DML 6520: 1/35 Sd Sd.Kfz.167 StuG.IV Early Production

1/35 injection plastic kit with decals and photo etch

Entering production in late 1943, the Sturgeschutz IV (StuG IV) was a means of increasing assault gun production to make up for losses following the bombing of the Alkett StuG III plant near Berlin. Krupp switched from building the Panzer IV to building the StuG IV which utilized the former’s chassis while replacing the turret with the StuG fixed superstructure. This change simplified production (relative the Panzer) allowing Krupp to produce over 1100 StuG IV by wars end. German records show that most StuG IV were allocated to the Sturmgeschutz or Panzerjager companies belonging to infantry divisions which included Wehrmacht Infanterie, Waffen SS and Volks-Grenadier (late war Army divisions which were separate to the Volkssturm). These units saw combat in Western and Eastern Europe, Italy, and the final battles within Germany.

CONTENTS

This is the first 1/35 release of the StuG IV that is tooled to current standards and is in the Smart Kit format. While at least five different versions of the StuG IV has been released over time, all of them had shortcoming which either detracted from the end result or frustrated many modelers during construction. This is the first StuG IV that combines accuracy and crisp detail while being designed to be pleasing to build.

As expected this kit is based on the hull from Dragon’s recent Panzer IV Ausf H and some superstructure parts from the StuG III G Smart Kit. New parts include the superstructure and extended driver’s compartment, schurzen (side armor), mantlet, fighting compartment floor with elevated area over fuel tanks, fenders, and varying small fittings. One strength of this kit is that the researchers and designers have taken some time to accurately reflect how the tools, spare tracks and other fittings appeared on the early production StuG IV (having spent some time scratch building these in the past I am pleased to see their inclusion). The kit includes the option of fitting the driver’s rain gutter which was added to the StuG IV in mid 1944.

The often optional photo etch includes the base of the C shaped towing clevis, collar inside the commander’s cupola, base of the spare wheels rack, brackets for the front spare tracks, flaps for the side plate engine vents, baffles below the engine deck hatches, tail reflector, detail on the rear convoy light, and a pair of fender supports.

The metal side skirts are thin to give a realistic in scale effect and can be bent to depict frontline service. With each panel being separate it is easy to depict a StuG missing the odd panel. The three centre panels on each side have a second PE plate on the inner top as seen in factory photos. The panels have the positions for the plastic D brackets marked on to simplify assembly. The mounting rails are plastic with triangular supports.

The 15 step gatefold instruction sheet is clearly laid out and clean up of the parts should be very quick. Early production StuG IV were coated in zimmerit, which you need to add. The horizontal ridges pattern, as shown on the box art, is the easiest zimmerit pattern to apply with putty and photos show that Krupp was not always that meticulous in applying zimmerit.

SUPERSTRUCTURE & ENGINE DECK

The superstructure is slide-molded with a separate roof and separate forward driver’s compartment. Separate parts are also provided for the engine deck and the upper glacis with the brake access hatches. The forward armour is well done with sharp bolt heads such as on the 30mm applique armour. Other detail includes the MG shield which is detailed on both sides and free on sink marks, Gen-2 MG 34, periscope covers, aerial mounts and ventilator cover.

The spare tracks are stored on the right side of the superstructure and have been tooled to ensure there are no visible injection marks and that the mounting rod is integrated into the track parts to save fiddly assembly. Their rack shows attention to small detail and optional parts are included to allow for an empty rack.

Clear plastic parts are provided for the driver’s vision block, cupola vision ports, and the main periscope gun sight. The three crew hatches have interior details, such as handles and, all can be assembled open or closed.

The engine deck is a new slide molding and the two hatches can be modeled open, although you will need to supply your own May Bach HL 120 engine.

FIGHTING COMPARTMENT

This Stag includes a partial interior which for many modellers’ will do the trick, when the loader’s and commander’s hatches are left open. The Stuck 40 gun is quite detailed with the breech, sights, hand wheel, gunner’s seat, recuperate cylinders, and recoil guard. It is attached to a realistic mount that is placed on a floor that like in the StuG IV is elevated to allow for the petrol tanks. The rear firewall with the ventilator’s fan housing is included and the side panniers come with racks with two radios mounted in one of the racks. The commander’s seat is not included.

PANZER IV HULL

The lower hull is shared with Dragon’s latest Panzer IV series Smart Kits and has the correct rear upper hull without the auxiliary electric generator. The lower hull has slide-molded detail on the bottom and sides such as weld beams counter sunken holes and screw heads. Other features such as the drive housing and the use of separate parts for the rear idler mount, bump stops etc are as expected for a Smart Kit. A twisted wire tow cable is stored on the rear plate. The rear exhaust is a detailed multi-part assembly with a hollowed outlet.

The fenders are new parts and have an anti-skid pattern on the upper surface and underside and separate front and rear fenders. The holes for the tools are predrilled and the bottom of some of the brackets are crisply cast onto the fenders, which combined with the sharply defined tools (which have the brackets and clamps cast on) will deliver crisp results. The multipart jack is built from five parts and has separate brackets while the three part Notek light is nicely done.

The spare road wheels are stored in a newly tooled open metal box/bin which is on the left fender and has a PE base. Spare Panzer III/IV tracks are mounted on the glacis plate and hull rear (six of these have no visible injection marks), while the lower spare track rack can be filled with Magic Tracks.

SUSPENSION

The suspension has features indicative of the early to mid production StuG IV. The road wheels have the tyre and rim as one piece and separate hub-caps with the later simplified profile, while there is a choice of two later all steel patterns of return rollers. There is a choice of rear idlers being the earlier welded design or the later cast type. The later idler has a center hub with cast texture while the outer rim is smooth which depicts how the real idlers were made.

The Magic Tracks are the 40cm wide type with solid guide horns and chevrons on the outer faces and the links come precut (loose) allowing for quick assembly. There is a separate set for each side to reflect how the track pins were fitted. Each side is separately packed with its own shade of grey.

DECALS & PAINT SCHEMES

The instruction sheet includes painting guides for seven StuG IV which offer a representative range of the different paint schemes seen in photos. All StuG have at least one Balkan Cross and all have a dark yellow base coat. One is from Italy 1944 with the 32 Infanterie Division and has heavy camouflage markings of medium green and red-brown bands. The second is from Kurland (Baltic coast) which saw desperate fighting in 1945 and has camouflage stripes above the fenders. The next is from StuG Brigade 277 in East Prussia 1945 and has a white wash. A solid yellow StuG with black 111 on the schurzen and a unit emblem on the fenders is placed in the Ukraine 1944 and one from one of the last major tank battles in Europe at Lake Balaton Hungary has small white stripes over the yellow base. A gun named Bruno and with green stripes is from Poland 1944 and the StuG in the box art is from Waffen SS 17 Pz Grenadier Division ‘Gotz von Berlichingen’ in Normandy 1944. The decal sheet is from Cartograf.

RECOMMENDATION

Dragon’s new Sturmgeschutz IV offers an impressive model of this late war assault gun. This is the first 1/35 model of the StuG IV to combine accuracy, crisp tooling and ease of assemble. Definitely recommended.

- Neville Lord