Sd.Kfz. 7 8t Typ HL m 11 1943 Production - Smart Kit

Dragon, 1/35 scale

Reviewed by Cookie Sewell

Summary

FirstLook

In order to increase production of the very handy eight ton halftrack prime mover, as well as having them built by Krauss Maffei the Germans also had some made by Borgward. These were slightly different from the standard production models but shared most of the same primary parts.

DML has now added this alternative variant to their family of eight-tonners and to that end have changed or modified some of the basic parts from the earlier kits. At least 56 parts have been added or tweaked from the earlier kits in order to replicate the body and details of the Borgward vehicles.

The new mold body includes a new main fender assembly with small rolled skirting on the edges and a number of other tweaks. DML has provided directions showing where new parts must be added or older ones cut or modified to take the new parts. But once again only two Kar 98K rifles are provided, so anyone wanting full racks better head for the spares box.

The kit retains the same nicely done details from its predecessors - a complete engine and undercarriage to include a complete transfer case, fuel tank, four-part winch drum, and complete tow hook installation that form part of the chassis. The drivers are two-piece with suitable rollers represented and also add etched brass centers for scale appearance. Twisted steel wire is now provided for the winch.

Once again two-piece “Magic Track” halftrack tracks are included, but as often noted are very small and DML could have made many modelers happy by molding them as one-piece runs in DS plastic. Also, as the kits are “Smart Kits” they make use of slide molding and other tricks to avoid needless small parts assemblies and minimize the use of brass.

The kit retains the nicely done front tires with DS plastic outers and treads combined with a styrene inner section.

Like the others it has an open windshield and thus the painting masks are included.

Research and technical assistance were provided by H3 Design Office, Shin Okada, Minoru Igarashi, Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson.

Two finishing options are offered but while a Cartograf license plate “number jungle”. Is included, neither one has a registration number identified. The variants which can be modeled are: Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front 1943 (tri-color spray pattern); Unidentified Unit, Western Front 1945 (sand overall).

Overall this is a nice version of the prime mover and should go well with other DML artillery kits.

Sprue Layout:

A 1 Sd.Kfz. 7 - chassis
B 55 Sd.Kfz. 7 - Underframe details - winch, drivers, front axle, subframe, muffler
C 44x2 Sd.Kfz. 7 - road wheels, front wheel backs, body details
D 71 Sd.Kfz. 7 - engine, hood, radiator, standard passenger body components less sides
E 36 Sd.Kfz. 7 - body floor and detail panels
G 1 Sd.Kfz. 7 - fender assembly
H 7 Sd.Kfz. 7 - body sides, rear and racks
H 6 Sd.Kfz. 7 - clear styrene
I 11 Sd.Kfz. 7 - body details
K 3 DS plastic tires
Y 1 Twisted steel wire
Z 108 “Magic Track” track pads
Z 108 “Magic Track” track links
MA 8 Etched brass

Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.