7.5cm Pak 40/2 auf Fahrgestell Pz.Kpfw.II Marder IIReviewed by Cookie Sewell
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Stock Number and Description | Dragon Models Limited 1/35 Scale 39-45 Series Kit No. 6262; Sd.Kfz. 131 Panzerjaeger II fur Pak 40/2 "Marder II" |
Scale: | 1/35 |
Media and Contents: | 772 parts (461 in grey styrene, 210 "Magic Track" links, 96 etched brass, 3 clear styrene, 1 turned aluminum, 1 preformed etched brass) |
Price: | USD$34.99 available online from Mission Models |
Review Type: | First Look |
Advantages: | Nice, new ground-up version of this popular German SP gun; very complete interior and also open racks in the fighting compartment |
Disadvantages: | Daunting number of parts for a relatively small vehicle! |
Recommendation: | Highly Recommended for all german armor fans |
Dragon's 1/35 scale Marder II is available online from Mission Models
FirstLook
The reviewer is sometimes placed at
a disadvantage when, for whatever reason, the manufacturer goes out
on a limb and picks a very obscure or insignificant vehicle which is
not covered outside of very limited distribution publications. Other
than determining the quality of the items inside the box, there are
limits to what he can and cannot say about it, and any review of the
kit that is not couched in those terms soon runs afoul of the "experten"
who only wish to sharpshoot the review for their own gratification.
Such was a recent review I did about a totally useless vehicle the
"Flakpanzer I" which brought the faithful frothing to their feet.
Kinder souls did point me to web-based documentation which both
proved of the vehicle's existence and its lack of utility, but by
then the rabid SGF faction was already demanding blood. I now know
that 24 were built, not two, and that they were used, and that the
clumsy halftrack conversion in the background was an Sd.Kfz. 7/6
armored prime mover for 8.8 cm guns. I also now know that the
Flakpanzer I was close to useless, losing two of its number within
30 seconds of entering combat as a ground weapons system and that it
was unlikely to have ever shot down an Il-2.
I have never at any time in my life claimed to be an expert on
ANYTHING, and certainly not obscure low-production rate German
armored vehicles. (I also don't expect too many "experten" to tell
me the difference between a Soviet T-43 Model 1 and a T-43 Model 2
either, but that would be needless digression.) Happily, this new
kit from DML released at the recent Dragon Expo DX 06 is
anything but obscure, and a pleasant diversion (for me as a reviewer
at least) from strings of Tiger IIs and Sd.Kfz. 251 halftracks!
The Pzkw. II was a superior vehicle to the Pzkw. I, but when
introduced into combat was found to be only marginally better that
that vehicle as a combat system. This was something of a shame, for
it was a fairly reliable chassis and quite handy. As a result, the
Germans turned to using it for a chassis for self-propelled guns,
and it excelled in two of those variants the Marder II SP 7.5 cm
antitank gun and the Wespe SP 10.5 cm howitzer.
The Marder II (Marder is the German name for the pine marten, which
is a weasel on steroids five feet long from nose to tip of tail!)
began as a conversion of the Pzkw. II Ausf. D
(and also Ausf. E and ex-flamethrower) chassis to carry the Soviet
76.2mm Model 1936 divisional gun as rebuilt to become the 7.62 cm
Pak 36(r). But these were awkward designs and even with the powerful
Russian gun left much to be desired. So, in May 1942 a new,
purpose-built design was created that provided a more integrated
combat vehicle now carrying a German 7.5 cm Pak 40/2, essentially
the towed gun less its lower carriage. This weapon, now designated
as the 7.5 cm Pak 40/2 auf Fahrgestelle Pzkw. II (Sf) or Sd.Kfz.
131, entered production in June 1942 and remained there until July
1943 when production terminated in favor of the even more useful
10.5 cm Wespe SP howitzer. 576 Marder II guns were produced new and
another 75 converted from Pzkw. II chassis. While new guns were on
the late-model Ausf. F chassis, the conversions used Ausf. c, A, B,
C or F tank chassis.
The Marder II has always been a very nice little vehicle that did
not overtax its chassis, adding only about 800 kilograms to it in
reference to the Ausf. F tank. Tamiya came out with a version of
this vehicle 30 years ago (kit 35060) but while they released a new
kit of the Wespe (35200) they instead released TWO versions of the
Marder III on the Pzkw. 38(t) chassis (35248 and 35255). Thus only
the old kit has been available until now.
Dragon is somewhat coy with this kit, as all sprues for the Marder
II are labeled as such, but all of the running gear ones (D, E, F
and G) are left unlabeled, hinting at future releases such as a
family of Pzkw. II vehicles and most likely a Wespe and perhaps an
SP 15 cm sIG 33. The kit provides a wide range of accessories and
options, and that tends to support the probability of other kit
releases.
What you get in the box is the B, C and D sprues from the Pak 40 kit
(no carriage needed) as well as a slew of new ones. Sprue A covers
the upper hull and fenders, B the interior and racks, C the interior
of the engine and driver's compartments and other elements of the
hull, and the aforementioned D to G the running gear less tracks.
Tracks are provided as "Magic Track" with again, as with the Pzkw.
IV kits, "left" and "right" tracks based on their pin and connector
positions. (I WISH DML would tell you which is which, as using a
jewelers' loupe to sort them out is tedious!) Two standard "J" tool
sprues are included as well as standard German weapons sprue WB (two
MP-40, one MP-44 and one Gewehr 43) as well as the MG-34 part of the
WC sprue.
The Pak 40 comes with the standard kit with three choices of muzzle
brakes and two choices of recoil mechanism covers, optional position
breech, and also two ammo cases, 10 tubed rounds, three cases and
eight open rounds. Decals are provided for stenciling all of them.
The hull provides a large number of options two different styles
of driving wheels, three different idler wheels (separate rim and
body), three-piece suspension units and springs, shocks, bump stops,
and a five-part muffler with etched brass wrapper. Tool tie-downs
consist of etched brass assemblies for the very fastidious.
There is no engine, but the engine and driver's compartment comes
with the basics for the driver seat, levers, and pedals as well
as the complete engine transmission, clutch and brake/final drive
assembly. There is no engine but separate access flaps are provided
for those who pick up the inevitable after-market one.
The casemate section provides what I take to be spaced armor arrays
on each side of the fighting compartment, not a bad innovation for
1942 (and common in all main battle tanks today). All of the
brackets and mounts are present and the complete FuG spr d set is
included on a tall rack. Periscopes with clear styrene bodies are
also provided as well as all of the tools and parts one would expect
to find in the vehicle. I have seen one snipe on line that it is
missing the fuel filler cap, but that is something I have no
knowledge of and could not locate on a bet!
Seven different finishing schemes are provided as follows:
Unidentified unit, Eastern Front 1944 (tricolor); Unidentified unit,
Eastern Front 1943 (tricolor); Unidentified unit, Russia 1943 (two
color); 10th Panzer Division, Tunisia 1943 (two color); Unidentified
unit, Eastern Front 1943 (whitewash over grey); Pz.Jg.Abt. 49,
Eastern Front 1944 (tricolor); and Unidentified unit, Eastern Front
1944 (tricolor). (If I was among the unwary I would have to venture
that while I don't know who "Unidentified" is boy is it a big unit!)
The decal sheet is "targeted" to these seven.
Overall, this is a good choice and a great job of bringing a popular
vehicle back out and at a modern level of technological standards.
Hopefully some Panzer II tanks will follow!
Highly Recommended
Thanks to
Freddie Leung for the review sample.