Sd.Kfz. 171 Panther D w/"Stadtgas" Fuel TanksReviewed by Cookie Sewell
|
Stock Number and Description | cyber-hobby.com (Dragon Models Limited) 1/35th Scale Kit No. 11 (‘39-‘45 Series Kit No. 6346; Sd.Kfz. 171 Panther D w/"Stadtgas" Fuel Tanks |
Scale: | 1/35 |
Media and Contents: | 809 parts (391 in grey styrene, 204 etched brass, 170 "Magic Track" links, 14 clear styrene, 12 etched nickel, 10 preformed brass, 4 cast metal, 2 turned brass, 1 length of copper chain, 1 turned aluminum barrel) |
Price: | estimated at USD$47.00 may be ordered online from Mission Models |
Review Type: | First Look |
Advantages: | Over base Panther D "Premium Edition" kit only addition of compressed gas tanks noted |
Disadvantages: | Should have been offered as an optional parts set for the Panther D kit, not a complete new kit |
Recommendation: | Highly Recommended for German Panther fans |
FirstLook
I recently commented about how iconic "oners" remain popular with
modelers, and that new kits of subjects which represent either
single or a handful of items produced are still good sellers and
enjoyed by many. But then a kit like this comes along, which has to
be one of the ultimate "boutique" kits, and one has to wonder what
the manufacturer was thinking.
Here cyber-hobby.com, the "boutique" line produced by DML of
alternative kits with extra parts and a more unique selection of
items, has produced a model of what seems to be an oddity and
another one-off vehicle. From comments on the Internet it appears
that when the Germans began to get crunched on gasoline production
they turned first non-essential rear area vehicles like cars for
minor party functionaries to coal or charcoal gas, or to propane or
similar gases used to provide heat and cooking in major cities (e.g.
"Stadtgas.") This particular vehicle, a D model Panther (and
therefore no longer seen as front line service capable after Kursk
showed its failings), was apparently converted for use with propane
gas and assigned to a research and test unit at Eisenach range in
1944.
The model is unique, but what has taken place is nothing more than
cyber-hobby.com taking the recent (July 2006) kit number 6299 of the
upgraded "Premium Edition" Panther Ausf. D kit and added another 18
styrene parts and 45 etched brass ones to make this kit. While the
upgraded Panther D is a nice model and fixes or upgrades many of the
areas of the first version of the model, and is providing to be
fairly popular, this kit is an oddity that is hard to explain.
First off, the comments that I made regarding the earlier kit. It
takes the DML Panther Ausf. D kit and gives it the "premium"
treatement of more etched brass, turned aluminum barrel, "Magic
Track" snap-together pre-cut track links, and some modified or
replaced sprues from the original kit. It also provides pre-formed
brass smoke grenade launchers as well as twelve sections of etched
nickel for the skirts.
The kit is pretty much the older kit – most of the sprues are from
their A and D kits and so labeled, with others specific to the D and
some new and redone parts I do not recall from the previously noted
A anniversary kit. One of the "K" tool/OVM sprues is included as
well as the MG-34 from German weapon set WC. It did provide a new
hull with separate suspension arms, something many Panther fans had
asked for over the years.
The etched brass covers a wealth of extra detail, from the normally
expected (in this day at least) grille covers for the engine deck
through the skirt brackets, but installation of all of these metal
parts is shown in rather busy drawings next to color photos of the
model components after assembly. This is not the best way to do it,
as while color photos are fine, it would be better to leave them
unpainted so the modeler could see exactly where the parts are
supposed to go and not have to guess which are plastic and which are
metal from the photo.
The model comes with some nice touches, such a choice of wheel hubs
for the drivers and eight specially molded track links with separate
guide teeth (all of which are hollow molded, including the "Magic
Track") for "wrapping" around the drivers. Two different covers for
the machine gun port are provided as is the above mentioned MG-34
for mounting in the port if left open.
The travel lock – a chain affair – comes with two sets of five
etched brass parts each for either open or closed, as does the
turned aluminum barrel and the three-piece muzzle brake for it
specifically (an old-fashioned two-piece "Flex-i-File" special is
also included on the parts trees.)
The new bits for the "Stadtgas" fittings are busy, with six "Slide
Molded" compressed gas tanks and a very involved set of etched brass
racks (no styrene option is provided).
Only a single finishing option is provided – Panzer-Versuchs und
Ersatz-Abteilung 300 at Eisenach, 1944. It comes with a tiny
Cartograf decal sheet of three crosses and the "Fahrschule" plates
for driver training vehicles.
Overall, while the kit is an excellent production effort I cannot
fathom why DML released it as a separate kit. It would seem, given
the cyber-hobby.com line of add-on/upgrade kits for other DML
offerings to have been smarter to offer it as one of their releases
for about $10-14 as an option for the Panther Ausf. D kit, giving
those who purchased the original version something to make with the
older kit.
Highly Recommended
Thanks to
Freddie Leung for the review sample.