DML 1/35 Sd.Kfz.166 Stu.Pz.IV “Brummbaer” Early Production w/Zimmerit - Smart Kit

The Kit

When the Germans first introduced their heavy 15 cm “Sturmpanzer” assault gun, it had a number of features which did not prove to be an advantage. These included the lack of an under armor machine gun for infantry suppression, various clunky design features such as a poorly laid out driver’s armored compartment and a lack of a commander’s cupola. After 52 were built the design was improved and the remaining 236 vehicles corrected those deficiencies.

This kit follows on No. 6500 (the later production Sturmpanzer with zimmerit) but modifies or adds new sprues to cover the differences. A total of 136 new parts are provided in this kit to better represent the early version.

As with Kit No. 6500, the zimmerit coated parts are the casemate, the lower hull sides, the upper and lower glacis, the rear plate, the fender tips, the driver’s enclosure and hatches, the pistol port plugs, and a few smaller bits. Paint dots locate the places where the modeler will have to drill out holes for mounting various bits to the model.

The casemate includes some interior details and a complete gun and mount. The periscopic sight also projects through the roof of the casemate, and all hatches may be shown in the open position (but again other than the gun there is not much to see!) The kit retains the standard new generation Pzkw. IV firewall and optional position engine deck hatches as well.

The kit uses most of the previously generated Pzkw. IV generic parts but most of the mid-production Sturmpanzer parts are here replaced by Pzkw. IV generic parts. It still provides the etched nickel side shields for the “full-up” vehicle. These are nicely done but will need care as the mounting brackets are all plastic; modelers may wish to “etch” the surface a bit with a chemical blackener so the adhesive of choice (either cyanoacryalte glue or epoxy) can “bite” and hold it in place.

Due to the earlier model – and presumably as DML only makes the late 40 cm tracks in DS Plastic – this kit reverts to the older “Magic Track” single link handed track sets. Modelers who are happy with the former will be disappointed but the “Magic Link” tracks are at least accurate and easier to use than some others.

Technical assistance on this kit was provided by Notger Schlegtendal, Steven Van Beveren, Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson.

There are only two suggested finishing options, both for a single vehicle in sand with green stripes: with or without side skirts. A small sheet of Cartograf decals is provided for the model.

Overall this is a nice kit with the zimmerit in place.

Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review example.

- Cookie Sewell

6596 Sd.Kfz.166 Stu.Pz.IV "Brummbar" Early Production with Zimmerit

1/35 injection plastic kit with decals and photo etch

Those early production Brummbar which survived Kursk and the fourth battle of Kharkov, underwent a series of improvements both in the field and later during a major overhaul in Vienna. One of the first improvements was the application of the zimmerit which is seen in many photos taken on the Eastern Front in late 1943. At the end of 1943 the remaining early production Brummbar (Sturmpanzer IV) were shipped to Vienna in Austria for a major overhaul which saw the addition of the later style side skirts and other improvements which brought them closer in appearance to mid production Brummbars.

This new kit depicts an early production Brummbar with zimmerit. While the kit is similar in layout to Dragon’s other recent Brummbars, the differences in the superstructure and hull between the early and mid production Brummbars, mean that many zimmerited parts are new. This new model also includes the later style side skirts with triangular support brackets on the rails which were fitted during the Vienna overhaul. This kit complements the Cyber-Hobby Brummbar Early Production which depicted the sturmpanzer as it was when it was first deployed at Kursk without zimmerit.

The pre-zimmerited parts include the superstructure (fighting compartment), hull, and a sprue containing all the other parts covered in zimmerit including the rear hull, lower front hull (applique), brake access hatches and cowlings, front and rear fenders, mantlet ring, base for the aerials, and rear crew hatch. The zimmerit is the horizontal ridge pattern and effectively captures the irregularities inherent from zimmerit being applied by hand. The radiating zimmerit around the mantlet is carefully reproduced. The mantlet ring is also realistically detailed with the radiating zimmerit and bolt heads. The Dragon cast on zimmerit is more realistic than what I have seen on aftermarket sets or achieved with putty.

The photo etch includes the baffles below the engine deck hatches, detail on the rear convoy light, flaps for the side plate engine vents, rear hull detail and a folding step on the left fender. . Other features include Magic Tracks, clear plastic for the optics and a twisted wire for the metal tow cable.

FIGHTING COMPARTMENT

The fighting compartment is based around a multi-directional slide molded shell with pre applied zimmerit. Each side has a hole for a pistol port (as accurate for a early production vehicle – later versions had two ports per side) with the option of building the ports open with the plug hanging from the included PE chain. Two standard aerials are mounted on the rear of the fighting compartment.

