Tamiya 1/48 Citroën Traction 11CV Staff Car Kit First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

The Citroën Traction was family of automobiles produced by French auto manufacturer Citroën between 1934 and 1957. The model 11CV was a four-door sedan that was powered by a four-cylinder 1911cc engine that could drive the car above 60 mph. The car also had advanced suspension for its day with each of the front wheels were individually sprung (versus the earlier leaf spring designs).

When Germany overran France, the German military pressed anything useful into service which included the confiscation of private vehicles that could be used for staff or liaison duties. The elegant gloss black finish of these cars was replaced with camouflage German gray or other adaptations to meet the environment. You didn't want your nice 'captured' car to stand out and get straffed by an unwelcome allied fighter.

Tamiya had previously released this car as kit number 32517, but has repackaged this kit with a twist, this time they've added a nice set of figures from ICM.

Here is an excellent car for a more senior Luftwaffe officer to get to/from his aircraft as well as to meetings and other obligations. This kit is a simple affair consisting of one sprue tree molded in German Gray plus a separately molded car body. A single tree of clear parts provide the windows and headlight lenses for the vehicle.

In this release, Tamiya has also included a single tree of ICM figures molded in Desert Yellow and consisting of one officer wearing an overcoat, another officer wearing a flight jacket, while a third posed tightening up the leg straps of his parachute. Four ground crew figures are also included with one posed helping the pilot to don his parachute, one standing with a toolbox, and two others posed as if working on the car.

Tamiya has provided some interesting options in this kit. There are four sets of markings included which provide two examples in German Gray, one Luftwaffe, one Wehrmacht (both on the eastern front); one example of a car in French Army service wearing Olive Green; and, one car still wearing civilian (Gloss Black) colors and license plates.

This car would look great parked next to your favorite Bf 109, Fw 190, He 111, or other Luftwaffe subject in 1/48 scale. It wouldn't be unreasonable to have the car still wearing its gloss black and chrome trim as if it had been 'freshly acquired' for rear area use.

My sincere thanks to HobbyLink Japan for this review sample!