WIKING DOHA
Stephen Paul Hardy tells us more about the VW Dopplekabine.
With a decade of production in full swing by 1960 the variations of Volkswagen’s well-known, and much loved, first generation of Transporter models was growing steadily. Amongst them was the Dopplekabine (DoKa).
By 1960 Wiking-Modellbau’s range was, likewise, expanding and on the cusp of arguably its golden decade of modelling. For their traffic model range Wiking worked in nominal HO which in 1960 was with models in 1/90. At the same time Wiking was also engaged in produced 1/40 scale models exclusively for Volkswagen for promotional and advertising purposes.
Running up into the 1960s Wiking were making the transition from the solid window (Unverglast) toolings of the late 1940s and early 50s to their first series of glazed (verglast) cars, trucks and lorries. By 1960/61 this transition was in full swing and very evident with each year’s new models releases. For 1961 which included a DoKa model. Catalogue numbering in that era was simple. Numbered 29d with “d” denoting “dopplekabine” it supplemented the existing number 29 VW-Pritschenwagen. The model was upgraded for 1966 when the 29d was replaced by 29m VW-Montagewagen - a Doka kitted out with “Werkzeug” detailing to the pick-up bed and a demountable ladder. 29m became one of the most sought after of all the HO scale Wiking VW models.
The Wiking catalog numbering system changed in 1974 with the addition of an extra number in the sequence and some reordering. Although by that time both DoKa models had become obsolete their pre ‘74 numbers have retrospectively been updated so that, quite often, the 29d DoKa is now referred to as 292 and the 29m Montagewagen as 296.
WIKING REFERENCE SOURCES
As with many other model ranges having a long-established production history, a Wiking collector’s standard reference books exist. Of them the Der Gelbe Katalog series, published by Marketpreis-Verlag, was for several decades the bestknown standard reference. With typewriter style font and simple but very informative line drawing illustrations it was compiled by Karl A.Koch, with later editions coming under the editorship of Holger Wanner. The expansion in size of each successive volume underlined how many new models had been released in the preceding 12 months and how many verified colour and tooling variations of obsolete models had been discovered in that time also.
More recently the catalogues and “Wiking-Handbuch” with lavish colour illustrations published by auctioneers Auktionshaus Saure have challenged the Gelbe Katalog’s position as primary reference. The strength of the Marketpreis-Verlag volumes though is in the standardisation of references to colour that relied on a wellproduced set of colour cards with which a collector - or dealer could quickly identify the colour of any Wiking model.
29d VW-DOPPELKABINE
Included in the Wiking catalogue 1961-65 the DoKa was a beautiful model and period typical of the early generation glazed HO Wikings. There is something about the quality of the modelling, tooling and moulding of that era that is so evocative and representative of the contemporary real-life vehicles. Over and above everything else it is the quality, depth and finish of the self-coloured plastics used
that is so endearing. More usually, good examples of the models are found with the VW roundel on the nose and the rear number plate highlighted in silver paint in addition to the headlights. Rear tail lights on most examples had a very small touch of red paint added. Wheels varied in style and in shades of grey with hub caps getting flatter and shades darkening respectively during the four years of production.
29m VW-MONTAGEWAGEN
Produced for catalogue years 1966 -68 the Montagewagen was a DoKa with added “Werkzeug” detailing and demountable stepladder. Not surprisingly given that the ladder was a fragile two-piece moulding and set on an equally fragile support structure, damaged versions are far easier to find than complete ones. By 1966 Wiking had normally reduced painted-in detailing to just the headlights.
Whereas the contemporary Wiking VW-Kastenwagen, Kombi and Sonderbus models were made from two (upper and lower) piece body mouldings and therefore in a variety of two-tone as well as single colour versions, both the single (29) and double cab (29d and 29m) pick-ups were one piece body mouldings, available in single colours only.
REISSUES
Over 30 years elapsed after the 29m Montagewagen was dropped from the catalogue for it to make a reappearance, in kommunalorange in a four vehicle Wiking “50 Jahre VW Transporter” set in 2000, followed by releases in sets exclusive to the German Post Museums Shop (PMS) in 2002 and 2008. All three though seemed to have lost the charm on the originals - perhaps on account of the modern tempo printing on the PMS issues or the lack of depth of colours in the plastic. Having much more charm was a pair of 29d from Sammler-Kontor in 2016 and Auktionshaus-Saure with a 29d in 2017 and a particularly attractive 29m in h’lehmbraun for 2018.
The pièce de résistance reissue was the PMS retro package set from the Winter of 2019 containing no less that ten 29d models in a reproduction of the Händlerkarton packaging in which Wiking used to supply models to retail dealers. Particularly eye-catching the models were paired in light and dark shades of grey, green, brown, red and blue.
When it comes to colours though none of the reissues beat the 1960s originals in matt grey blue (m’graublau) that is so like one of Volkswagen’s most popular paint finishes for the working transporters - L31 (40) Dove Blue. Given that the DoKa was designed very much as a workhorse vehicle, the little Wiking models look at their very best when lugging items from Wikings contemporary accessory Nr.130 “Ladegut” (assorted loads) set and towing a matching colour trailer, catalogue Nr.5, thanks to the addition of a towing hitch from the accessory Nr.135 “Zuhagen” set.
THE 29d AND 29m IN THE UK
During the period that 29d and 29m were current issues the best source of Wiking in the UK was exclusively by mail order from Mr C.F. Tredgold of Littelover, Derby, who I understand worked for Rolls-Royce and imported the models by the suitcase load on his return from business trips to Germany. Marketed as model railway layout accessories through adverts in magazines such as the Airfix Magazine and Railway Modeller Mr Tredgold’s stock list and prices for 1966 make interesting reading.
Wiking listed the 29m Montagewagen at DM 0.90 - a price rise of ten pfennig on the previous DM 0.80 for 29d. That in pre-decimalisation (£.s.d) Britain worked out as 2/3d (two shillings and thruppence) plus p&p for the 29m which was quite expensive. As a result, Wiking models were - and continued for many years to be - a rather specialist collector theme.
It would seem that Mr Tredgold’s era was supplanted around 1971. Certainly by 1972 M&R (Model Railways) Ltd., Hove, Sussex had become importers adding Wiking to their long list of well-known German manufacturers on the model railway scene.
THE CURRENT DOKA
A totally new 1/87 scale take on the DoKa theme was released in 2010 by Wiking. With its modern tooling and excellent detail though it and the stunning 1/40 Volkswagen promotional DoKa are subjects for another day’s feature…