Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited =9139-=9145 Series Kit No. 6761; Sd.Kfz. =
3a Maultier Half-Track - Smart Kit; 551 parts (340 in grey styrene, 197 Mag= ic Track single links, 7 clear styrene, 7 etched brass); pre-order price US= $48.95 via cyber-hobby.com =20Advantages: all new kit of this popular conversion; modern, well molded sta= te-of-the-art kit=20
Disadvantages: single track links nearly HO scale size!
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for German softskin fans
When the Germans ran up against =93General Mud=94 in Russia =96 especially= during the =93rasputitsa=94 spring thaw =96 they desperately needed more m= obile vehicles to provide supply to forward units. One solution was to take= reliable trucks and simply modify them to take a tracked drive system. One= of the best known of these conversions was the Opel =93Maultier=94 (mule) = based on the 3 ton variant of the Blitz cargo trucks.=20
More than 35 years ago Italeri offered a kit of this vehicle and it has pr= oven popular over the years, but while that kit was leading edge for the 19=
70s it has not held up well. Now DML is offering a nice, new state-of-the-a= rt kit of this machine. It adds or replaces 323 parts from the 4 x 2 Blitz = truck kits.=20As with its predecessor Blitz cargo versions this is a typical DML kit of = recent vintage with lots of slide molded parts =96 and far fewer of them th= an the armored vehicle kits. The kit includes a nicely done radiator shell = with open bars and etched brass Opel Blitz badging. It comes with a complet= e engine and nicely done hood frame for opening the hood to view the engine= . Also the driver=92s compartment is complete with all pedals, levers and = =93stick-on=94 instruments for the panel (A16). Doors have inside and outsi= de handles and separate clear windows.=20
This kit receives a totally new chassis and suspension, with the multi-pie= ce tires for the front and a fairly intricate rear suspension. The modeler = gets both early (six bolt) and late (eight bolt) wheels to choose from as w= ell. A new engine block and crankcase are provided for the modified drive = line.=20
The four-plank body has complete underside bracing and mounts but has no t= roop seats. This is probably due to the folding sides, which DML designed f= or replication in the kit. Top bows for canvas are provided but only in the= ir stowed position at the front of the body.
Where modelers will probably start to hate this kit is when they go to ins= tall the tracks. The links are very tiny =96 about the size of that of a me= dium tank in HO scale (1/87) and very, very petite. Each link is only 6mm x= 3mm and there is not much surface for gluing provided, which translates as= ACC cements are not a good idea. I would recommend some combination of Tam= iya Orange and Green or even Testors Liquid Cement on them, and you will ne= ed to make a jig of some sort for best results.=20 Technical support was provided by Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson.=20
Five different finishing options are provided for the model: Unidentified = Unit, Eastern Front 1943 (sand overall, WH-1437712); Pz.Gren.Rgt. 33, Easte= rn Front 1943 (sand, door markings); Pz.Gren.Rgt. 12, Eastern Front 1943 (s= and with green, no registration number); 4th Panzer Division, Eastern Front= 1944 (white bands over sand-and-green, no registration number); and Driver= Training Vehicle, Germany, 1942 (panzer grey with white numbers, e.g. 28, = WH-1437890). A nice sheet of Cartograf decals is provided.
Overall, this kit offers a very popular version of the Blitz, and by conte= mporary standards, at a reasonable price. But the tracks will frustrate som= e modelers.=20
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.=20
Cookie Sewell=20