When Worlds Collide:  1/48 Tamiya 1942 Army Staff Car

By Bill Engar
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Once in a while, major classes of models intersect.  For example, at a model show, you might see a 1966 Batmobile entered in a science fiction category, or you might well see the same model in a custom automotive category.
 
Tamiya’s 1/48 Staff Car is one of those models that might not be too unusual to see in an automotive category at a model show, particularly if built in its civilian guise.  A drawing of the car presented this way appears on the side of the box.

​Tamiya’s kit represents a 1942 Ford sedan.  Just prior to the entry of the United States into WW II, the all-new 1941 Ford debuted.  As most automotive historians recall, the progression of new car models pretty much ground to a halt during the war, as the manufacturing capabilities of the factories building cars hastily began producing tanks and airplanes for the war effort.  A short run of civilian 1942 Fords, with a new “shaver grille” were produced prior to Ford transitioning to military production.  The car was produced through 1945 as a military staff transport vehicle.  

The finished model is small, measuring about 4" (10 cm) in length

​A few years ago, Tamiya decided to re-release some of their old 1/48 tank model kits.  Before 1/72 and 1/35 emerged as the most popular scales for armor kits, Tamiya and others put out some very nice 1/48 scale tank kits.  The folks at Tamiya decided to see if there was interest in some of these old kits, which could be paired with common 1/48 airplane kits in dioramas.  Modelers agreed and Tamiya began producing new armor kits in 1/48 scale.  Their 1/48 Citroen Traction 11 CV Staff Car was popular enough that they decided to tool up a 1942 US Army Ford staff car.

I masked and sprayed the windshield wipers silver and the window seal black.  Headlights are clear plastic parts which were a nice touch for such a small car model.  Headlight bezels were carefully brush-painted, as I recall.

The Ford Staff Car kit was a bit of a disappointment.  First off is the price--you can get a decent Tamiya 1/48 airplane kit or 1/35 tank kit for the price of this dinky four-inch car model.  Perhaps the diecast metal chassis was the justification for the high MSRP.   The metal chassis gives the model some “heft,” but lacks detail.  There’s no engine or optional parts.  I’d have hoped for a full engine in 1/48 scale that went together like a Swiss watch at this price, but all you get is a crudely-executed oil pan in the bottom of that clunky diecast chassis.

​The second thing that put me off was the poor fit of the hood to the body.  It needed quite a bit of trimming, adjustment, and some putty to fit, certainly not something one expects to find in a premium-priced Tamiya kit.  Such a bugaboo in a car model would normally motivate me to leave the hood open, but there was no engine underneath to show off!  The rear tab of the metal chassis leaves some visible gaps where it meets the bumper as well.  I had to adjust mine with a grinder.  Not cool.

​When it came time to put the chassis on, the rear wheels seemed to be a tad too far forward and they rubbed on the body at the front of the fenders.  This required some adjustment.

The only reason I bought this kit was because I got it at a clearance discount.  The model may fill a niche for fans of just-right sized 1/48 armor, or it could fit well in a diorama of a 1/48 World War II airfield.

​The aforementioned bugaboos were not enough to set the kit aside in frustration, and I managed to finish it using a custom-mix of Testors enamels to make a glossy olive drab overall finish.  I did a little salt-chip weathering to get some rust spots below the beltline.  Kit decals went on with a small amount of silvering, even over the gloss finish.  Pastels provided weathering.  Testors flat clear lacquer was used as an overcoat.  Careful masking and painting was done for the windshield wipers and vertical window panel frames.  Taillights were done by hand-brushing Tamiya clear-red paint over Testors silver.

The chassis is diecast metal and the detailing minimally represents the underside of the 1940's Ford.  Note the screw hole cover in front of the engine.  The rear wheels sit too far forward in their wells.

​The overall results turned out OK, and I got a contest-quality model with a little more work than would normally be expected for a modern Tamiya kit.  
 
Along with the unexpected quirks, it's priced more than most car kits twice its size possessing a full engine and optional parts.  I think this kit should have been priced at least a third lower considering the level of detail and fit issues.
 
You'd best have at least some intermediate modeling skills for success with this kit, or otherwise you'll be frustrated.

"Tamiya Quality" is perhaps the highest compliment that any model kit can receive.  Their own 1/48  U.S. Army Staff Car unfortunately doesn’t quite fit into that realm in this reviewer's opinion.