The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) developed many standards including some covering shipping. One of the items standardized, using the ISO 6346 reporting mark, were intermodal shipping containers. This meant that the container, without being opened or unloaded, can be transferred from ship to rail to truck. Among the various lengths standardized, there is the 20 foot container as released by Italeri in model form. Inside the side opening box, there are two identical sprues, instructions, and a decal sheet.
The instructions cover assembly in two steps and the three decal options:
1. U. S. Army
2. U. S. Marine Corps
3. Italian Air Force
The first step covers the flooring (with integrated cross members – Parts 2), Roof Panel (parts 3), left and right sidewall panels with integrated bottom side rails (parts 1 to which the corner posts (parts 4 & 5) are added, and the Endwall Panel (parts 6). It should be noted that the Flooring, Roof, and Endwall Panels have seams to contend with. The roof and flooring use lap joints which do not end on panel lines. This meant clamping the parts to a level surface and then filling the seams.
My stepSanders were used to sand away the punch pin marks found on the bottom of the flooring between the cross beams. I used punched styrene to fill the knock out pin depressions. These were glued with liquid cement. The inner sides of the Roof Panel and Flooring had the seams filled with stretched sprue glued with liquid cement and an awl was used to create the impressions of screws on the flooring. Many ISO containers have plywood flooring screwed onto the cross beams.
The second step covered the doors and locking mechanisms. The option of open or closed doors is offered. After deciding, the options provided are for US military containers in Sand or the Italian Air Force container in Dark Green. Of course, with over 17 million ISO containers in use Worldwide, there are many schemes and colors to choose.
Other opportunities to individualize the model are to add linings complete with kick plates and lining shields. Depending on the cargo, logistics E and F tracks may be used.
A very simple yet nicely executed model by Italeri which will find its way onto many modern scenes.
