Truck 2 t tmil gl, Unimog 435
ROCO 1:87 Scale Vehicle Review
The ROCO 1:87 scale German Bundeswehr Truck 2 t tmil gl, Daimler-Benz Unimog 435 with flat bed and canvas tilt. The review vehicle in our inventory has soft rubber tires, which have become sticky to the touch. It‘s probably just a matter of time before the tires turn into a gooey mess.
Contents
- Unimog 435 (U 1300 L) with flat bed and canvas tilt
- 1.5 t Trailer Type 321
Evaluation
The ROCO model of the Unimog 435 has 80 parts, and it is sold partially assembled. Unlike earlier ROCO models, the U 1300L is no longer a snap-together toy. Modellers will have to take the Unimog apart, remove mould lines, and glue the parts together permanently.
The Unimog needs to be painted before it can be fully assembled, to avoid having to mask the clear polystyrene cab windows, headlights, and rearview mirrors.
The tilt may be modelled with the sides and rear rolled up, revealing the hood sticks, as well as any troops or cargo inside. Unfortunately, there is only one front section for the two canvas tilt assemblies, so a decision has to be made to model one or the other option. Additional parts include Military Load Class (MLC) tags, and a trailer hitch.
The troop seats are optional as well. The pins will fit into four small holes marked on the flat bed, which may be opened with a drill or the tip of an X-Acto blade.
The vehicle is nicely detailed and will be fun to paint.
While side-view mirrors, hood sticks, trailer drawbars, and other tiny parts really make this ROCO model of the Unimog 435 look very attractive, they are much too fragile for a wargame model. It is probably a good idea to leave these small parts off, if the vehicle is to be played with.
The separate soft rubber tires are a nice touch, so it seems, but they are actually more trouble than they are worth. The model cannot put any “weight” on these tires which might realistically compress them, so there is no visual advantage over one-piece polystyrene wheels. As of 13 January 2026, the rubber tires of our review vehicle have become sticky to the touch, and it will only be a matter of time until they turn into a gooey mess. Without its tires, the truck and trailer will become useless wrecks, even if it were possible to get the sticky rubber off the wheel rims. The deterioration of the rubber can be slowed by painting the tires, but then what is the point of having separate plastic wheel rims and rubber tires? Of course, we would have painted these black rubber tires neutral grey anyway, to account for aerial perspective.
Compatible with HO scale model railway equipment and miniatures by ESPEWE, Faller, Märklin, Noch, Pola, Preiser, and Wespe Models.
Some flash, sprue, and ejector pin marks need to be removed prior to painting.
The assembly instructions are not drawn very clearly, and some parts may be difficult to place without access to an actual vehicle photo.
Part 8 or 9 (trailer hitch) are optional, but they are not marked as such in the instructions. Part 9 is an accurate model of the real thing, but it does not work. Part 8 allows the trailer to be attached to the truck, but it isn‘t realistic.
Earlier ROCO kits had interesting technical data printed on the back of each box, but this practise has been discontinued.
Cab doors do not open.
The shelf for the camouflage net is modelled with the net in place. If the vehicle is to be shown with the camouflage net draped over it, an empty shelf would be required. Unfortunately, no such part is available in the kit.
Decals are not included, they need to be purchased separately.
The ROCO Unimog 435 is a nicely detailed model kit suitable for dioramas. The vehicle must be painted to slow the inevitable deterioration of its soft rubber tires.