Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/72 scale Armor-Pro Kit No. 7419; Kfz. 69 6 x 4 Towing Vehicle w/3.7 cm PaK 35/36; 111 parts (110 in grey styrene, 1 clear styrene); pre-order price US$17.50 from Dragon USA Online
Advantages: first new, state of the art kit of this vehicle in this scale in years; provision of 3.7 cm PaK a nice touch
Disadvantages: no figures
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for all small-scale German softskin fans
The Germans were not inept in creating good, solid trucks for use by their troops prior to World War II, but they never planned on the huge numbers they would have needed to fully equip their entire army with motorized transport. The Krupp =93Boxer=94 (called such for its flat opposed piston engine, a common German nickname for such engines) was a light duty truck in roughly the same class with US 3/4 ton trucks, the Soviet GAZ-AA, or British 15 CWT class trucks. This version, the Kfz. 69, was a dedicated prime mover for light artillery.
I only recall a really bad model of this vehicle being available about 35 years ago, but it was a snap-together wargaming one from Japan in 1/76 made of ABS plastic. Ergo this is the first real shot at this vehicle in this scale in years. DML has done it right and while not in the same level of achievement as their 1/35 scale kit is still very nicely done.
While the chassis is a single piece with engine and exhaust details molded in place, the rest attaches as need be. The wheels are each two parts - tire/whee and inner rim - and nine are provided with the kit to replicate the spare/helper wheels provided for increased mobility in rough terrain.
The body comes with separate seats and ammo chests for the 3.7 cm gun, and the driver=92s compartment also has separate control levers. A clear windshield is provided but only masked solid headlights come with the kit.
The 3.7 cm is an older kit having been first provided with the Sd.Kfz. 251 halftracks, but it is still a good idea for DML to include it with this kit. It is shown both in road order being towed or set up for combat. Alas, one thing the kit does not include is a crew, either sitting or operating the gun.
Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson served as technical consultants for this kit.
Only a single finishing option is offered: Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front 1941 (grey with license WH-39727). A tiny sheet of Cartograf decals is provided, but it includes decals for the two main dials on the dashboard.
Overall this is a nice change of pace from armored vehicles from DML and should be popular with small-scale diorama fans.
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
Cookie Sewell