Zundapp KS750 Motorcycle with Sidecar

Tasca, 1/24 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Summary

FirstLook

Zündapp was a major German motorcycle manufacturer.

The company was founded in 1917 in Nuremberg by Fritz Neumeyer, together with the Friedrich Krupp AG and the machine tool manufacturer Thiel, under the name "Zünder- und Apparatebau G.m.b.H." as a producer of detonators. In 1919, as the demand for weapons parts declined after the First World War, Neumeyer became the sole proprietor of the company, and two years later he diversified into the construction of motorcycles.

The Zündapp KS750 was a sidecar motorcycle with a driven side wheel and a locking differential widely used by the German military – Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe and SS. More than 18,000 KS750s were manufactured from 1940 onwards.

Zündapp finally closed down in 1984.*

Tasca Modellismo from Japan dipped its toe into the relatively uncharted waters of 1:24 scale last year with their Panzer II Ausf. F kits. Since then, they have released two limited-edition, Japan-market only 1:24 scale figures.

Tasca seems determined to make this scale their own, as suggested by their latest release, a 1:24 scale Zündapp KS750 motorcycle with sidecar.

1:24 scale might just be the ideal scale for a military motorcycle model. With its exposed engine and relatively small size (compared to a tank, at least), 1:24 scale allows Tasca to show off a high level of detail yet keep the model quite compact.

Tasca’s 1:24 scale Zündapp KS750 Motorcycle with Sidecar comprises 183 parts in dark grey plastic, two parts in clear, a length of fine insulated wire, two metal springs and markings for five bikes. Eight additional plastic parts plus two sheets of paper details are also included for two jerry cans.

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Moulding quality is first rate. The detail is crisp and I could not see any imperfections or ejector marks on areas that will be visible when the model is complete. The sprues are free from any flash.

The first thing that I noticed was the breakdown of the four wheels. In this scale I expected to see photo-etched spokes, but Tasca has cleverly sidestepped the problem of fine, easy to damage metal parts by moulding the wheels entirely in plastic.

Each wheel is moulded as two sides and six tread sections. The spokes integrated as part of each wheel side are some of the finest examples of injection moulding that I have ever seen. The six tread sections are fitted around the circumference of the wheel sides. Very clever stuff.

The front spokes are very nicely detailed and are designed to be steerable following assembly. A clear headlight is provided.

The 750cc engine is chock full o’ detail too. This will really benefit from a bit of extra time spent painting and weathering the metallic areas.

The rider’s seat is suspended by two working metal springs.

The sidecar is well detailed but simply broken down. The timber foot slats on the inside of the sidecar are moulded in two separate sections, making painting easy. Three separate storage bags are supplied – two for the sidecar and one for the side of the bike.

Tasca also supplies fine insulated wire for modellers who wish to depict the cables from the brakes to the handlebars.

Two of Tasca’s excellent jerry cans are supplied to round out this very attractive package.

Five marking options are offered on the small but perfectly printed decal sheet. Three are Wehrmacht bikes on the Eastern Front, finished in Panzer Grey, one is a Luftwaffe option in Tunisia during 1943 painted in Braun RAL 8020; and the final marking is for 5th SS Panzer Division “Wiking” in Russia, 1941-1943. The SS runes are divided into two sections on the decal sheet, presumably to comply with laws in some European and Asian countries.

Tasca’s 1:24 scale Zündapp KS750 Motorcycle with Sidecar is highly detailed yet won’t take up too much space on your display shelves. It is an impressive model that just begs to be built.

I wonder if I can resist for too long!

*Historical background via Wikipedia.

Thanks to Tasca Modellismo for the sample www.tasca-modellismo.com