DML 6525: Sd.Kfz 7/1 2cm Flakvierling auf Selbstfahrlafette
1/35 injection plastic kit with decals and photo etch

Armed with the 2cm Flakvierling which delivered a potent rapid fire from its four barrels, the Sd.Kfz 7/1 is one of the most popular anti-aircraft vehicles with modellers. Being one of the larger German half-tracks, the Sd.Kfz 7 was able to provide a stable platform for the Flakvierling with its high recoil. First ordered by the Luftwaffe at the start of the war, close to 800 Sd.Kfz 7/1 had been produced by December 1944 when production ended. For modelers the Sd.Kfz 7/1 with its open layout and movable parts offers considerable potential in how it is displayed either on its own or in a diorama.

This is Dragon’s first 1/35 release from the Sd.Kfz 7 series and also of a kit featuring the Flakvierling 38. As a result nearly all parts are new and all are tooled to the latest standards, ensuring that an impressive model can be built out of the box. This model follows the Smart Kit format and includes crisp tooling, careful use of photo etch, and Magic Tracks. Thoughtful touches include the inclusion of a full engine and masks for the windscreen to make painting easier.

This kit depicts and early production version with the unarmoured forward cab and a central pivot mounting for the Flakvierling. Later versions had some forward armour and secured the Flak using its standard ground mount via ratchets and supports.

Photo etch is provided for the mesh on the side frames (double etched to replicated the woven effect), flange on the sprocket wheels, anti-skid mounting for the Notek light and windscreen wipers. The gatefold instructions have 17 steps of line drawings that are clearly laid out. As the parts are crisply cast and the few injection marks are hidden out of sight, clean up should be very quick.

NEW FLAKVIERLING & FIGHTING PLATFORM

One of the first things I noticed is that the Flak’s gun shields have the option of being folded inwards for travel. This is achieved by including two sets of shields. As expected the gun can traverse 360 degrees and offers a choice of elevations.

Both sets of injection plastic gun shields have a thin in scale appearance and are free of injection pin marks. Both sides of the shields have considerable integrated detail such as angled plates, brackets and nut heads and are far more impressive than what I have seen on older kits or aftermarket PE sets.

As a quad mounting the Flakvierling had three crew seats (gunner plus two loaders) and these are realistically detailed as are other features such as the gun cradle, hand wheels, gun sight and ammunition clips and feeders. The round base plate for the Flakvierling (central pivot mounting) is finely detailed with layered ringed plates and sharp bolt heads. This extra detail (and research) adds to the kit’s authenticity.

The 20mm barrels are newly tooled single piece slide-moldings with hollow muzzle opening that have the flash suppressors on the side are represented by indentations. While I expect that some modelers will replace these with aftermarket metal ones, the kit barrels are crisper than several one-piece metal flak barrels that I’ve seen.

The gun is mounted on a flat platform which has the WWII German diamond pattern anti-skid. The rear crew seats can be assembled either down for travel or folded up for combat and the cushions have realistic creases. The side screens are made from single piece plastic frames and single piece PE mesh which are double etched to give the woven effect on both sides (a feature absent on some aftermarket PE for similar subjects). As expected the frames can be lowered for combat or raised for travel. Varying small fittings such as spades and axes (with cast on clasps), locking mechanisms and a step ladder are attached to the frames.

CHASSIS & CAB

The chassis and cab have considerable detail on all areas including the underside and delivers a thoroughly up to date result. The chassis is built around a single piece ladder frame which is slide molded with considerable small detail such as bolt heads and ribbing cast on. Slide molding is also used for the sub-frame of the impressive muffler and exhaust-pipe assembly with numerous structural elements such as the lightening holes and angled plates. Other features include the transmission shaft, drive, steering mechanism, fuel tank, compressed-air tank and gearbox. The winch system includes the spool (with sharp detail for the ribbing and boltheads), connecting rods, accentuator and the tow hook.

The engine bay includes the Maybach 6-cylinder engine with separate parts for the sump, fan, fan belt, manifold, gasket heads, bonnet support etc and will look impressive displayed open. The radiator cover has the manufacturer’s name (Krauss-Maffeti) crisply cast and a separate filler cap.

The front tires are made from Dragon Styrene to capture the tread pattern and ribbing on the sidewalls. A spare tyre is stored below the fighting platform.

The detailed rear suspension includes a PE flange around the drive sprockets which like the road wheels are detailed on both faces. The suspension arms and springs are separate, which combined with the Magic Tracks gives the option of displaying the kit on an uneven diorama basis. The Magic Tracks come loose and have one part for the rubber pad and another for the cast metal shoe. As expected the detail, such as the reinforcing ribs, is crisp and the tracks can be assembled quickly without cleanup.

The front fenders look very realistic and are part of slide molded frame for the engine area. The cab is built on this and a large sliding molding for the rear fenders (over the tracks... The body panels have detail on both faces including bolts, structural braces and vents. The forward cabin is thoroughly detailed with a multi-part dash, steering wheel, hand levers, and a seat with creases on the leather. The windshield can be modelled up or down and has PE wipers (paint masks are provided and you may want to add the PE after painting to ensure clean results). Exterior detail includes the rifle racks which store the Gen2 Kar 98K carbines, PE antiskid between the fenders, an optional spotlight, a Notek light with PE mount, and front headlamps with clear plastic lenses.

DECALS

The Cartograf decal sheet is crisply registered and the painting guide outlines four Sd.Kfz 7/1 from the Eastern Front, which is in keeping with this kit being an early production version. The instruction sheet has 3 view profiles for each vehicle and there are colour side profiles on the box.

The half-track in the box art is from 24 Panzer Division near Stalingrad 1942 and is solid dark grey with the white visibility markings on the front and rear as well as unit insignia. The second vehicle, from an unidentified unit, is named Jumbo (white text on front side) and has dark yellow bands over the grey. The other Sd.Kfz 7/1 have different variants of this two colour scheme and are from unidentified Luftwaffe Flak units. One has interesting markings including a b/w locomotive emblem, the name Annii” on a red and yellow backing, and several kill markings on the gun shield.

Other decals include the arc shaped elevation markings for the Flak, a stenciled shipping template, and a set of generic registration marking to build your own number plate with prefixes for the Luftwaffe (WL), regular army (WH) and Waffen SS (two part runes)...

RECOMMENDATION

This new release from Dragon will certainly please the many modelers who have been keenly looking forward to it. The tooling is first rate and once more demonstrates the appeal of the Smart Kit format through the well considered use of different mediums such as Dragon Styrene, paint masks, Magic Tracks and double etched PE. Highly recommended and I look forward to more releases from Dragon based on the Sd.Kfz 7 chassis.

- Neville Lord