Tilt 1/35
Mercedes-Benz Typ.G4/W31 S.gl.Pkw Hitler’s 6-wheeled Command Car

History

During WWII a car, similar to the 1933 Mercedes-Benz model was developed. It was a large 6-passenger car with wide outward appearance and had 6 wheels. It was well-liked by Hitler. IN 1934 59 cars of this type were scrupulously manufactured. One car’s body was able to protect Hitler during an assassination attempt. It was a specially built armored passenger car, used primarily by the Fuhrer and Gehring in parades and maneuver viewings.

Other Mercedes-Benz cars, similar to the W31, with specially attached roofs were used to carry Hitler’s bodyguards and propaganda news reporters.

About 100 W31’s were built.

Tech Data:

• Engine: 8 cylinders, 5.019 cc, 100 hp.
• Weight: 3,500 kg
• Self-rocking differential gears.

The Kit

In the February issue of Finescale Modeler Magazine, I read a review of the Plus Model 1/35th scale kit of their resin Mercedes-Benz W31. The “cons” said that it suffered from “Thick and cloudy clear parts. The suspension was nearly impossible to align and many small parts were difficult to remove from the pour stubs and clean up”. The price was quoted at $145.95!

When I read this, I remembered that…back in the early 70’s…I had purchased an injection molded kit of this vehicle. It was by a Japanese model brand called TILT. I was told that this was the “only” kit that TILT ever produced and then they folded.

I dug the kit out of my stash and had another look inside it. The kit comes in a tray and lid type box that is compartmentalized inside. The box art strongly resembles how Tamiya does their armor kit box arts. A painting of the vehicle on a chalk-white background.

This is also a motorized kit, like Tamiya used to release all their armor kits at first.

However, you get everything to motorize this Tilt kit but the electric motor. You have to purchase that separately. The kit is molded in various colors and if a modeler was lazy enough he would not have to paint it at all.

In one end compartment is the black floor and fender part, packaged with the main white upper body shell and the hood. These are all in a cello bag. In the center of the box is the black vinyl tires, the motorizing gear box, a tube of glue and hardware, all blister packed onto a cardboard shelf. The other larger end compartment holds the rest of the parts trees and the decals for the fender flags and license plate numbers.

The first cello bag in this large compartment holds a single black part that is the inside body walls with the rear-most seat molded to it. There is also a tree of chrome-plated parts that contains the headlights, grill, hood ornament, windshield frame etc. Then there is a tree of clear headlight and tail-light lenses, a white tree with the baggage compartment piece and wheel discs and, finally, a black tree of parts with the other seats, the chassis flame members with leaf springs attached and the fire wall on it. There is also a small roll of chrome-plated tape (to do the chrome trim on the car) included here. However, I fear that this may be dried out…due to the kit being down my basement for years.

The second cello bag in this compartment holds the parts of the figures of Hitler, the vehicle’s driver and 4 officers. These are on 2 trees. One of the trees is jet black and the other is light tan. Hitler does not look too bad and his driver is decent, but the 4 officers that go in the 2 rear seats are absolute clones of each other - absolutely alike! The third, and final, parts tree in this bag is jet black and holds under-body parts, the steering wheel, rear-view mirrors, wheel parts etc.

The decal sheet has a German National flag and the Fuhrer Flag that mount onto the vehicle’s front fenders. It has license plate numbers too.

The instructions is a huge one piece sheet that is folded into fourths. I has 6 exploded drawings on it for assembly steps with the text all in Japanese…groan.

I went on the internet to see if there was any pictures or data about the actual W31 car out there. I came up dry on that respect. However, the internet directed me to a site where a guy sells old and rare kits. My mouth dropped open when I saw he had the TILT kit listed for $250.00!! I contacted him by e-mail to see if that price was right. He told me that “Yes” it was…and that he had sold a couple of these kits, in the past, on e-Bay for a lot more.

Gee…now I don’t know if I should build it…or try to sell it??

As an aside, Azimut makes this vehicle in resin and it sells for $140.00 (not that much different from the Plus Model kit) and Hasegawa makes a 1/72 nd scale one for only $6.00.