"I do not doubt that the outstanding ability of the designer and at a later date the economic acumen of manufacturers, will make it possible to make available to the German people a car which is low priced and cheap in operation, similar to what American people have enjoyed for a long time..."
- German Chancellor Adolf Hitler at the 26th International Berlin Automobile Show, 1936
(1,500 points) Built by Volkswagen, the simple yet reliable Kubelwagen ("bucket car") was the German equivalent of the American Jeep. This nimble four-seater, based on Ferdinand Porsche's original "People's Car" design of the 1930's, used the same rear-mounted, aircooled engine to drive the rear wheels. Some models mounted an MG 42 machine gun behind the front passenger seat, giving the Kubelwagen a nasty bite. Other variants included an amphibious vehicle, called the Schwimmwagen, as well as radio communications, maintenance, ambulance, and survey variants.
Minichamps does the Kubelwagen justice with its own diecast rendition of Hitler's "bucket car". This extraordinary replica features hinged doors, rubber tires, a highly detailed passenger compartment, and working driveshaft. This particular vehicle, which is painted in a tropical camouflage pattern and nicknamed "Otto," was used by Luftwaffe ace Hans-Joachim Marseille of I./JG 27 when he was based at Tripoli in 1942. Now in stock!
Dimensions:
Length: 8.25 inches
Height: 3.5 inches
Width: 3.5 inches
Release Date: November 2005
Historical Account: "Uncle Otto" - Before his untimely death, Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Marseille was the highest scoring Luftwaffe ace racking up all of his 158 victories against the Western Allies in North Africa. On September 30th, 1942, Marseille was killed in an air accident when he attempted to bail out of his burning Messerschmitt Bf 109. When he bailed out, his head struck the plane's vertical stabilizer which rendered him unconscious and prevented him from deploying his parachute. |
