People who know me know my modeling quirk for the strange and unusual. This new kit by ICM certainly fits the bill – literally a chapel on wheels! Mounted on a short Studebaker chassis, this vehicle was designed to travel from location to location, dispensing spiritual solace to soldiers in need. Of course, this vehicle was clearly Church of England, so I’m not sure what they provided for their Jewish or Muslim troops, although they may have had similar vehicles.

The boxy rear cabin was large enough to provide ample space for altar and organ as well as a nice fold-down stage from which to preach. In inclement weather it appears there would have been enough space in the closed cabin for a small gathering if required. Because of its nature, though, I doubt profoundly that this machine would have been seen anywhere near the front lines.

ICM’s kit comes with a detailed chassis and engine, making for a very complete assembly. The only challenge I had from this stage of the build was adding the chassis extension for the front winch, but ICM provides a nice little template piece to align it properly. Everything else went together smoothly.

Because of the unusual paint scheme, I elected to assemble the front cab and fenders all as a single piece, which could then be painted separately and added on. Due to the shape of the cabin roof a small amount of filling and sanding was necessary to create a smooth unbroken line here All controls are supplied separately, including the foot pedals, making for a very detailed interior. Fortunately, all cabin glass can be added from the outside, simplifying painting enormously.

The rear cabin is quite boxy and also benefits from a bit of sanding and filling to integrate the edges a bit. There’s a small ladder that fits under the cabin, but I wanted to use it for the cab door and so saved it as a separate item. Windows or covers can be added to the sides and I did a bit of both just for variety. The rear and side doors can be modeled open or closed.

Finally, a very nice set of episcopalian items are provided to fill out the cabin – an organ and chair and a detailed altar with all the fixings.

A very nice set of decals are provided which include the piano keyboard and altar scripture. The winged emblems on the sides of the cabin are provided along with two different designations – your choice.Surprisingly, the one decal not included was for the large crosses on side and front. These had to be hand painted in – a surprisingly finicky process.

What you wind up with is a really unique and distinctive military vehicle unlike anything I’ve ever built before. It really stands out and has a strange sort of charm all its own. I heartily recommend this kit to anyone who goes for the unusual. Quite lovely.

My thanks to ICM for offering such an interesting kit, and to IPMS/USA for a chance to add it to my collection. Well done! Happy modeling, all!