Hitler's Ride - Ancient G4 out of box review

[Faust]

One facet of Nazi Germany I particularly fascinating is the way in which Hitler and his closest compatriots managed to take the concept of a “cult of personality” and weave it so totally into the fabric of the nation.  In so many ways, the Nazi leader and his cronies became indistinguishable from the state itself. Let’s face it, Hitler, in so many ways, WAS the state. 

 

One very physical symbol of this was Hitler’s penchant for spectacle, all the way down to his ride. The Mercedes-Benz G4/W31 is a perfect example of the brutish spectacle that Hitler made of almost everything.  I’ve always wanted a model of that car, and am glad to see that Revell Germany makes a really nice new kit of it.

 

Of course, anyone who knows me knows that I generally eschew “nice new kits” and go for the “old and obscure” first. I didn’t even know if there WAS an older kit of the G4, but I figured I’d know it if I saw it. And, then I DID see it!

 

Check out my out of box review on the old Marui 1/35 G4. Sure, it’s not as nice as the Revell Germany kit, but it sure is a lot harder to find!

https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/marui-135-mercedes-benz-g4w31-oob/

 

 

[blubaja]

Thanks for the review! I bet some people are going to cry over this thread:/

[Deathgoblin]

I love the "TILT" bit.    That one took me a minute.  It does look like it says either TILT or ZILT.

[Dave Van]

NOT a very PC box is it!!!!! 

I have a number of 1/24 TILT car kits.

[Greg Myers]

Funny thing, almost every year here in the desert , when the auctions come to town, at least one of the old Mercedes that crosses the block is a "Hitler" car. 

[Dave Van]

Funny thing, almost every year here in the desert , when the auctions come to town, at least one of the old Mercedes that crosses the block is a "Hitler" car. 

Reminds me of the film 'Rat Race'!!!! 

[SfanGoch]

NOT a very PC box is it!!!!! 

I have a number of 1/24 TILT car kits.

Yeah, I noticed the lack of USB ports and keyboard too. PC is nothing but censorship. It might be considered offensive by some; but, it is part of the historical record. How can you accurately depict a historical object if it has to be sanitized? 

 

Edited December 4, 2015 by SfanGoch

[Dave Van]

I think the box is perfect.........forget the past and you get to relive it.......which may be where we are heading.  I was noting that is was MORE correct than concerned about being PC.

[FordRodnKustom]

Good box art work for sure. Looks like the G4 has a little toe - in issue there on the right front.

[Faust]

Thanks for the review! I bet some people are going to cry over this thread:/

You mean because of the massive amount of PC that got blown away by the cover, or because I shattered the myth of "Tilt" being a company?

I will admit I like seeing history as it was, not all sanitized and "Safe". There's nothing safe about repeating the mistakes of the past unnecessarily! 

Glad to see this old kit got some interest, that's for sure!

[blubaja]

The PC BS issue:) I never have an issue with it. 

And I have a few of the Tilt Tokyo Marui cannonball run cars. 

[hpiguy]

• A guy on You Tube built the ICM kit of this. Very cool car.

[Mark]

Funny thing, almost every year here in the desert , when the auctions come to town, at least one of the old Mercedes that crosses the block is a "Hitler" car. 

Hitler owned as many Mercedes as Elvis owned Cadillacs...

[Faust]

Man, Hitler as a Nazi Elvis... what an interesting idea that is for some what if cars! 

I mean, technically anything made in Germany from 1933-May 1945 has something to do with Hitler... he was in charge at that time. However, it's funny how some people will take that a bit literally, especially when money's involved, eh? 

[Erik Smith]

Cool review - cool model. Great write up, Adam.

I had a couple "Tilt" models and never questioned that's what it said - I think I even sold them on eBay as "Tilt" models...great learning experience for me, I guess.

The art on that box is great. Obviously not in the sense that I think it's cool Hitler is alive and driving around, but the way it's portrayed with the Nazi "team" behind him all relaxed and looking extremely evil. Too bad we didn't have drones back then...

[Faust]

Cool review - cool model. Great write up, Adam.

I had a couple "Tilt" models and never questioned that's what it said - I think I even sold them on eBay as "Tilt" models...great learning experience for me, I guess.

The art on that box is great. Obviously not in the sense that I think it's cool Hitler is alive and driving around, but the way it's portrayed with the Nazi "team" behind him all relaxed and looking extremely evil. Too bad we didn't have drones back then...

Thanks for the compliments, Erik!

I know Marui did trains, but what other kinds of cars did they make? 

I agree. I love the art. It really captures the Nazi spirit. It's so proudly evil and nonchalantly dripping of smug superiority that it inspires awe and loathing. "Just like the real thing, only smaller", as they used to say at Ertl.

We did have drones. Weren't they the ones who gave in to Hitler early on?

[Ace-Garageguy]

O   M   G !!!!!!!!

Do you REALIZE there's one of those swastithings and the words Hitler and Nazi in this thread? 

I'm just so pathetically offended that I'm going to puke, call my mommy and cry at her for an hour or two, and then write letters to all the TV and radio stations, plus my congresspersons and their dogs.

