StuG III Ausf. G Early ProductionReviewed by Cookie Sewell
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Stock Number and Description | Dragon Models Limited 1/35 Scale ‘39-‘45 Series Kit No. 6320; StuG III Ausf. G Early Production - Smart Kit |
Scale: | 1/35 |
Media and Contents: | 697 parts (378 in grey styrene, 288 Magic Track links, 20 etched brass, 10 clear styrene, 1 length of twisted steel wire) |
Price: | price estimated at US $41.00 - 45.00. Will be available online from Mission Models |
Review Type: | First Look |
Advantages: | Modelers not in touch with the "Smart Kit" concept likely to complain about shortage of brass or multimedia parts |
Disadvantages: | Another selective low-distribution kit tends to confuse some modelers and also enters a very crowded marketplace for this vehicle |
Recommendation: | Highly Recommended for all WWII German fans and a few diehard Finnish and Syrian modelers |
FirstLook
Once modelers get past the big
lumpy German tanks like the Tigers and Panthers, their next most
popular vehicle is usually the Sturmgescheutz series of
self-propelled guns, with the later models being the most popular.
For a number of years, arguments and discussions have been carried
out about whose kits are the best – Tamiya (old) or Tamiya (new),
DML (ex-Gunze Sangyo) or DML (Dragon's own kits.) With this new (and
surprise) kit, DML seems to be out to settle all bets in one go.
It's getting harder and harder to describe the kits, as DML's
standard of engineering in their new "Smart Kit" series is hard to
top. Each one is designed to be as accurate as DML can make it in
regard to the prototype and at the same time make it much easier to
assemble a highly detailed miniature of the original without
resorting to a bunch of after-market detail kits. This is the latest
in the series, and light years away from the Tamiya kit of 1972
(which was one of my favorites for many years as it provided so many
options.)
This kit provides the "early production" – e.g. welded mantelet/recoil
cover vice the later "Saukopf" mantelet – version of the Ausf. G.
The kit comes with many of the accouterments seen on kits like the
DML Tiger I and Panther, starting with individual torsion bars and
road wheel arms as well as all of the external details on the lower
hull such as shocks and bump stops. Each idler wheel consists of
five parts with twin brass inserts between the plastic castings. All
wheels are detailed to the point of having the rubber tire
manufacturer's data readable!
The brass is provided only for those bits where plastic cannot do
the job, such as the aforementioned wheel rims and the air intake
and exhaust grilles on the engine deck plus some non-slip gridding.
I noted on the internet the last time critics showed up to complain
about the "Smart Kit" Panther Ausf. G that it didn't come with
enough brass to suit them; these people apparently can't grasp the
concept of a "Smart Kit" being one which does not NEED that amount
of brass to look good. But I digress.
All fender details are separate and go on in subassemblies. In point
of fact, most of this model consists of subassemblies, which is how
it gets its tremendous level of details. This also shows in the
sprues, as for example the "A" wheel sprue actually consists of
seven sub-sprues, so future kits can be done by gating off or
ungating other sections of the master sprue to meet the need of
those kits. DML seems to be getting smarter in their old age, using
this technique vice tossing in 5-10 other sprues from other kits to
get one part from each one.
The kit comes with a high level of interior parts, including the
gun, commander's cupola assembly, floor, and the radios and stowage
racks for various bits on each side of the casemate.
Likewise the engine deck consists of several subassemblies combined
to form the deck. Note that every hatch on this vehicle can be
opened for display of the interior, but there is no engine or
transmission provided.
Final assembly again has a number of different modules combined into
one final assembly – lower hull, fenders, engine deck, interior, gun
barrel, casemate, and tracks. Oddly enough, while the radios and
antenna bases are supplied, no comment is made about the antennas
for them!
Five different finishing options and a targeted Cartograf are
provided: 2nd StuG Abt. 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich", Russia
1943; Pz.Gren.Div "Grossdeutschland" Eastern Front 1943; U/I unit,
Eastern Front 1944; 3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf",Ukraine 1944;
and a token captured example, "Aleksandr Suvorov" of the 1288th SP
Gun Regiment, Ukraine 1944. The latter two are in whitewash winter
schemes.
Input on this kit was provided by Minoru Igarashi, Tom Cockle and
Gary Edmundson.
Overall, this is another hit.
Highly Recommended.
Sprue Breakdown
A 61x2 Wheels and torsion bars (7
mini-sprues connected)
B 48 Road wheel arms and lower hull details
C 31 Casemate and fenders
D 28 Basic upper hull details
E 34 Interior and radio sets
F 16 Gun barrel and mantelet
G 15 OVM and light components
G 55 Fender and upper hull details
G 24 OVM and hull details
H 1 Lower hull pan
J 10 Clear styrene
K 144 Magic Track - Left
M 144 Magic Track - Right
Z 1 Twisted steel wire
WC 4 MG34
MA 20 Etched brass
Thanks to
Freddie Leung for the review sample.