Product Specifications.

6465, Sd.Kfz.184 Elefant w/Zimmerit. 1/35th-scale injection molded styrene/multimedia kit. Contains: 324 styrene parts (including 12 clear), two DS100 track lengths, eight metal parts, one turned aluminum gun tube, one length of brass chain, one photo-etched brass fret, one piece of braided metal wire, five decal marking schemes and eight pages of instructions in 22 steps.

Introduction.

DMLs Ferdinand and Elefant kits have been re-issued a few times with improved parts as Premium Edition kits. These usually means that what were fine all-styrene kits to begin with, got upgrades in the form of various metal parts, extra etched brass and even a turned aluminum gun tube. This release of the Elefant has most of these upgrades and now (finally!) includes exquisitely-rendered molded-on Zimmerit.

Tracks.

These consist of single lengths for each side, in flexible DS100 styrene. They can be fixed with standard styrene cements and can also show sag better by being glued to the appropriate road-wheels. This material takes paint very well and when finished will look quite good. A dozen hard styrene links are provided for stowage, in the so-called Magic Track style.

Suspension Syetem.

The torsion bar arms are fully detailed and include separate end caps, while the wheel hubs properly represent both types, one of which protruded further than the other; be careful when you fix them in place. Also, these were all-steel, so dont go and paint the rims in your favorite rubber color! The suspension will articulate to a certain degree after assembly and the idler sprocket can be adjusted, which will help when installing the individual-link tracks; this means that the modeler wont come up with too many or too few links at the last moment.

Hull.

The hull molding comes from a slide-mold and has complete details on the sides and belly plate. This includes weld beads, access plates, drain plugs, panels and various rivets. Aside from the suspension components, various mud scrapers are added. The lower glacis plate is also integral with this part and includes interlocked armor plate joints with weld details. The rear plate is a separate part, to which separate exhaust shrouds are added. There are choices of etched brass or styrene deflector plates and screens, as well as styrene or metal U-shaped tow clevises. The tool box was relocated to the hull rear, and it now has Zimmerit.

Single-piece styrene fender/mud-flap units are provided, while to the starboard side is added a styrene spare antenna storage cylinder. Spare track racks are also provided as styrene or etched brass parts.

Superstructure.

Parts of the superstructure side plates are located on the hull molding; this will help in alignment. Separate front plates and separate rear quarter plates must all be carefully aligned so things dont go amiss later on. All have Zimmerit where its needed. The engine deck plate can then be added along with the various hatch lids (with separate clear periscope heads, detailed with etched brass parts), antenna mount, gun travel lock and vent covers. Up front, a pair of Bosch head-lamps, and a multi-part etched brass and styrene jack and jack block can be used; there is also a choice of styrene or metal U-shaped tow clevises. The starboard side gats either a closed styrene tool box or an opened etched brass version, complete with styrene tools and etched brass clamps. Styrene end loops, wound metal wire and etched brass brackets will allow the modeler to produce an excellent tow cable, while there is a station-keeping tail-lamp at the rear.

Casemate.

This is a single main part coming from a slide-mold. So, there is complete detail on all sides to include various plate interlocks, weld beads, attachment bolts, hatch lid openings, periscope lid openings, hinges and gun sight cover. The Zimmerit is provided in all the right places, and is well-rendered. The fume extractor vent cover, as well as the hatch lids are separate, with the latter detailed on all sides, while the periscopes are now provided as clear parts. The large round removable plate on the rear face of the casemate has a separate shell-ejection port lid; it includes Zimmerit where appropriate. The MP-Stopfen (pistol ports) are provided as separate parts; they can be depicted hanging in the opened position with provided chain.

The 8.8cm PaK43/2 L/71 gun tube is given in its original two-piece styrene form or as a turned brass composite item with a three-part, slide-molded muzzle brake. The mantlet will allow for some articulation and there is a choice of etched brass or styrene rain guards for the casemate face. Clear styrene parts are provided for the various periscopes, while the commanders cupola can be embellished with etched brass parts if the modeler so desires. There is a basic gun breech and mount for the interior.

Molding Fit and Engineering.

Fit of the main parts is quite good overall, just take care when aligning the left and right side superstructure extensions, parts B6 and B7, along with the rear plate, part B5. It is not as if theres problem here, its simply that you will want these straight and true so that the casemate will fit properly. The same goes for the front end; there are several parts that fit over one another, so be careful and go slow. Molding is very crisp and there is virtually no flash; seams are minimal and will respond quite quickly to a swipe with a hobby knife or fine sanding media. Knock-out pins are minimal; this is an older kit so they are present on the inner surfaces of some hatch lids. They are extremely faint and easily removed with a light sanding; no details will be harmed.

Accuracy and Details.

Hilary Doyles drawings in Panzer Tracts 9 is the reference I used to check the kits parts for accuracy. The casemate roof matches Doyle except for the shape of the sliding sight cover; it is too long on the side nearest the commanders cupola. The large vent grille on the center of the engine deck is shorter and wider than seen in Doyles drawing. Other main components match within more than acceptable tolerances. For the sticklers among you, it must be remembered that the early, pre-CAD Panzer Tracts books had their plans drawn in 1/24th-scale and reduced 69% to approximately 1/35th-scale. This should be kept in mind when using them as references. The only major omission noted is the lack of a 2-meter rod antenna.

Instructions.

The instructions are in the usually busy, drawn style associated with DML.

Painting and Markings.

Markings are rather generic and are provided by Cartograf. The decal sheet consists of tac numbers in black and white, Balkenkreuze national insignia, and the unit insignia of s.Pz.Jag.Abt.653. Five different vehicles can be modeled. Three are from s.Pz.Jag.Abt.653 (two in Poland and one in Italy) and two more are for the Kompanie formed from survivors in Poland in 1945, s.Pz.Jag.Abt.614.

Conclusion.

Many modelers are Zimmerit-phobic, myself among them. So having parts with the Zimmerit molded in place is a definite plus, as far as I am concerned. This ones for us!

Highly recommended.

Frank V. Curly Stooge De Sisto

References consulted included:

1. Combat History of Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 653; J.J. Fedorowicz, by K. Munch.
2. Combat History of Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 654; J.J. Fedorowicz, by K. Munch.
3. Elefant and Maus (+E-100); AFV Weapons Profile 61, by W. Spielberger & J. Milsom.
4. Ferdinand, Elefant, Vol.1; AJ Press, Gun Power 22, by T. Melleman.
5. Panzerkampfwagen Tiger; Achtung Panzer No.6, by M. Bitoh, H. Kitamura & M. Udsuki.
6. Jagdpanzer; Panzer Tracts No.9, by T. Jentz & H. Doyle.
7. Elefant, Panzerjager Tiger (P); Museum Ordnance Special No.4, Darlington Productions, by T. Jentz & J. McKaughan.

Reviewers note: Since May of 2005, I have been working on books for Concord Publications, a sister company to DML. The reader may wish to take this into consideration. For my part, I will attempt to maintain an objective viewpoint when writing these reviews.

- Frank V. De Sisto