76 model of a PAK 40 gun and truck 

 

https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/airfix-vintage-pak-40-75mm-anti-tank-gun-truck-1-76.html

 

Can anybody identify the truck and would it be of any use to modellers of the UK in the 1950 / 60s?

 

Thanks

 

//Simon

Hi Simon

 

The truck is an Opel Blitz 3.6 tonner. They were the most common of German Army WW2 trucks. Any that survived the war would have been sold on by the Allies to the local population or scraped. There was a small post war production. I cannot find any reference to a right hand drive export version.

[Stentor]

Thanks Fat Controller, PetetheMole and Clive for the answer to my question. 

 

A pity but I think I’ll still get one as the body and chassis may be of use for conversions. 

 

//Simon

Edited August 4, 2019 by Stentor
A further reply

[Clive Mortimore]

25 minutes ago, petethemole said:

Opel was part of GM; Ford had their own German division, also producing trucks for the Third Reich war effort. Guess where the profits ended up post-war.

GM produced the most trucks for the US Army (GM 2 1/2 tonner) , the British army (Bedford, various models), the German army (Opel), and the various Commonwealth armies (Chevrolet, Canada). So who won the war......Ford came a close second.

[Fat Controller]

5 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

GM produced the most trucks for the US Army (GM 2 1/2 tonner) , the British army (Bedford, various models), the German army (Opel), and the various Commonwealth armies (Chevrolet, Canada). So who won the war......Ford came a close second.

I was surprised that Opel were still using the 'Blitz' name for trucks into the 1960s, when the vehicle seems to have been a clone of the Bedford TJ. As an aside, my father used to have an 'O' series Bedford in the 1950s; very reliable and fast, but the brakes were somewhat lacking; it had to be pulled out of hedgerows on several occasions. Mind you, this was the era when modern trucks were starting to have air-brakes, and had notices on the rear saying 'Danger; Air Brakes', as they stopped so quickly in comparison to cable and rod brakes.

[PhilJ W]

As stated above the truck is an Opel Blitz. The 4X2 version was produced pre-war in RHD form and some were sold in the UK including the coach/bus version which used the truck bonnet and front wings like the coach/bus versions of the Bedford. Unfortunately the 4X4 versions had modified bonnet sides and different front wings because they sat higher than the normal trucks. Though they were rare in the UK they were quite common in central/eastern Europe up until the 1960's, even in 4X4 form (many converted into fire engines). After the war only a few were made before they were replaced by Opel badged Bedfords.

[modelldoc]

Yes, I remember some of these truck on the continent in the mid sixties.

 

modelldoc

[JCB 3C no.2]

On 04/08/2019 at 11:23, Fat Controller said:

when the vehicle seems to have been a clone of the Bedford TJ.

1950's Bedford   and Opel both clones of the Chevrolet 'Advanced Design ' from 1947 

See-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Advance_Design

[Clive Mortimore]

The other model in the box, the 7.5 cm PAK 40 saw service with a large number of European countries post WW2, but not the British army. We were too busy trying to sell off our surplus and superior 17 pdr anti-tank guns. 

[BernardTPM]

3 hours ago, JCB 3C no.2 said:

1950's Bedford and Opel both clones of the Chevrolet 'Advanced Design ' from 1947 

See-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Advance_Design

True, but this kit Opel is a late pre-war design.

[Supaned]

On 04/08/2019 at 11:23, Fat Controller said:

; very reliable and fast, but the brakes were somewhat lacking; it had to be pulled out of hedgerows on several occasions. Mind you, this was the era when modern trucks were starting to have air-brakes, and had notices on the rear saying 'Danger; Air Brakes', as they stopped so quickly in comparison to cable and rod brakes.

 

Slightly OT , but similar notices are on the rear of some Hindustan Ambassadors in India - presumably the originals had poor brakes, now they must have ABS or servos and similar , as they claim "Power Brake - Keep Distance"

[Fat Controller]

1 minute ago, Supaned said:

 

Slightly OT , but similar notices are on the rear of some Hindustan Ambassadors in India - presumably the originals had poor brakes, now they must have ABS or servos and similar , as they claim "Power Brake - Keep Distance"

I still remember the first time I encountered a servo-equipped vehicle; a dramatic improvement in braking performance. Someone I knew first encountered servo-assistance on a vehicle he'd borrowed for his driving test; such a shame the Examiner's seat wasn't very securely fixed...

