Recently Italeri released a model of the Italian Coloniale – a military version of a popular pre-war civilian vehicle, which proved to be quite versatile and was used extensively not only by the Italian army but by the German army as well, mostly hauling officers around in rear-echelon areas. The kit itself is comparatively simple, which reflects the relative simplicity of the vehicle itself. However, one area where this reductionism has caused a loss of detail is in the wheels, which are simple two-piece castings with very little detail beyond the hubs.

S.B.S. Model, a Hungarian company, has come to the rescue with excellent replacements cast in resin. The package features five wheel/tire units, and these all feature an exceptionally fine tread pattern which beautifully reproduces the originals. Cast in a grey resin, the moldings are completely free of bubbles or blemishes and are a simple swap for the kit items. Happily, the lovely detail on these replacements should take your Italeri model to a whole new level, as the tires are a fairly prominent feature on this diminutive vehicle.

I am deeply impressed with the quality of the items from this little Hungarian company, and look forward to seeing more products coming out in the future. My thanks to S.B.S. Model as well as IPMS/USA for a chance to examine these lovely little works of art.