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PJ Productions 1/72 Air Force Pickup Truck |
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Kit Number 722004 |
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Reviewed By Jim Pearsall, #2209 |
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MSRP: 11.90 Euros PJ Productions has produced another fine resin kit, and I want to thank them for the opportunity to build and review this one. The Vehicle Some years back, the US Air Force and US Army decided to save money on tactical vehicles. For some applications, it was not necessary to use purpose-built vehicles like the M-151 ¼ ton (Jeep or Mutt) or M-35 2 ½ ton truck, but instead they bought off-the shelf vehicles like this one. The particular vehicles of this type which I was responsible for as Vehicle Control Officer for the 182nd Air Support Operations Center, were M1008 pickups and M1009 Blazers. Both were built by Chevrolet, and had stock 350 cubic inch GM diesel engines. The only additions or changes were a blackout light system, brush guard for the grill, a pintle hook for towing, and 4 tie down points on the bumpers for airlift. Oh, yes, add a tactical paint job. We also had M1028 pickups which had up-rated suspensions. These carried the TRC-97 microwave comm. system. The 1008 was popular with the troops. We had 4 of them, and with the optional wooden troop seats, they could haul 7 people plus the driver with all their field equipment and personal gear for short hauls to deployments. If we airlifted to the deployment, they were loaded with personal gear and mobility bags. If we convoyed, they hauled whatever comfort items we decided we could get away with while deployed with the Army. Our soda cooler and air conditioned tent at Fort Hunter Liggett comes to mind here. Since we were located on an active Air Guard air base, there was also some call to lend M1008s to duty pilots or transients who needed transportation downtown to their lodging. While the M1008 and M1009 were not as robust as the M998 HMMWV, they were generally OK, even in fairly rugged terrain, and I can attest that the seats are far more comfortable than those in the M998. The Kit All resin, all the way. 24 resin parts which includes a vacuform windshield / window assembly. |
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The parts consist of the cab, the frame/bed assembly, two seats, 4 wheels, 2 axle/differential assemblies, the tail gate, 4 tie down
rings, dash, steering wheel, pintle hook, 2 mirrors, brush guard, windows, and 2 exhaust pipes. Molding : Unlike a lot of resin kits, and parts I’ve molded myself, there were no bubbles anywhere in this kit. There was a little fine flash on a few parts. I had to clean up the windshield and back window openings on the cab, but this was minimal. |
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The Fit Except for the fact that this is a resin kit, and some care needs to be taken to remove parts from the pour sprue, this kit was as good as state-of-the-art plastic kits. Everything fit exactly where it was supposed to go, and with minimal fuss to get alignment. There was an issue with the drive shafts, both front and rear. They were too short, the rear by about 1/8” (3.2mm), the front by 1/8” (1.6mm). This was a trivial fix, using stretched sprue. I suspect the mold is correct, and the pour didn’t get all the way to the bottom. The clear parts for the cab fit beautifully. |
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The Painting I used Model Master ® enamels, black underside, interior green 34151 dark brown 30118 and forest green 34079. A bit of silver for the headlights and mirrors, some red for the tail lights, and a pale yellow for the parking lights. The scheme given in the instructions is right on. If you want to, you can add a blackout headlight to the grill, left of center, and small black areas at the bottom of the tail lights to simulate the blackout tail lights. |
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Overall Assessment This was a fun build. I didn’t have to spend multiple hours cleaning up the parts, everything fit beautifully, and it sure looks like a M1008. I didn’t glue the cab to the frame. The parts fit friction tight, and once it’s in place, it won’t move unless you want it to. Anyone who wants to do a tactical diorama with 1/72 armor could use this truck as an item. They were ubiquitous. Not necessarily as glamorous as an M-60 or M551, but they were there. Also, useful for tactical helicopters, or USAFE flight lines. These vehicles were not used until the 1980s, so they won’t fit a Vietnam era diorama. And a final personal note. Our unit provided tow vehicles and drivers for the Peoria, Illinois Santa Claus parade for a number of years. As VCO, I generally was “selected” as the planning POC between the City and the ANG. I was driving a 1008 when I met my wife. So she’s fond of the kit too! |
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