German Industrial Tractor D8511 Mod. 1936 with Cargo Trailer

MiniArt, 1/35 scale

Reviewed by Zack Sex

FirstLook   

While we have previously covered the military version of the Lanz Bulldog with trailer and Fla-MG 151 gun, we thought it worthwhile to examine one of MiniArt's other Lanz Bulldog combinations.

The Bulldog was originally introduced in 1921 in response to the shortage and high cost of petrol and diesel fuel during Germany's difficult post-war years. Fritz Huber's Akroyd engine could burn almost any type of liquid fuel, although starting it using the hot-bulb ignition system was a somewhat complicated procedure. More than 220,000 of these tractors were ultimately produced, and many found employment in roles well beyond agriculture.

This kit features the Model 1936 industrial variant. These tractors were used by organisations such as the Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD), or Reich Labour Service, as well as major industrial companies such as Interessen-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie AG (IG Farben), which produced synthetic rubber and liquid fuels.

This particular release, however, offers the modeller the opportunity to build either a Deutsche Reichsbahn or Telefunken example from the wartime period.

As with so many MiniArt kits, this is a highly detailed offering, but one that is not particularly difficult to assemble or paint. The box contains the tractor, cargo trailer, a driver figure, two large cable spools and two smaller examples.

The colour schemes for both the Telefunken and railway versions are also fairly straightforward, with either green or grey finishes and German primer red wheel wells.

The decals are perfectly printed, as we have come to expect from MiniArt. I must also mention that the colour illustrations by Volodymyr Booth are excellent references, as usual. There are no surprises there, though – the man is an outstanding artist!

The etched-metal set is relatively modest in size, which will please many modellers who are not necessarily fans of overly complex etched offerings.

The real appeal of this kit, which can of course be built as a standalone model, is the visual interest it offers when combined with other railway subjects. These include Trumpeter's Baureihe 52 or Dampflokomotive BR 86 locomotive kits, or, for that matter, a wide range of armoured Panzerjägerwagen or flak trains.

MiniArt also produces railway staff, crossings and semaphores, so the possibilities for such projects are virtually limitless. These combinations can conjure up the often-forgotten but vital role of railway transport, particularly on the Eastern Front during World War II.

Purchased by the reviewer