Italeri

1/72 WWII Bunker and Accessories

Kit Number 6070

Reviewed By Howie Belkin, #16

MSRP: $17.50 USD

Concrete bunker with 7” x 11” vacuform base, two tan injection plastic trees of both steel and wood triangular beach obstacles, sandbags, 55 gallon drums, wooden boxes, telephone poles and sign posts.  From Italeri, distributed by Testors.

Italeri has been steadily releasing 1/72 scale models and accessories designed with enough accuracy and detail to please the serious plastic modeler while providing quick build subjects for the war gamer.  If you use the vacuform ground terrain, you may want to mount it on a wood base for sturdiness.  It can be painted or you can add ground cover if you choose.  The seven part battle damaged bunker is molded in a concrete grey with four recessed, wood framed machine gun ports and a wood door.  The roof is topped with molded ground work.  There is no interior detail aside from steps for the gunners but you won’t see anything with the roof in place.  The accessories are from Italeri’s separate Battlefield Accessory Set and as in my review of that set, there are no paper or decal signs provided, though they’re available from a few other sources.  The bunker and accessories look like an emplacement you’d find at Normandy, and possibly other battlefields.  Italeri has been scaling down some of their 1/35 scale kits to 1/72, and these 55 gallon drums and wood crates will look good on the back of their DUKW wading ashore in front of this bunker, winding its way between the beach obstacles.

My only criticism is that they don’t provide any historical text and photos, which would be especially beneficial if this exact bunker existed.  Otherwise I’d give it two thumbs up even for modelers who are all thumbs!  Still, it is recommended for its good value, especially for wargamers and those of us who want a quick build and respite from AMS.  Thanks to Italeri and Testors for the review sample.  You can get yours at better hobby shops.  The box shows a “Country House” and a “Country House with Porch” joining the line.  The first is reminiscent of the two story farm house in the movie, A Walk In The Sun.  Online, Italeri shows their LVT A1 with Stuart turret coming out in 1/72 – awesome, and perhaps indicative of Pacific dioramas and vehicles to come?  There’s still room for all the variants of the U.S. M3 halftrack in both 1/72 and 1/35 scales.  If they release them they won’t be able to crank them out fast enough!  Thanks to Italeri and Testors big things may still be coming to big and small scale armor modelers!

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