MiniArt offers a 1/24th-scale Jerrycans German type 20L.

Made from two pieces of pressed steel that slotted into each other, they needed only one weld to hold them together. The jerrycan was developed under strict secrecy. It had flat rectangular sides and two halves which were welded like automobile fuel tanks. The jerrycan had three handles that made it easy to pass from man to man. It was 5 US gallons in capacity and weighed about 45 pounds. It was poured smoothly by an ingenious spout, which did not require a funnel. The can was opened with no tool and contained an air chamber to keep it floating if dropped into water. Three handles allowed soldiers to easily hold four cans by placing them close together. This was especially useful in bucket brigades. The inside was lined with impervious plastic so they could be used for fuel or water.

German Afrika Korps using these cans in the Western desert WWII

The strength of the

Wehrmachtskanister

was also recognised in the Soviet Union. The Soviet Army adopted its design and accepted the Wehrmachtskanister as the standard liquid container. The container continues to be produced in Russia today. This container was designed for civilian purposes, primarily to store automotive fuels and lubricants. The British Army immediately recognized the benefits of German fuel cans when they first encountered them during the Norwegian Campaign, in 1940. The British used cans captured from the “Jerries” (slang for Germans), hence “jerrycans”, in preference to their own containers as much as possible.

British soldier refueling a lorry with petrol from a jerrycan

The US-designed jerrycan was widely used by US Army and Marine Corps units. Fuel and petroleum products accounted for about half of the total supply requirements in all overseas theaters. In the European Theatre of Operations alone, over 19 million were required to support US forces by May 1945.

Refilling Jerrycans at a supply depot- Normandy, 1944

The German design jerrycan is still a standard container for fuel and other liquids in the armies of the NATO countries. Civilians and armies all over the world use this can and its variations in many materials all around the world to this day.

The new kit by MiniArt
German Jerry Cans, WWII from MiniArt is made in a new tooled kit in 1/24th Scale to match their new 24th scale kits and accessory series. This box includes 12 cans and six sprues. Plastic parts are used to represent handles, caps, and two halves that simply make the and. The earlier 20ltr triangular metal cans are also included in this set.

Photo-etch is included for the seam between the plastic barrels

Decals for the cans are included also. The cans are “modern”, from the 1940’s and onwards. They are marked with the logos of the large petroleum companies. You can leave these off however if you require something from an earlier timeframe.