Profikit

Praga “RV”

This is the first kit I have from a “new” resin kit maker, Profikit. It is the Praga “RV”. It is a 10 wheeled vehicle with a cab body similar to a Mann or MEercedes vehicle. It also has a look-a-like shape similar to the Pegasus German Truck quick build set. Although the Praga is a 10 wheel truck, surprisingly it's about the same size as an Opel Blitz truck.

The PROFIKIT website describes the vehicle thusly:
Famous Czechoslovak military truck design, which became symbol of the Czechoslovakian army in the days of Munich crisis. Used for infantry transport and as gun tractor, was the major truck in the service with the army. After occupation used in large numbers by Wehrmacht during the all war. For the Germans it was produced to the year 1940. Some more than 300 pieces also used by the Polish army. Thanks to the construction of the chassis it had the excellent performances. After the war it was used as a base for construction of the new design called PRAGA V3S, used by the army up to today.

I was expecting only 25 or so parts but was suprised to find 50 resin pieces, 13 pieces on a photoetch fret, a piece of clear acetate for window making and a small decal sheet with Wehrmacht markings and 2 other sets marked "CSR" and "Slov-vensko". The resin is the typical creamy yellow colour and some flash on the parts as seen in the parts picture below should be expected. No warping of the kits pieces were noted and there was no mold shift on any of the pieces. In my opinion the most difficult pieces to remove are shown in the top middle of the parts picture. The load width indicators and axles pieces might suffer breakage along with the muffler parts. Instructions are the typical hand drawn exploded view type that aggravate this reviewer to no end for their obscure parts placement references. All the pieces are in zip lock baggies, and the whole thing is neatly placed in a clear plastic take-out chicken-salad or tupperware type bin with a snap tight lid. Very different from the old cardboard box, for sure!

The box depicts an open hood or bonnet, and thought there is a separate part included for this, to add it will require you to cut the original one piece hood. It would take a steady hand to accomplish this in my opinion, and more than a little skill to show off the puny engine, which is about the size of the CMK SdKfz 251 resin engine. Also, the cab doors are shown open on the box top, and once again quite a bit of carefull work on the model will be needed to carve out the molded on cabin doors for the replacements to fit.

Article Last Updated: 10 November 2010