It has been a while since I’ve posted an update about the construction of my 1/35th-scale VW Typ 83 Kastenwagen. Things have come a long way: the cargo area is complete, some work’s done on the interior and the tires are in place. Regarding the latter, you can see how I’ve “dirtied up” the tires (the undercarriage, too). I held a match to the driver’s side front tire, so that it resembles a flat. Brushing graphite dust all over the vehicle gave it a properly worn-out appearance.

I wanted the cargo area to be littered with pawed-through mailbags and packages. These, and piles of letters, will play a part in how I place the American soldiers featured in the diorama. First I built what looks like a metal shelf to go around the cargo area’s perimeter. Then I trolled the Internet to find examples of Reichpost mailbags. I cannot pretend that everything is exactly to scale but I think they look well-proportioned.

Next up: assembling the aftermarket doors and interior bits. Stay tuned, and tell me what you think about this enjoyable little project!