Another blast from the past. The Tamiya German field kitchen in 1/35. Checking out the box.

  

Combat Rations of the German Military
On the whole, the regular German Army foot soldier (Landser) received scientifically designed, high-calorie/protein rations. Typically, each soldier carried a daily supply of the so-called Halbieserne or “Iron Ration” that contained one 300-gram tin of meat and one 125- or 150-gram unit of hard bread. The canned meat could be Schmalzfleisch (a pork product), Rinderbraten (roast beef), Truthahnbraten (turkey), or Hahnchenfleisch (chicken). In addition, there was canned Fleischkonserve, its contents generically, and thus ambiguously, labeled “canned meat,” which allowed for a number of colourful interpretations.

 Got any caviar?

In a world of big guns and big tanks, this is is not one of the all stars but I've had my eye on it since like  forever. I like the unusual so this should be fun. 

Let's see what's it's all about.

The box art is inviting. I think it will make a good subject.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/tamiya-35247-feldkueche--106491/timeline

Combat Rations of the German Military.
Another longstanding staple of the German Army’s menu of portable food items was the Erbswurst, a nourishing soup compressed into a pellet, packaged six to a ration. A pellet was crushed and dropped into a half pint of boiling water. One minute later and the instant soup was ready to eat. Condensed canned tomato soup was also available as a substitute when a field kitchen was not available, soldiers often adding half a can of water and half a can of milk to maximize its flavor. The milk also came condensed in cans.

Another couple of views on the side panel but the Japanese is beyond me I'm afraid.

As always, the grey camo scheme shown on the underside is very effective.

The little images on the side are great for giving an idea or two about painting and the like.

As usual the useful information on the end panels helps with your purchasing choices. Want a field kitchen? You might try this...

Snip snip. Here we go.

It was Napoleon Bonaparte who purportedly said, “An army travels on its stomach.” Maybe he forgot when he sent his troops off into Russia. 

Let's see what's in the box.

A field kitchen (also known as a battlefield kitchen, expeditionary kitchen, flying kitchen, or goulash cannon) is a kitchen used primarily by militaries to provide hot food to troops near the front line or in temporary encampments. Designed to be easily and quickly moved, they are usually mobile kitchens or mobile canteens, though static and tent-based field kitchens exist and are widely used.

Thank you Wiki...

What' the hell  is this?...

It's a good value kit packed full with plasticky goodness.

The sprue for the figures falls out first. I spy decals hiding away in there too.

Smells like the laundry is done.

And here's the wagon. 

Mobile field kitchens could cook while on the move and also featured ovens for baking bread and a means for brewing coffee. The tall stovepipe for venting smoke produced the slang term Goulaschkanone (“goulash cannon”). That famous German humour...

Instructions in English and Japanese. I'll be using the English.

Removing the plastic from the bag. It all looks good not a lot of flash and the details look both German and field kitcheny..

Food perks.
Elite troops received food “perks” as in the case of Kampfpackung fur Fallschirmjäger or “Combat Rations for Paratroops,” one item consisting of real canned cheese, but these were issued only prior to a combat mission. The special kit also contained two cans of ham chunks, one bar of ersatz high-energy food, and Milchkaffee (powdered milk and instant coffee), as well as Knäckebrot and candy drops.

Dinner is served. Where do you keep  the napkins?

A wagon on the wagon. Being securely guarded apparently. Or possibly they are protecting the chef...

The field kitchen, seen transported within a larger wagon. Pulled either by a motorized vehicle or by horse.

Mobile field kitchens or Feldküchennwagen incorporated a wood, coal, or charcoal-fed stove. The compact unit brought hot meals, usually stews or soup, to the troops in the field. One frequently seen item on the menu was Frontkameradensuppe, which consisted of a stew of beans, potatoes and ham (aka “the comrades”).

Don't lose the decals...

I'm looking forward to this. It's time to put it all together....]

More food perks. 

The SS had their exclusive version of German rations, the cans treated to a special extreme climate coating and painted in a rust-preventing yellow/brown lacquer. Standard German rations for SS units in the field consisted of a four-day supply: about 25 ounces of Graubrot (gray rye bread); 6-10 ounces of Fleisch (canned meat) or Wurst (canned sausage); some five ounces of vegetables; a half ounce of butter, margarine, jam, or hazelnut paste; either real or ersatz coffee; five grams of sugar; and, oddly enough, six cigarettes, despite the SS leadership’s antismoking stance, the rationale being that cigarettes served the troops under combat stress as a “nerve tonic.” There were also other special SS supplements, one example being canned Leberwurst, a quality liver spread.

Interesting...

The Third Reich’s antismoking initiatives, part of the general public health campaign that included protocols about alcohol and exposure to workplace contaminants, was prompted by research conducted in 1939 by German scientist Franz H. Muller, who published the world’s first epidemiological, case-control study showing a link between tobacco smoking and lung cancer. The various health programs sought to reduce lost time and expense due to illness, to help produce fit and healthy workers and soldiers and to “preserve the racial health of the Volk.”