[alastairq]

31 minutes ago, Supaned said:

but similar notices are on the rear of some Hindustan Ambassadors in India   presumably the originals had poor brakes, now they must have ABS or servos and similar 

 

Or the driver had a right leg like Bradley Wiggins'?

[PhilJ W]

A bus version operated in Jersey in the post war years. It was left behind by the German army and was quickly pressed into service. It lasted long enough to be converted to right hand drive and be painted in JMT colours. 

[Stentor]

3 hours ago, Supaned said:

 

Slightly OT , but similar notices are on the rear of some Hindustan Ambassadors in India - presumably the originals had poor brakes, now they must have ABS or servos and similar , as they claim "Power Brake - Keep Distance"

 

Yes, but I saw several trucks with "we 2 are one" on them in Nepal and they weren't Eurythmics fans.

[PhilJ W]

Although it is not suitable for a British outline layout the chassis could be used with a more suitable cab and/or body.

[Stentor]

23 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Although it is not suitable for a British outline layout the chassis could be used with a more suitable cab and/or body.

 

Thanks Phil, I was wondering that, additions to the spares box always find a use sometime.

 

//Simon

[quicksilvercoaches]

I recently acquired an original version of this kit, copyright 1981. The original has exactly the same box art but a title that would have answered the query straightaway: it is labelled 'Opel Blitz + PAK 40' whereas the new one is just 'PAK 40 gun & truck'. I'm not a military modeller so I'm not sure what to do with it; one idea is to graft the bonnet and wings to a Bedford OB and create a representation of a late pre-war Duple-bodied Blitz coach.

 

The Blitz name seems to have remained in use until the 1970s as the Bedford CF was sold in mainland Europe as the Opel Bedford Blitz. Incidentally the CF celebrates its 50th birthday this year.

[PhilJ W]

Good idea, also the radiator grill could be modified to represent a late 30's Kew Dodge by re-shaping the bottom edge and removing the moulded on badge. I have never seen a picture of the prototype with the style wheels as supplied in the kit. The nearest wheels are the now obsolete Coopercraft ones, the original wheels from the kit are very like the contemporary Morris-Commercial wheels.

[JCB 3C no.2]

Seem to remember an article in Vintage Roadscene  saying that these  Opels were imported into UK  just before war . (4X2 versions )

Edited August 10, 2019 by JCB 3C no.2

[wamwig]

8 hours ago, JCB 3C no.2 said:

Seem to remember an article in Vintage Roadscene  saying that these  Opels were imported into UK  just before war . (4X2 versions )

 

This may help answer it

http://www.gmhistory.chevytalk.org/OPEL_UK_IMPORTS_PRE-WW2_by_Daiv.html

 

[JCB 3C no.2]

Very informative thanks , if I may quote from it -

Quote

In addition to Opel cars, the decision was made to start the importation of Opel commercial vehicles and chassis as well, for truck and bus/coach work, and these did in fact sell very well. The abundance of power and the competitive prices saw to this. 

The first exhibition of any Opel vehicles since 1923 was at the Commercial Motor Exhibition in London in November 1935. The exhibits were:
1. 1. Opel Chassis 183 in. wheelbase [2.5 Ton/50 cwt. Blitz Model 3.5-83, 1935 Rüsselsheim-assembled or 1936 Brandenburg-assembled]. Price of chassis £283.
2. 2. Opel Lorry 157 in. Wheelbase [2.5 Ton/50 cwt. Blitz Model 3.5-57, 1935 Rüsselsheim-assembled or 1936 Brandenburg-assembled]. Fitted with cab and drop-side lorry body. Price, complete, £306. Chassis, £256.
3. 3. Opel Chassis with Cab 134 in. Wheelbase [2.5 Ton/50 cwt. Blitz Model 3.5-34, 1935 Rüsselsheim-assembled or 1936 Brandenburg-assembled].Fitted with cab. Price, complete, £279. Chassis, £

 

Still I suppose if you plonked an Opel on your layout most people would think its a foreign interloper  

Edited August 11, 2019 by JCB 3C no.2
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