which willys Jeep is best ? 1/35

[Aristoc]

Hi

I saw a picture of the large Dragon 1/6 "Jeep" and I really liked all the Jerry can's and and little parts hanging off the Jeep including the helmet covers.
But I don't want to do 1/6.

I have also seen this "Jeep" in Tamiya, Italeri, Dragon in 1/35. I read that the original Tamiya Jeep (35219) is not a great build although the more recent released one is better. Also heard Italeri is pretty good. Now also, I saw that the Dragon 1/35 (6724 and 6745) and it looks like it has most, but not all the little add on's similar to the large 1/6 build. However, I also saw that for Tamiya and Italeri you can by an SAS expansion kit from Legend (for one vehicle - LF1017 SAS Jeep Conversion set or a better looking one LF1233, 1/35th scale SAS Jeep Conversion set (for 2 vehicles)... that when you put it together it looks great with lots of parts and details.

So which would be the most fun build to do? The single Dragon 1/35 SAS or the Tamiya/Italeri and then also buy the Legend SAS expansion kit?

Its a bit confusing with all the timelines and options.

Thanks for your advise.

[DasAbteilung]

Make sure you do get the later Legend SAS set, the double pack. It's a lot better than the original single vehicle set - although more expensive. Black Dog do a nice single vehicle set too.

For me, the Italeri jeep still best captures the "look" of the wartime Jeep (not forgetting that Ford made them too). But the moulds are quite old now: 40 years or so. If you can pick up an early boxing on eBay you should get less pronounced mould lines and less risk of flash. A Revell/Italeri dual branded one will be quite early, as will an Italeri one which says Willys Jeep in red on the box. You can generally get them for about £10.

The Tamiya SAS Jeep is a dog by current standards. Nothing in it worth using. The earlier Tamiya Jeep (with the trailer) and the Heller Jeep are dogs too.

There have been some criticisms of the Dragon SAS Jeeps. Look up the reviews. The Legend set gives you the parts to do all of the armament options, whereas Dragon sell you 2 separate kits with different armament.

As a base kit you now have the Bronco Jeep to consider too. I believe this kit in its various forms has been well received, but is up to 3 times the price of the Italeri.

[digger303]

Sooo where does that leave us ?
Italeri if you want cheap and war like or bronco if you want to spend some more ?? But you do get a trailer or a trailed gun as well so the comparsion is probably more like bronco at twice as much and at least twice the kit quality wise.
To me quality is always best.

[Aristoc]

I also suppose I have to bite the bullet and build one and go from there.
The Bronco kit does look very well made (track-lynx reveiw). But I would need jerry cans and all of those extra itemsto get it to look the way I originally thought. But very little after market add on for Bronco. Probably will go with Tamiya 35129 + Legend or Swash SAS expansion.

thanks for the suggestions.

[DasAbteilung]

Putting my money where my mouth is, I recently got hold of the Legend set and a pair of Italeri Jeeps to use it on. But then I also got some matching etch sets, the Eduard printed data plates and a Master barrel for the AN/M2. TMD do a pack of 2 Thompsons with drum mags as well as the earlier type with the front grip.

Unless I'm much mistaken, the Swash kit requires you to source your own jerrycans. Certainly the company's own built-up pictures show green injection plastic cans. That will add a few ££ as you'll need 13 cans, mix and match US and German. Legend and Black Dog give you those, although the rear ones are en bloc with the racks. Legend give you a mix of US and German types. They also give you the very common road-type tyres as mounted wheels and spares.

If you were doing a stripped-down ETO SAS Jeep then I think you might appreciate any better detail or parts quality in Tamiya or Bronco. But under all the desert gear a lot is hidden. You'll always have mould lines to clean up on any brand and some parts are always better replaced anyway. A round-headed dressmaker's pin is a better bet than trying to clean up an injection moulded gear lever.