Sd.Kfz. 181 Panzerkampfwagen VI (P) Premium EditionReviewed by Cookie Sewell
|
Stock Number and Description | Dragon Models Limited 1/35 Scale ‘39-‘45 Series Kit No. 6352; Sd.Kfz. 181 Panzerkampfwagen VI (P) Premium Edition |
Scale: | 1/35 |
Media and Contents: | 734 parts (355 grey styrene, 228 Magic Track links, 127 etched brass, 12 clear styrene, 4 prebent steel wire, 2 prebent copper wire, 2 twisted steel wire, 2 prebent etched brass, 1 spring, 1 turned aluminum gun barrel) |
Price: | price around US $45 |
Review Type: | First Look |
Advantages: | Nice if older kit receives upgrades and bonus parts from later Tiger I and Elefant kit releases; Magic Track always a nice change and upgrade for single-link track kits; some corrections to original kit |
Disadvantages: | Lot of extra work for a one-off vehicle; no zimmerit paste on hull or turret |
Recommendation: | Highly Recommended for all die-hard Tiger fans |
FirstLook
There are a number of one-off items that have always proven popular
with modelers, and many of them deservedly so due to the fame of
their prototypes: the Ryan "Spirit of St. Louis," the USS
Constitution, HMS Victory, the Bismarck, NCC-1701 USS Enterprise,
RMS Titanic, and even the "Leopold" railway gun. (Yes, I know that
there are related or sister items to each of these, but only these
specific items gained iconic status.) But among armored vehicles,
this particular tank is one of the very few to gain such a
following, along with other short-lived or unfinished German designs
such as the "Maus" heavy tank or "Dora" 80 cm heavy gun.
DML released a pretty nice kit of this tank in November 2004 as
their kit No. 6210, but as usual some critics were not happy as it
was not perfect. DML provided most of the kit in styrene with DS
plastic one-piece tracks and only sufficient etched brass for the
grillwork, and not much more. There were some twitches over hatches
and details as well, as the kit shared much of its architecture with
the then-recently released "Ferdinand" and "Elefant" kits.
DML now adds this kit to their "Premium Edition" stock with more
than double the parts of the original kit, adding "Magic Track" for
the kit as well as a good-sized fret of etched brass and parts from
their more recent "Slide Molded" Tiger I kits.
The "Magic Track" provides two kinds of links – an "A" link (parts
R) with a guide tooth and a "B" link (parts S) that snap together.
This should solve the complaints from those who want the track to
sag properly (but probably getting grouses from the "one-piece
track" fans for dropping the DS plastic ones!) The good news is the
"Magic Track" links are some of the best around, needing minimal
cleanup and replicating the originals very nicely.
The etched brass covers the original grilles as well as many other
details and brackets that dress up the model. Some such as the
device to the rear of the commander's cupola (MA31) are going to be
somewhat difficult to shape but they do provide nice details. A
styrene version (A9) is also provided.
As the model uses parts from the later Tiger I series of kits, it
makes a step forward with the turned aluminum barrel and a step
backwards with the frou-frou "realistic recoil" spring feature. The
kit comes with no less than three mantelets but the one in the
"Special Features" card bag is the correct one to use. It also has
two different right sides to the turret, one with a pistol port and
one with the hatch, so the modeler has some flexibility on making
the most accurate kit possible based on the original's career.
Only one set of markings and painting directions are provided for
the vehicle as the command tank of s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 653 on the Eastern
Front in 1944. Again, no zimmerit is provided for the hull or turret
so the modeler will have to add them if desired.
Overall this adds to DML's Tiger "family" but I am not sure, since
it was a one-off "orphan," if those who purchased the original kit
will want this one as well. DML may well be on their way to becoming
their own worst enemy with this "Premium" kits as fence-sitters may
prefer to wait for an upgrade/corrected version of a specific
vehicle in the future.
Highly Recommended
Thanks to
Freddie Leung for the review sample.