DML
6320 StuG.III Ausf.G Early Production
1/35 injection plastic kit with decals and photo etch
As the German army increasingly found them selves outnumbered in the
later half of WWII, the Sturmgeschutz (assault guns) assumed an increasingly
important role in the Wehrmacht's armored strength. After being up-gunned
with the longer 75mm barrel, the Sturmgeschutz (StuG) became a major
adversary to Allied armor, especially the Soviet T-34. The most widely
produced version of the StuG was the Ausf G, which was equipped with
the longer StuK 40 L/48. The StuG III Ausf G entered production in
December 1942 and was particularly prominent on the Eastern Front.
This
StuG III Ausf G early is essentially an all new release which combines
Dragon¡¦s current high level of tooling, and the Smart Kit format.
The Ausf G early was one of the few StuG variants that Dragon did
not include in their 1990¡¦s StuG III releases. While these earlier
kits are good models in their own right, this new release highlights
the advances that have been made in 1/35 modelling over the last decade,
such as crisper tooling, improved attention to small detail and separate
link tracks which can be assembled without clean up.
This
kit has the features representative of an early 1943 production StuG
III G. Features that distinguish it from later Ausf G including a
shield to protect the loader while he exposed himself firing the roof
mounted machine gun, bolted applique armour on the glacis, return
rollers with rubber tires, early style cast drive sprocket, smoke
dischargers, and the rectangular gun mantlet made from armoured plate.
It differs from an initial production version in that the ventilator
fan is on the fighting compartment¡¦s rear wall and the front plates
on the side panniers are more angled.
The
StuG III Ausf G as produced in early 1943 did not have zimmerit applied
in the factory, and were not fitted with shurzen (side skirts), which
was added in April 1943. The Dragon kit has the earlier style muzzle
break, without the extended flanges, which is consistent with this
kit having 30mm applique armour and no shurzen. Such attention to
detail indicated that Dragon has done their research to ensure this
kit¡¦s external appearance is correct for a StuG produced from January
to March 1943.
The
gatefold instructions have 19 steps of line drawings that are clearly
laid out and, since this kit has few options, are very straightforward.
Photo etch is provided for the air intake grills, mesh over the air
deflector (faced downwards on the hull rear), upper fender supports,
centres for the idler wheels, and the internal collar ring of the
commander¡¦s cupola. The few injection marks are placed so that they
are hidden on the finished kit. Clean up of this kit¡¦s part should
be very quick.
MODULAR APPROACH
Like with the M2 Half-track, the StuG has a modular design, where
each major subassembly is based around one large piece. These are
the lower hull/running chassis, the upper superstructure, the engine
deck, and the gun mount/floor of the fighting compartment. These modules
come together in the last two steps. This modular design certainly
hints at the possibility of other StuG III variants (I have no inside
knowledge), and allows modelers to neatly divide construction over
several modeling sessions.
HULL
The newly tooled hull is the most impressive that I have seen on a
1/35 StuG/Panzer III model. The lower hull is a one-piece tub with
slide-molding used to provide detail such as weld seams on the bottom
and counter sunk holes on the sides. The suspension arms are now separate
parts, which are linked to the separate internal torsion bar suspension
arms. The angle of the arms could be adjusted to provide flexibility
in positioning the StuG in dioramas. The rear idlers have photo-etched
rims. The new road wheels have the tyre and rim as one piece (two
units per station), and like the return rollers now feature the Continenta(U)
brand name on the sidewalls.
Separate parts are provided for small detail such as the track tension
adjusters, rear bump stop, exhaust deflector, frame for the deflector,
and starter port cover. Many of these parts have been slide molded
and the exhaust pipes have hollowed out ends.
The side fenders have an impressive anti-skid pattern on the upper
surface and underside and integrated front and rear fenders. The holes
for the tools are predrilled. The tools have the brackets and clamps
cast on for ease of assembly and the newly tooled jack is built from
four parts plus separate parts for the brackets. The tow cables are
made from twisted wire with plastic end eyes.
The tracks are Magic Tracks where each link comes loose, and for most
modelers will require no clean up, although there are two small injector
pin marks on each link which could be shaved off with a hobby knife.
These links are the 40cm wide type with open guide horns and no chevrons
on the outer faces, a type that was common during the mid-war period.
The tracks are asymmetric in that there is a separate set for each
side to reflect the way the track pins were fitted. Each side is separately
packed and has its own shade of grey.
SUPERSTRUCTURE & ENGINE DECK
The superstructure is slide-molded and has a separate roof, which
would be useful if you wished to display the detailed internal fighting
compartment.
Clear plastic parts are provided for the driver¡¦s vision block, cupola
vision ports, and the main periscope gun sight. The commander¡¦s hatch
has interior details, such as handles and, like the loader¡¦s hatch
can be assembled open or closed.
Injection plastic smoke grenade launchers, which were fitted from
February to May 1943 are provided. You may want to add your own fuse
wire to the base of each launcher.
The forward armour is well done with sharp bolt heads on the 30mm
applique armour and the counter sunk screw holes near the brake access
hatches. The three-part Notek light is nicely done. The one-piece
injection barrel has a separate three part muzzle break.
For the engine deck all four hatches can be modeled open, although
you will need to supply your own Maybach HL 120 engine (several are
available). Weld detail is, like on other parts of the superstructure,
finely rendered. The spare track pins are included as separate parts
for the spare wheels on the engine deck. The detail underneath the
louvers is achieved using an extra piece for each louver and as result
is crisper than what I have seen on earlier StuG models. The two-part
toolbox has crisp padlocks.
FIGHTING COMPARTMENT
This StuG includes a significant amount of interior fitting, which
for most modelers¡¦ will do the trick, when the loader¡¦s and commander¡¦s
hatches are left open. The StuK 40 gun is quite detailed with the
breech, sights, hand wheel, gunner¡¦s seat, recuperator cylinders,
and recoil guard. It is attached to a realistic mount that is placed
on a floor, which has anti-skid plate, recessed handles for the access
points and a transmission tunnel. The rear firewall with the ventilator¡¦s
fan housing is included and the side panniers come with two radios
mounted in their racks. The commander¡¦s seat is also included.
A Cyber-Hobby upgrade set for this kit will include PE ammunition
racks, spent shell case and MP40 with ammunition pouches to provide
additional detail. Other missing detail such as the driver¡¦s position,
additional 75mm rounds, gas mask canisters, and headphones could be
source from spares or aftermarket sets if you want to add that level
of finesse.
DECALS
The medium sized decal sheet by Cartograf has markings for five StuG,
each of which is supported by 3 profiles on the instruction sheet.
The StuG are from:
* SS-StuG.Abteilung 2 with ¡§Das Reich¡¨ in Russia 1943.
* Panzer Grenadier Division ¡§Grosdeutschland¡¨ in Russia 1943
* SS-StuG Abteilung 3 with ¡§Totenkopf¡¨ in Russia 1944.
* An unidentified unit on the Eastern Front in 1944. This StuG has
a distinctive Balkan Cross with both white and black outlines, but
no center white cross.
* A captured StuG used by the Soviets in the Ukraine 1944 that is
whitewashed with Cyrillic (Russian) writing on the side panniers.
RECOMMENDATION
This is definitely the most impressive model of the StuG III G available
in 1/35 scale and will make an impressive model out of the box. The
exterior detail is crisp, compares favourably to references, and benefits
from the inclusion of Magic Tracks and PE for all three grills and
several other items. The interior fittings add that extra interest,
either in their own right or as the basis for a super-detailing project.
Highly recommended.
-
Neville
Nord
