The firm of Peter Koch Modellwerk G.m.b.H., based in Köln-Nippes, Germany, was commissioned to produce 5 presentationmodels of the VW38. The firm of Peter Koch was a very established and famous model making firm for shipping models, educational purposes and for the car industry. In the early war years, approximately 40-50 prisoners of war were kept at their premises who were forced to work for them.
Five of these scale model KdF Wagen presentation models were made by hand during 1938 by the firm. The first model (apparently unnumbered) was presented to Adolf Hitler on April 20, 1938, his 50th birthday. This detailed model on the “crate” in which it was delivered, is commonly seen in photos with Hitler, Dr. Porsche and others on the occasion of its presentation. The whereabouts of this model are currently unknown. Four additional, numbered models were completed and delivered to Porsche K.-G. in August 1938. Model no. 1 was auctioned in October 2003 and bought by a German collector and the whereabouts of no. 2 are unknown. Model no. 3 with license plate 23.9.1941 was presented to Dr. Robert Bosch on his 80th birthday and was bought at a Christies auction by Robert Bosch AG in February 1996 for £ 42,550. Model no 4 was delivered to the Deutsches Museum, Munich, in September 1938 where it can frequently be seen on display. The models were made of sheet copper and painted black. The hoods and doors could be opened and the seats were covered with suede. The serial numbers of model 1-4 were placed inside the front and rear hood and on 3 places on the chassis. There are small differences between the models as they were made by hand. As an example: the door handles on the model presented to Hitler were more elongated than on the numbered models.
Enclosed is also a picture of a tag the firm of KOCH used to attach to their ship models.
