Kit Review: Dragon Model Limited 1/72 Scale Armor Pro Kit No. 7373; Beutepanzer M4A2; 225 parts (217 in grey styrene, 6 etched brass, 2 DS plastic track runs); retail price US$14.50
Advantages: another nice new mold variant of the Sherman family; nice selection of optional parts
Disadvantages: lots of leftover parts; one single decal and finishing option
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: to German (and Russian fans with a decal warchest) and Sherman fans
I have to say up front I do not find =93captured=94 kit variants of either Axis or Allied vehicles very impressive, as they usually forego good markings options for a very limited application item and rarely one which was so iconic in its adaption or modification it justifies a separate kit.
So it is with this kit, which is of a late production M4A2 75mm tank with wet stowage and which could have been offered with Soviet markings as well as the =93captured=94 German set. Unfortunately it does not, which somewhat limits the appeal of the kit to those without deep decal chests or access to 1/72 scale Soviet decal sets.
That being said, this kit provides some nice new mold items not seen in DML=92s excellent =93small scale=94 Sherman kits before, such as the welded =93dish=94 type wheels and T49 =93three bar cleat=94 steel tracks. T= he latter were very popular with the Soviets and also with the diesel engines in the A2 variant gave them great service. The kit provides six extra bogie sets (wheels attached to the rear suspension carrier as in past kits) so you have an option between the =93pressed/welded=94 type and the =93dish=94 type.
The sprue also provides the three big sections of applique armor for the hull used on some of these tanks.
The kit comes with a late-model =93high bustle=94 turret with loader=92s hatch and several sprues of different details with different hatches and other details, but as noted above you will have a lot of bits left in the box when the model is completed. It has a new-mold hull and other useful details as well.
As noted only a single finishing option with a set of targeted Cartograf decals is provided: 14th Panzer Division, Eastern Front 1944 (three-color scheme on top over olive drab with black/white crosses and divisional markings).
Overall this could have been nicer with some Soviet markings to go with it, but so it goes. The kit itself is nice and will find favor with =93Shermaholics=94 nonetheless!
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
Cookie Sewell