Unimog 401, engl.

After the signal light set, this Unimog 401 from 1953 was my next big project. Very demanding and of a high level of perfection in terms of detailing and fitting accuracy. This model is a pure CAD product, manufactured by Heljan in Denmark. Graphic designer Albert Schneider created this grandiose packaging illustration.
This kit should be the beginning of an interesting series of Unimog models.
The version with a fixed Westfalia cab was also planned.
For this model, too, I had modeled the folds of the tarpaulin by hand.
The chassis corresponds absolutely to the original and has spiral springs made of metal.

My model was voted Model of the Year in 2000 by the readers of the model building magazines Modell Fan and Modell Magazin.

After the 401 with a folding soft top, the closed version was to come with a fixed Westfalia driver’s cab and clearing shovel.

The box contained 6 gray sprues with the parts for the chassis, engine and body. A sprue with the glass parts and a chrome sprue with two exterior mirrors and a Mercedes star. In addition, a blister card with 5 tires of the type SR1 terrain profile. The blister pack also contained four different metal coil springs, two for the front axle and two for the rear axle. A small decal and 18-page assembly instructions, which took me 8 weeks, were also included in the kit.

I had sold 4500 kits within 12 months and that as a newcomer to the model building market.