StuG. III Ausf. G Initial Production

Reviewed by Cookie Sewell

Summary

FirstLook

DML’s faithful sidekick cyber-hobby.come has now released a new version of the popular Sturmgeschuetz III Ausf. G kit. In this one, based on the original release from 2006, they have removed some parts which would be redundant from the kit and added a single sprue with a new set of fenders, casemate and casemate details.

As with the original version (No. 6320) 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. 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.

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.

The kit comes with a set of “Magic Track” single link tracks – while not incorrect as I continue to note they can be tedious to assemble and a good set of DS plastic single-section tracks would be appreciated by many modelers.

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.

Note that there are a couple of errors in the directions and errata sheets are included in the box.

Development credit for this kit is given to Thomas Anderson, Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson.

Three different finishing options and a targeted Cartograf set of decals provided: 2nd StuG Abt. 2nd SS Panzer Division “Das Reich”, Kursk 1943 (sand brown with green overspray, “Florian Geyer”); StuG Abt. 226, Leningrad 1943 (whitewash over grey); Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front 1943 (sand brown with black crosses).

In summary, this is another niche or “boutique” version of a popular kit.

Sprue Layout:

A 61x2 Wheels and torsion bars (7 mini-sprues connected)
B 48 Road wheel arms and lower hull details
C 29 Casemate and fenders
D 32 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 12 StuG III Initial - casemate, fenders
K 108 Magic Track - Left
M 108 Magic Track - Right
Z 1 Twisted steel wire
MA 23 Etched brass

Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.