Revell-Monogram Models

1/24 Rommel's Rod

Kit Number: Kit #4260

Reviewed by  Jim Stratton, IPMS #20703

MSRP: $22.95 Website: www.revell.com This is a re-release of a real "Golden Oldie". The original was released in 1969, making this one 40-years-old. Older than a lot of you reading this review. As the box top art clearly states, this is a Tom Daniels design combining the front end of a Mercedes Limo with the back end of a half-track. Tom Daniels designed 87 model cars for Monogram between 1967-1976. Perhaps you may remember The Beer Wagon (1967), The Paddy Wagon, The Garbage Truck and The Red Baron (1968). I can remember building these while stationed near Pensacola in the late sixties. Most could be built in an evening or two. I never got a chance to build this one and was excited when I saw it being re-released. You really should visit Tom Daniels web site (www.tomdaniels.com) for a real trip down nostalgia lane. All his Monogram designs are listed with a brief write up of the history of each design. I was amazed and really unaware of just how many vehicle models he designed for Monogram. I am sure that once you visit the web site you will see several familiar kits that Tom Daniels designed. The Kit This kit is comprised of 70 parts and a decal sheet. There are 55 parts molded in dark yellow, 11 chrome plated parts 2 clear windscreens and 2 vinyl tires. The instruction sheet is in the style of the old Monogram sheets seen in the late sixties and early seventies. Each assembly step clearly written, however, there are no individual color call outs for the parts. All painting tips are on the last page as was usual for the instruction sheets of that era. The kit detail is rudimentary and the suspension is simplified, however, this simplified detail allows for a quick build and is a perfect model to help divert your innate need for counting rivets and correcting deficient weld beads. The chassis is molded in one piece, as is the exterior body and interior tub. All the parts are cleanly molded with a minimum of flash. The usually clean up of molding seams and knock out pins is necessary but all the parts clean up easily and quickly. Care needs to be used when cleaning up the skeletons because they are fragile. Don't forget to scrape the chrome plating off the gluing surfaces of the plated parts. As the instruction sheet states, this kit is all-new tooling and the cleanliness of the molded parts shows this clearly. The instruction sheet also states that the original tooling for this kit "mysteriously disappeared". Hence the new-tooling. I never got my hands on an original so I can't comment about the differences. The two skeletons come on 2 different sprues with the skull and hats split down the middle, front to back.

The Build Starts with construction of the engine. Straight forward with no problems encountered. The completed engine cannot be seen once the hood is glued in place; however, there is plenty of room for detail if one would want to open the hood to display the interior of the engine compartment. The only thing to look out for here are sink marks on part #11, the front suspension. I did vary from the instructions here in electing not to glue the tracks parts 12 & 80, the shovel part 79 on the model at this time. I also elected to not glue the field marshals seat or ammunition rack either. I saved these for easier detail painting before gluing onto the model Here a couple of sink marks need to be taken care of on back of the rear windscreen frame part #27. As stated earlier the skeletons are fragile and care needs to be used when handling them. They both have mold seams and knock out pins to be cleaned up. One of the problems I had was there was no positive attachment point between the arms and shoulders. This made the attachment tenuous. Herr Rommel's arms can be placed in different positions that look natural. The driver is a different story; his arms and hands need to line up with the steering wheel. This means dry fitting the steering wheel in place while trying to line up the driver's arms. This took awhile and it may have been easier if there was a positive attachment point to use. Also added in this step are the two jerry cans. Here the simplified detail is really evident. Both jerry cans only have one solid handle instead of the three handles. If I had any 1/24th scale jerry cans I probably would have changed these. I did not add the windscreen or other small detail items at this time, waiting until the interior painting was completed. Again there are knock pin marks to be removed from the front windscreen frame part #29 and the skeleton as well, as pointed out above. In this step the engine compartment is completed. Here, I again deviated from the kit instructions by not adding the headlights, running lights and fender flags. I did not add the headlights because I thought it easier for masking the radiator for painting. Once the painting was completed I added the small detail items. I did not add the exhausts at this time, thinking I could just slip them in after the painting was completed. This allowed me to use Testors Metalizer Burnt Metal to paint them. However it proved to be very difficult to get the rear exhaust pipe to line up properly. After several attempts I was able to finally get it in place. Painting I painted the interior with Tamiya German Gray and the exterior with Tamiya Dark Yellow. The front seats were painted Vallejo Khaki and the Field Marshals seat was base coated in Andrea Brown Leather then painted with Burnt Umber oil paint. The rubber on the road wheels was Vallejo Dark Rubber and the track Tamiya Steel Gray. The ammo cans inside were painted Vallejo Field Green as was the convertible top. After top coating the model with metalizer sealer, I added the decals and then finished with Testors Flat Coat. Decals For fun I thought I would go through and translate all the decals just to see what Tom Daniels marked up the vehicle with. As you may know German words may have several meanings in English. So consider these translations loose, or as close I could get with my limited knowledge of the German language. Treten means step, so Hier Treten means "Step Here". And Nicht Betreten means "No Step", however Betreten Verboten means "Passing Forbidden". Nur Fuer Offizere means "For Officers Only". Werkezeuge is "Tools" and Rettung is "Rescue". Finally Abstand (distance) and Halten (keep) is obviously "Keep Distance". Staffel (Relay) makes no sense to me and appears to be added just because it is German and would be better suited on an aircraft related vehicle. Recommendation I had a ball building this one. After forty years; I finally get this kit and build it. You all should do yourself as favor and run out and get this kit. It is a real blast from the past and is a real easy and fast build. It is a perfect diversion for those suffering from AMS and shouldn't take more than a weekend to complete. This Golden Oldie is now sitting in my collection next to my D.U.K.W. and other AFV's and really doesn't look to out of place. Thanks to Joyce Collier and Revell for the review sample and to IPMS for letting me write this review.