The latest in MiniArt's 1/35 Tempo E400/A400 collection is a superb box-bodied delivery van.
It might be hard to believe, but prior to MiniArt’s interest, the Tempo A400 three-wheeler truck was neglected entirely by kit manufacturers.
Since then, the Ukrainian firm has definitely cornered the market for the type, with no fewer than 12 boxings since 2021, covering everything from milk and beer delivery vans through to maintenance trucks and even an ambulance. There’s also been a healthy cross-over with MiniArt’s accessory packs, from bread and milk bottles to beer barrels and boxes of vegetables.
The Tempo A400s have also been a superb example of how to get the most from a mould; four of the styrene runners serve as ‘core’ elements, providing the glazing, chassis, wheels, front body frame and bonnet. MiniArt then tweaks the contents to reflect whether the rear cargo area is open or (as in this kit) covered. Further changes to the radiator and rear axle are then addressed on a variant-by-variant basis.
The Kastenwagen 3-wheel Delivery Box Truck (38053) contains eight styrene runners plus a plain photo-etched (PE) brass fret and a colourful decal sheet to reflect the bright schemes on offer. All parts are moulded beautifully, with no sign of mould blemishes or flash, while ejector-pin release marks are constrained to the interior or places that will be otherwise hidden once the kit is assembled.
A fully detailed cab is included (down to the under-seat battery location) and MiniArt has provided interior framework and decking for the rear cargo area, along with the option of open rear and side doors – ideal for those wanting to pose the model in a diorama. The use of PE is kept to a minimum, for clasps, registration plates and the radiator grille, focussing on areas that require that extra refinement. There’s also minimum need for shaping, with just the radiator grille requiring any real work.
Modellers can pose the bonnet open/closed and there’s a further choice between building the engine out of the box or scratch-building extra cables and wires – the extra work is identified in the instructions, a neat touch. Being civilian vehicles, the five schemes are bright and colourful, with green, red, yellow, blue/white and yellow/red choices:
- Henkel, Dusseldorf, late 1930s
- Coca-Cola, Berlin, late 1930s-early 1940s
- Goldina, Bremen, early 1940s
- Chlorodont, Dresden, early 1940s
- Maggi’s Brüh-Würfel, Stuttgart, early 1940s
MiniArt’s decals are well printed, with the artwork being a definite highlight; colours are sharp, with excellent tonal density – especially on the lighter hues – with the only potential downside being the use of matt carrier film, which may increase the risk of silvering. These would be best applied onto a gloss surface to minimise any problems.
MiniArt’s Tempo A400 Kastenwagen 3-wheel Delivery Box Truck (38053) is available in the UK via importers Creative Models, priced £42.99.
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