Vargas Scale Models has historically occupied a niche specializing in unusual, 3-D printed, limited-run armor models, mostly pre- and between World Wars. So far this has been a winning strategy for this prolific company, fleshing out all those subjects ignored by others. Lately, however, Vargas has been entering more well-trodden areas, as well as experimenting in other scales. such as 1/72nd, and even the odd 1/16th aftermarket item. One such release (in 1/35th) is a late-WWII-era German Nebelwerfer 41 towed rocket launcher; the subject of this review.

The Nebelwerfer (roughly translated as ‘smoke thrower’) was a German multiple rocket launcher that served with German Chemical Corps units, which had the responsibility for poison gas and smoke weapons that were also used to deliver high-explosives during the war.

This new kit from Academy depicts the K311A1 1¼ -ton truck currently in service with the Armed forces of South Korea (R.O.K.) and exported to many other countries around the world. A detailed history of the vehicle is available on Wikipedia, so I won’t repeat it here. The kit provides marking options for two R.O.K. army trucks, one R.O.K. Marines, one R.O.K. Air Force, one Philippines, and two Chilean Marines trucks. The last Chilean option is a single color, providing an option for modelers who aren’t in the mood to paint complex camouflage.

The kit comes in a sturdy and surprisingly large box with the entire top covered by artwork of the vehicle. The kit includes separately molded cargo bed, bed canopy, and cab floor, four trees of tan parts, one tree of clear parts, a tree of poly-caps, five tires in soft black plastic, a fret of photo-etch, a sheet of masks, decals, and instructions. Everything is well packaged to prevent damage or loss of parts.

Thanks to MRC for the review kit and IPMSUSA for the opportunity to conduct and publish this review.

Bottom Line: 1/700 scale models of Royal Navy light cruisers built in WW I and repurposed as anti-aircraft (AA) cruisers in WW II have been long awaited as injection-molded plastic kits, and HMS Colombo is the latest arrival, and well done.