19 October 2021
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Whitebox UAZ-469 - green
PRICE: £30.99
REF: 124069
SCALE: 1/24
The Ulyanovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant) factory started production in 1941 as part of the Soviet war effort. UAZ is best known for the UAZ-469 utility vehicle, modelled here,which has seen wide use as a military vehicle in the Eastern bloc and around the world.
At the beginning of the 1970s, the well-regarded, but outdated, GAZ-69 was replaced by the more modern UAZ-469. This was developed from the UAZ-471 of 1958 (with four-wheel independent suspension, which proved too complex) and the UAZ 460. The UAZ-469 was a sturdy, but not-so-comfortable vehicle with the ability to overcome virtually any terrain, while also providing ease of maintenance.
The 4-door SUV 469 has a front-engine, four-wheel drive layout and reached legendary status, thanks to its reliability and impressive off-road capability, even though it was not made available to the civilian market until the late 1980s, before which time it was built exclusively for police and military use, as well as heads of agricultural enterprises. A commercially available variant was produced by the Lutzk Automotive Works.
In production continuously since 1971, so it marked its 50th anniversary this year, the 469 is still proving to be a very popular choice, helped, no doubt, by its simple but robust construction.
This marvellous model by Whitebox captures the looks and stance of the 469 very well indeed. The diecast drab olive green-painted body is finished beautifully and the plastic-moulded hood looks very realistic. Through the glazing, the simple interior is well-replicated and the chunky off-road tyres mounted on the 469's functional wheels look great.
A superb and well-priced model at this growingly-popular scale.