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6365
StuG.III Ausf.G Early Production with Schurzen
This kit is representative of an early production StuG III Ausf G produced in mid 1943 and features include bolted applique armour on the glacis, the optional smoke dischargers that were fitted from February to May 1943, return rollers with rubber tires, early style cast drive sprocket, and a shield to protect the loader while he exposed himself firing the roof mounted machine gun. Typical for a mid 1943 production StuG, it does not have zimmerit which was not fitted until September 1943 and the mantlet is the earlier design (flat front with bolt heads). New photo etch is provided for the schurzen side skirts. Being PE the parts are thin, which gives a realistic in scale effect; and can be easily bent to reflect frontline service. With each panel being separate it is easy to depict a StuG missing a few panels. There are six panels per side as the centre sections have two panels each to accurate reflect how the schurzen was fitted. The panels have the positions where it was attached to mounting rail marked to simplify assembly. The mounting rails are plastic with plastic support brackets and early type hooked supports appropriate for mid 1943.
Other photo etch parts include 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 gatefold instructions have 19 steps of line drawings that are clearly laid out and, since this kit has few options, are very straightforward. 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
The StuG III Ausf G 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 along with the schurzen come together in the last two steps. This approach allows modelers to neatly divide construction over several modeling sessions. 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 separate parts, which are linked to the separate internal torsion bar suspension arms. The angle of the arms could be adjusted to provide flexibility (e.g. in dioramas). The rear idlers have photo-etched rims. The road wheels have the tyre and rim as one piece (two units per station), and like the return rollers feature Continenta(U) 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 jack is built from four parts plus separate parts for the brackets. The tow cables are made from twisted wire with plastic end eyes. This release has subtle positioning marks on the fender lips to help you position the forward support brackets for the schurzen.
The tracks are Magic Tracks where each link comes loose, and for most modelers will require no clean up, although each link has two small injector pin marks. 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 with a separate set in its own pack and shade of grey to reflect the way the track pins were fitted.
SUPERSTRUCTURE
& ENGINE DECK The superstructure is slide-molded with a separate roof and appropriate for a 1943 StuG III G with schurzen the ventilator fan is on the fighting compartment's rear wall. 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. 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 crisp. 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. The Cartograf decal sheet is new to this kit and has markings for six StuG, each of which is supported by 3 profiles on the instruction sheet and a colour side profile on the box.
Decals include four styles of Balkan Crosses, gun numbers, tactical markings and unit emblems.
The StuG are from:
* Panzer Jager Abteilung 2, 12 Panzer Division in Estonia (Baltic) 1944 which gun number Black stencil "221" and is dark yellow with white wash * SS Panzer Grenadier Division "Das Reich" at Kursk 1943 which is a three colour scheme with Balkan Crosses and smaller unit and tactical markings. * SS Panzer Grenadier Division "Totenkopf" at Kursk 1943 which dark yellow with large brown patches with white Balkan Crosses and unit emblem. * Panzer Abteilung 103, 3 Panzer Grenadier Division in Italy 1943 which is solid dark yellow with unit emblems * Panzer Abteilung (Funklenk) 301, 2 Panzer Division in Normandy which is dark yellow with green and brown camouflage stripes and spots. Gun number 421. This unit was responsible for Borgward remote control demolition vehicles * Panzer Abteilung (Funklenk) 302, from the Warsaw uprising which is dark yellow with camouflague stripes, one Balkan Cross and tactical insignia.
RECOMMENDATION
This
new release is very comprehensive and will definitely appeal to many
WWII modelers. The addition of the PE schurzen to Dragon's class leading
StuG III G Early will allow modelers to depict any of a broad range
of StuGs as seen in wartime photos. -Neville Lord Copyright 1998-2009 Dragon Models Limited. All Rights Reserved |