Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/35 scale =9139-=9145 Series Kit No.
6655; Panzer-Regiment 7, 10 Panzer-Division, Smolensk 1941; 67 parts (56 in grey styrene, 11 etched brass); pre-order price US$10.95 via Dragon USA OnlineAdvantages: new German tank crew figures always welcome; Guderian figure a nice bonus
Disadvantages: painting and assembly instructions leave a lot to be desired (see text)
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: to all early war German armor fans and those wanting a Guderian figure
As German armor seem to be the primary product of DML these days, it is always good when they come out with another set of crew figures to populate these kits. This new set offers three tank crewmen, shown in the box art as a captain, a corporal and a private, with the former and latter in the hatches of an early Panzer III and the corporal standing on the engine deck. The looks on their faces make it seem as they just found out what the word =93steppe=94 really means.
Also included is a figure of the legendary Generaloberst Heinz Guderian in his greatcoat and walking at a slow pace.
The three panzer crew are normal DML fare: six piece figures (head, torso, arms and legs) with separate side caps and kit. The officer comes with headset cups and the etched brass headset band to complete it. Two jerry cans are included but are extra to the kit, as nobody is carrying or using them.
The Guderian figure is quite involved, as there are 23 parts on the sprue and he takes all of them. To DML=92s discredit, even though the box art is by Ron Volstad, the directions are the =93stick here and paint=94 type which really hurts the Guderian figure as he is quite complex. There are 13 parts to the basic figure (two-piece head, collar, two-piece torso, legs, arms, hands and boots) and then a six- piece greatcoat and collar assembly. An optional pair of boots, hat and baton finish the figure off. But as noted the directions are as clear as mud about how to assemble him.
While the box art is a good assistance to painting the panzer crew, it is useless for Guderian as it simply shows painting the greatcoat. Missing are his collar tabs and trousers, both of which are obvious. What should be a good figure is marred by this lack of interest in the directions.
Overall the crew figures will be popular, and modelers with a good deal of experience painting figures, doing DML figures, and having access to references on Guderian will be able to do a good job with that figure.
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
Cookie Sewell