[Erik Smith]

Thanks for the compliments, Erik!

I know Marui did trains, but what other kinds of cars did they make? 

I agree. I love the art. It really captures the Nazi spirit. It's so proudly evil and nonchalantly dripping of smug superiority that it inspires awe and loathing. "Just like the real thing, only smaller", as they used to say at Ertl.

We did have drones. Weren't they the ones who gave in to Hitler early on?

I went back through my photobucket - I think the TILT kits were planes. This is the one I "thought" was a tilt, but it was a grip. 

One of the Marui kits was a Mazda Savannah that I believe is still reissued by Fujimi...

EDIT:

here is one of the TILT kits - motorized Nissan Skyline. It was a horrid kit. 

Edited December 5, 2015 by Erik Smith
Added info

[Faust]

O   M   G !!!!!!!!

Do you REALIZE there's one of those swastithings and the words Hitler and Nazi in this thread? 

I'm just so pathetically offended that I'm going to puke, call my mommy and cry at her for an hour or two, and then write letters to all the TV and radio stations, plus my congresspersons and their dogs.

I know... the safe little bubble world we've all been led into is FALLING APART!!! 

It's always better to cover up history than to learn from it, so I hope your congressperson's dogs will do something to fix this. I don't want my neighbours' cats exposed to this evil! Down with history!

Those two car kits are awesome Erik! Especially the GRIP one!

[SfanGoch]

Hitler owned as many Mercedes as Elvis owned Cadillacs...

How many #1 singles did Dolph record? Why, I bet he didn't even eat fried banana sammiches, uh-huh!

 

 

Edited December 6, 2015 by SfanGoch

[SfanGoch]

I know... the safe little bubble world we've all been led into is FALLING APART!!! 

It's always better to cover up history than to learn from it, so I hope your congressperson's dogs will do something to fix this. I don't want my neighbours' cats exposed to this evil! Down with history!

Those two car kits are awesome Erik! Especially the GRIP one!

Which reminds me of the famous quote by television genius Nat Hiken:

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to produce sitcoms of it."

 

[Faust]

Which reminds me of the famous quote by television genius Nat Hiken:

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to produce sitcoms of it."

 

Sad, but true. 

So I guess Hogan's Heroes was just making sure they got there first, then, eh? 

[peteski]

I never knew that the TILT logo was actually Marui - thanks for this info. I have couple of their other kits (somewhere in my stash).  BTW, TILT has nothing to do with Hitler, Nazis or PC.

[Atmobil]

Thank you very much for the review. I have never heard of TILT before but have heard of Marui. I did a ebay search for tilt models and found several:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-1980s-TILT-FERRARI-365GT-Lightable-Steerable-1-24-Scale-MODEL-KIT-MIB-/191734575890?hash=item2ca4457312:g:~Q8AAOSw5ZBWP~IC

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TILT-Ferrari-512-BB-1-24-Scale-Kit-Open-Box-Model-Car-Swap-Meet-/321935739609?hash=item4af4dd8ad9:g:HosAAOSwZjJU4Qzn

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-1-24-Tilt-Motorized-w-FA-13-Ferrari-312T-Niki-Lauda-F-I-Formula-1-/252190899838?hash=item3ab7bfbe7e:g:g2gAAOSwLVZVlM5i

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tilt-Motorized-Smokey-and-the-Bandit-Lamborghini-Jota-1-24-Scale-Model-Kit-/310693632472?hash=item4856c899d8:g:uQcAAOxyYYlRxQqq

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-24-Tilt-Motorized-w-FA-13-Lancia-Stratos-Headlights-Taillights-that-work-/252161792462?hash=item3ab60399ce:g:ktQAAOSwq7JT7WO1

But when I searched for Marui I also found some even if Ebay asked me if I was trying to search for Maru:

Super cool looking toyota starlet kit: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-STARLET-16-VALVES-TOMS-RACING-1-24-MODEL-KIT-MARUI-JAPAN-/261193011383?hash=item3cd05110b7:g:yGIAAMXQgb1RRxMI

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PORSCHE-956-1-24-MODEL-KIT-MARUI-JAPAN-/262167987714?hash=item3d0a6e0602:g:AXcAAOSw6dNWTJyf

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NISSAN-FAIRLADY-260ZG-RACING-TYPE-1-24-VINTAGE-MODEL-KIT-TOKYO-MARUI-JAPAN-/370665551337?hash=item564d6375e9:m:mIAwGSdxc8c8O9d_-fDYU3A

And if you ever played Super Mario brothers on NES:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-Mario-Bros-Bowser-Kuppa-MINI-MODEL-KIT-MARUI-JAPAN-/261604576271?hash=item3ce8d90c0f:g:LXMAAOSwfcVUEKhX

They also have some really cool looking motorized 1:32 buggys but they are in my eyes to expensive.

[Faust]

No problem! It's one of those things that I am hoping, in my own small way, to help correct.

No, TILT is completely unaffiliated with the Nazi party or their Sunday drives.