Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/35 Scale '39-'45 Series Kit No. 6578; S tuG III Ausf. G May 1943 Production mit Schuerzen - Smart Kit; 463 parts (4
07 in grey styrene, 28 etched brass, 13 clear styrene, 12 etched nickel, 2 DS Plastic tracks, 1 length of twisted steel wire; pre-order price US$56.95 via Dragon USA OnlineAdvantages: StuG production model with schurtzen added to the kit
Disadvantages: no zimmerit; now has DS plastic track runs vice Magic Link t racks
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: For all German and "Stug" fans
Believe it or not, this is the 12th DML release of a Sturmegescheutz III A usf. G vehicle. This time it has some changes to the basic body work from t he early production variant and also comes with a set of DS Plastic tracks vice the single-link Magic Track of past kits.
As before, this kit provides an "earlier production" - e.g. welded mantele t/recoil cover vice the later "Saukopf" mantelet - version of the Ausf. G. It uses individual torsion bars and road wheel arms as well as all of the e xternal details on the lower hull such as shocks and bump stops. Each idler wheel consists of nine parts with two three-piece brass inserts between th e plastic castings; the directions still read for the first release of the kit with one piece rings, however. 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 grill es on the engine deck plus some non-slip gridding. All fender details are s eparate and go on in subassemblies. In point of fact, most of this model co nsists of subassemblies, which is how it gets its tremendous level of detai ls.
The kit comes with a high level of interior parts, including the gun, comm ander's cupola assembly, floor, and the radios and stowage racks for variou s bits on each side of the casemate.
Likewise the engine deck consists of several subassemblies combined to for m 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.
Final assembly again has a number of different modules combined into one f inal assembly - lower hull, fenders, engine deck, interior, gun barrel, cas emate, and tracks. Oddly enough, while the radios and antenna bases are sup plied, no comment is made about the antennas for them!
Anyone who has done any of the other DML kits with "schuerzen" will recogn ize the concept of using styrene hangers and etched nickel plates, and this kit has the same options with it. There are two angled end pieces and two overlapping center sections provided for each side of the vehicle.
The kit does not come with any "zimmerit" which photos show applied to veh icles just like this one, and it will disappoint more than a few modelers. It now comes with the single piece DS Plastic runs vice the single link "Ma gic Tracks". Modelers seem to fall into one of the two camps about tracks; it is a shame DML doesn't simply provide BOTH types with kits like this to give modelers the option and finally put an end to the naysayers of either option!
Technical advice for the kit is credited to Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson.
Only two different finishing options and a targeted Cartograf decal sheet are provided: SS Pz.Rgt. Totenkopf, SS Pz.Gren.Div "Totenkopf", Kursk 1943 (green over sand, white crosses and tactical insignia); and Pz.Abt. 215, 15 th Pz.Gren.Div., Sicily 1943 (sand overall, no markings).
Overall, this is another version but raises the question of how many StuG III kits are really needed?
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
Cookie Sewell