The roof has the early production layout, which has the a hatch near the periscope, is a separate part with sharp detail such as bolt heads, countersunk holes and hinges with screw heads all finely reproduced. The roof and rear hatches can be modelled open and each hatch has internal detail. An MG34 (Gen-2 tooling) can be fitted using a hatch as the shield (this was a design feature compensating for the lack of a MG ball mounting on the front of the superstructure). Photos indicate that (some) Brummbar which were overhauled were fitted with mid-production roofs (this is not includes as an option in this kit). Many photos of Brummbar in Italy have canvas over the front of the roof obscuring the roof detail; a feature which can be easily scratch built to give the kit a front line look.

There is considerable potential for modeling the Brummbar with the hatches open to reveal the full breech for the StuH.43/1 L/12 along with the recoil guard, mounting and gunner’s seat,. The partial interior also includes the periscopes and the anti-skid pattern on the floor. The StuH.43/1’s barrel is slide-molded and has internal rifling.

SIDE SKIRTS

The kit includes the late 1943 style side skirts (schurzen) with triangular support brackets on the rails which were fitted during the Vienna overhaul. This design is seen in photos of overhauled vehicles including those with Sturmpanzer Abteilung 216 in Italy 1944 as seen in Ron Volstad’s impressive per box art. The PE side skirts are thin to give a realistic in scale effect and the ability to easily bend them a bit to reflect frontline service. With each panel being separate it is easy to depict a Brummbar missing a few panels. The panels have the positions for the plastic D brackets marked on to simplify assembly. The mounting rails are plastic.

This kit includes the support frames for the earlier style schurzen (both upper and lower brackets and horizontal rails; no skirts) as spares. As photos from the Eastern Front in late 1943 often show early production Brummbar with zimmerit fitted with the support frames but missing the skirts this gives you the valuable option of building an accurate model of one of these late 1943 Brummbars (leave the lower brackets on E1 and E2 on in step 6). The skirts can be scratch built from plastic card.

HULL & SUSPENSION

The new lower hull has pre cast zimmerit and is based on a detailed one-piece hub with workable suspension and has the supplementary 20mm armor on the hull sides. It has separate parts for the armored fairlings and detail around the final drive housing. The front upper glacis has and a 50mm armored plated bolted onto the lower front.

The kit has a choice of main muffler both of which are multi-part assemblies with some slide-molding and a hollowed outlet. The options are the wider design from the Panzer IV E (good match for the hull’s 20mm supplementary armor) and the narrower Ausf F/G exhaust both of which are seen in photos from both 1943and 1944.

The side fenders have anti-skid pattern on both the upper and lower surfaces. The fenders have holes for the tools in their factory positions and have the lip (fold) on the outer edge. The front and rear fenders are separate pre-zimmereted pieces and can be modelled folded up. The fender-mounted filter is crisply tooled.

There are few on-vehicle tools as most tools were stored in the large toolbox, which sits on the right fender. There is a single Bosch headlamp and a five-part jack with separate plastic brackets. One the rear you have a choice of two types of racks for the spare wheels. The earlier type has one wheel per rack and the later one two per rack (the norm in 1944 photos).

The engine deck is a separate part with crisp detail for weld marks screw heads, counter sunk holes etc. The engine hatches can be modeled open, although you will need to add a Maybach HL 120 engine. These vents on the hatches are sharply defined and have drop fit PE baffles underneath.

SUSPENSION

The road-wheels have the tyre and rim as one piece (two units per bogy) with sidewall markings. The hubcaps are the later style with the recesses for the screws. The return rollers are the earlier pattern with rubber tyres with sidewall markings.

The pre-cut injection plastic Magic Tracks have open guide horns and are "handed" in that separate left and right side tracks are provided with the track pin facing out accordingly. To avoid mix-ups each set has its own plastic bag and is in a different shade of gray. They are the 40cm mid war pattern without chevrons.

DECALS

The kit includes a 46 x 41mm Cartograf decal sheet containing Balkan Crosses and several more target markings being a white number 10 of the type used by Sturmpanzer Abteilung 216 in Russia and Italy, and large black freehand H, o and 23 for the side skirts.

The two profiled Sturmpanzer are described as being from the Eastern Front and have paint schemes of brown bands over dark yellow typical of many Brummbar. Ron Volstad’s box art provides a well researched painting guide for these Brummbar in the spring and summer of 1944.

RECOMMENDATION

The kit expands Dragon’s range of Brummbars by filling the gap between the early version as used at Kursk and the mid production version. This release provides another example of how Dragon’s cast on zimmerit adds value to kits by being both very realistic and modeler friendly. As with other recent Dragon releases it benefits from crisp tooling, and the inclusion of well chosen photo etch and Magic Tracks.

- Neville Lord

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