PJ Productions

1/72 Chevrolet Blazer Utility

Kit Number: 722005

Reviewed by  Anthony King, IPMS# 37981

MSRP: €11.90 Euro Available from PJ Production, Belgium (www.pjproduction.net). If the regular plastic kit manufactures don't make it, some other company will. In this case PJ Productions, a Belgium company specializing in scale resin models, provides just such an example. I received one of their kits, a Chevy Blazer Utility used by the US Military extensively in the late 70's thru the 80's. PJ Productions designs and manufactures their kits in house. The military version is not much different from the Blazer you would drive off of the dealer's lot. The notable exceptions include the Mil spec paint, engine, towing attachments; grill guard, and special "Black Out" lighting system. While in the Air Force as a Security Policeman I drove the M1004 truck to patrol the flight line at RAF Upper Heyford, England in the mid 80's. I hate to admit it, but I actually enjoyed driving the M1004. The utility trucks served their purpose on base or in the missile fields, but I really wouldn't want to use them in a combat zone. Packaging: My review example came packaged in a 4 X 2 in box with the resin parts in a zip lock bag. One instruction sheet is included with one side showing 4 steps and the reverse with a colored paint guide. Four clear vacuum window pieces are also included, but have to be cut out. All parts, with the exception of the one piece body and floor pan, were on pour stubs, and none of the parts were broken. The resin parts were all bubble free and the detail was crisp, but there is no engine or engine compartment. However, the clear vac pieces did have a few small air bubbles and were not crystal clear, but future floor polish should help correct this. Construction: The first thing I did was to soak all the parts in warm water with dish soap to remove any mold release and oil residue. Resin is known for being a bear to glue and paint if not cleaned first. Steps 1 thru 3 on the instructions were for the two axles/drive shafts, exhaust pipes, and dash assembly. Pay attention to which axle goes where (front/back). Step 4 shows an exploded view of the body, windows, grill guard, seats/dash assemblies, wheels, small bumper/towing gear, and side mirrors. I painted the interior of the body and floor pan/chassis first including the dash and seats. One of the seats would not sit level but a quick swipe with a sanding stick fixed the problem. After a few trim and fit tests, he windows were then glued into place. Like the axles, pay close attention to which ones go in front or to the rear. Since my example was a 4X4 drive the wheels with the longer spindle in the middle are attached to the front axle. I strongly recommend caution when attaching the wheels since the attachment points are very weak and prone to breaking. I reinforced the wheels/axles with extra super glue. In hindsight I should have used metal pins, but the extra super glue does work. When attaching the body to the floor pan/chassis I did encounter one problem with keeping the body and wheels level. The left rear wheel wanted to sink deeper into the wheel well, but after sanding/trimming and some strategic applications of super glue I was able to correct the problem. The next worry I had was the grill guard. The part looks like a fence, with some very small intricate rectangles, and I was concerned about having to cut out the flash which I knew would have been a disaster if I used a hobby knife. Thanks goes out to Dennie Adams who recommended laying the part on a flat piece of sand paper and gently sanding until the flash was removed. Not only does this work, but it also leaves the edges much cleaner and sharper then if I had used the knife. Painting: Painting couldn't have been easier. I opted to hand paint the whole model in forest green instead of the camouflage pattern, at least for now. The tail lights and headlights were painted with fine tipped sharpie markers (red/silver). A thin black wash was also used to bring out the grill and body panel details. There were no decals included. Conclusion: I was greatly impressed with the ease of construction and car builders will be happy to know that his kit goes together like a regular car kit. The body drops onto the floor pan/chassis and the dash attaches to the floor pan. Besides a few small glitches, as noted above, I do recommend this kit to modelers with mid level skills and above only because it is a resin kit and the intricate small parts. The model scales up slightly larger then HO Scale, but will work with 1:72 scale aircraft and other ground equipment nicely. The details PJ Productions have designed into their kit are impressive especially for such a small scale. They also produce aircraft, accessories, and figures in 1:32, 1:48, and 1:72. If you are interested please take a moment to visit their website (www.pjproduction.net) where you can view their product line.

About the Reviewer: Anthony King is the Former President, and now current Newsletter Editor and alternate IPMS Contact for Manatee Scale Modelers in Bradenton, FL.

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