DR6420 Sd.kfz 138 Panzerjager 38 Marder III H Fgst 38t Ausf. E

1/35 injection plastic kit with PE, accessories and decals

The Marder III H was the second panzerjager (tank destroyer) the German's built on the Czech designed Panzer 38(t) chassis. The Marder III self-propelled anti tank guns provided much needed anti-tank capabilities for the German Army. The Marder III H was equipped with 7.5cm Pak 40/3 and an improved superstructure, which provided better protection for the gun crew who could now stand behind cover from small arm fire when manning the Pak.

The open fighting compartment left the crew very exposed to the snow and rain, and this kit, Dragon's second release of the Marder III H, includes a tarpaulin as well as improved rear spare shell catcher (basket), enhanced gun carriage mount and a comprehensive engine bay.

These improvements make the kit more rewarding to build and are in keeping with this release belonging to Dragon's Smart Kit range. Other features include Magic Tracks and clear plastic for the periscopes and vision blocks. The gatefold instructions have 27 steps of line drawings.

KEY FEATURES

The first new feature which caught my attention was the DS Styrene canvas cover. This single piece item fits over the gun shield and is tooled with realistic folds and sagging as well as having the securing straps cast on. These covers are often seen in photos from the Eastern Front. Being flexible DS works well for draped canvas as it sits in a similar manner.

Photo etch parts include the perforated tool box, mesh and sliding cover over engine deck grill, grills over the engine access doors, storage rack on the side of the armored shield, small detail on front vision blocks and strapping on the upper ammunition bins.

HULL & SUSPENSION

Thee main hull is a detailed one-piece tub, which has separate parts for the rear idler mount, return roller mounts, front lower glacis and rear plates, tow hooks, access hatch and several other fittings. Small detail such as bolt heads is nicely rendered.

The engine deck has separate hatches for access to the engine bay which now included the detailed engine seen in some other related Dragon kits. The engine bay compares favorably to references and offers plenty of potential for dioramas and super detailed projects. The engine block is multipart and has accurate small detail such as the gasket heads. Numerous other engine bay fittings such as the battery, air filter, radiator, firewall, fan with the numerous blades and belt, filter and varying tubes are all included. Given the full engine block is detailed you could also model the engine removed or being hoisted up for servicing.

PE is used for the mesh over the vents on the underside of the engine deck hatches, a feature that has been overlooked in aftermarket PE sets. This release has alternative PE mesh screens with integrated frames over the engine deck grilles one for use with the sliding plate visible and one without the sliding plate.

The distinctive rear spent carriage catcher is made from preformed metal and a plastic frame, while the perforated side catchers are plastic. The rear catcher (basket) has been improved in this release and now the metal frame includes integrated outer lips to simplify assembly.

The upper glacis has the driver vision hatch which can be modeled opened or closed and includes the cowling and a clear plastic vision block, and a movable hull machine gun, which is the Czech made MG 37(t). The front glacis plate has separate transmission inspection cover, and fine bolt heads are prominently featured throughout the upper hull.

The driving compartment interior is reasonably detailed and includes an ammunition rack, the suspended floor, transmission, rear fire-wall, driver's seats and dashboard.

The side fenders have a lip (fold) on the outer edge, and separate fender support brackets. There are no predrilled holes on the fenders, so take care when fitting the tools and other fittings. The hull fittings are sharply defined and include a multipart jack, a Notek lamp with PE detail, and spare tracks with PE clamps.

The pre-cut Magic Tracks have open guide horns and minute casting numbers on each link. They can be assembled by clicking them together and applying glue when each track is finished. I found the link clicked together with a positive alignment, which held firm during normal handling.

The crisply tooled suspension can be assembled with some articulation to allow for positioning on a diorama base. The road wheels have the bolt head detail on both the outer and inner faces, while other bolt heads are on the return roller mounts and suspension frames.

PAK 40/3 ANTI-TANK GUN & UPPER ARMOUR

On the Marder III H the PaK's lafette was mounted on a T shaped frame that sits across the top of the hull. This frame has been improved in this release and has sharp detail for the teethed arc on which the gun traversed.

Armour plate were fitted around the front and side of the gun. Each side armour shield is a single piece, which has separate fittings such as periscopes (clear plastic), radios and ammunition bins attached on the inside. The exterior bolt heads are finely cast, the tie- down cleats are cast in position, and a perforated rack on the side shield is built from 10 PE parts.

The PaK 40/3 is made from approximately 70 parts and has a choice of plastic or turned metal gun barrel. The plastic barrel has a one-piece tube made using slide technology and both barrels are drop fits into the breach and muzzle breaks. Three different muzzle brakes are included and all are crisp with slide molded parts. The front gunlock can be swiveled to be either in place for travel or down for combat.

A plastic sprue has 8 rounds, 11 ammunition tubes, and 2 metal boxes, which can be used as you wish on the vehicle or in a diorama.

DECALS

The Cartograph decal sheet contains three Balkan Crosses and marking for the shells and their cases. The instruction sheet and the colour profiles on the box profile two Marder from unidentified units on the Eastern Front. One gun is solid dark yellow and the other dark grey and both have Balkan Crosses on the sides and rear.

RECOMMENDATION

Dragon's Marder III H is an impressive kit which includes numerous details that reveal a high level of research and tooling. The inclusion of PE, turned metal barrel, driver's compartment and full engine bay ensure that it offers considerable potential for modelers who wish to display the optional features. Equally the kit allows a broad range of modelers to build a rewarding Panzerjager out of the box. Definitely recommended.

- Neville Lord