Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz (KHD) S3000 Truck (ICM kit 35451)

 

This is the first ICM kit of the KHD truck. Released in 2015 this is the S3000 rear wheel drive version. ICM KHD S3000  Subsequent releases include a civilian, a maultier and 4WD versions

 

Early low body RWD

   4WD

 

Maultier

The KHD S3000 was a 3-ton cargo truck produced by Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz (KHD) from 1940 until 1944. It was used in various theatres of the war, and quite early on in production served as the basis for the Maultier half-track vehicle. It was equipped with a 4-cylinder Deutz Diesel engine

 

 

The KHD S3000 was widely used by all branches of the German armed forces in various locations, including the eastern front, North Africa, Italy, and France. Due to the limitations of the rear-wheel drive version, in off-road conditions a significant number of KHD S3000 trucks were converted into Maultier half-track vehicles, with 1740 produced between 1942 and 1944. 

Approximately 10,684 KHD S3000 trucks of all types were produced in total. 

 

This is a low parts count kit and relatively straight forward to construct, but some of the parts are very small and with the plastic in my kit being particularly brittle, I found removing smaller items from the sprue tree quite a challenge to remove without breaking. No tilt cover is provided in the kit.

One quite prominent fitment issue I found on my build was I was left with a visible gap between the engine side panel and the bulkhead on the nearside. The cab front moulding is a one-piece affair, both engine side panels are of the same length, and the radiator alignment marks are clearly defined, so I really could not account for this anomaly.

Another issue concerns the ride height. Both the 4WD and the Maultier versions pictured above sit much higher than the RWD version, but IMO the kit does leave the wheels (just like in their early Ford V3000 kit) far too close to the mudguards. Adding small plastic card spacers between leaf springs and chassis should do the trick.

I decided to leave the rear mud guards off to represent a late war vehicle. The only addition was a set of resin road wheels. It was painted with Tamiya acrylics and weathered with enamels and oils.