Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/72 Armor Pro Series Kit No. 7352; Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. C and 3.7 cm Pak 35/36; 150 parts (145 in grey styrene, 4 etched brass, 1 length of stiff wire); price about US$19.95
Advantages: very nice, clean model of this popular vehicle in =93small scale=94; unique but effective method of assembling running gear; towed =93doorknocker=94 nicely done
Disadvantages: RP parts (as in right puny!)
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for all German WWII =93Small Scale=94 fans
In one of their continuing revisit and redo cycles, DML has now released a welded version of their 251 halftrack as the C model (welded) with towed 3.7 cm Pak 35/36 antitank gun. This is virtually the same as their kit No. 7371 (Ausf. C riveted hull) but does not have the riveted upper hull parts in styrene or the etched brass rivet strips for the lower hull.
Like its predecessor from September 2008, DML has combined their Sd.Kfz. 251 Ausf. C kit with with the 3.7 cm gun on the roof of the fighting compartment and a new ground carriage for the gun. Therefore the kit is as previous models.
The lower hull is a single piece pan, less the rear area, and the axles are molded on the lower hull. The running gear for each side consists of a rear (inside) wheel section, a center wheel section, three outer road wheels, and drivers. Once installed the connectors between the individual wheels on the inside and the center are not visible, so it helps speed up assembly while making it easier to get things aligned. Tracks are the gluable DS plastic, so you can also get them to settle down on top of the road wheels with some care.
Interior bits include the various control levers, rifles, MP submachine guns, and other items. The hinge mechanisms for the doors are single pieces, but are non-operating types. They cement to the lower rear section, as the upper hull has the rear angular parts of the hull attached to it. The four front viewers are separate parts and can be cemented either open or closed as well, as is the hood assembly with two flaps. No engine or interior is provided for the engine bay.
The fenders are one-piece units with the stowage bins still closed parts. RP parts include the =93Notek=94 headlight and mount and the drum magazines for the two MG 34 machine guns. The weapons appear to be very close to scale, something I don=92t recall from other manufacturers in the past!
The Pak 35/36 gun is very neatly done with a =93slide molded=94 open bore so it is up to speed with the larger kits. The gun comes on a small sprue of two parts and a full carriage of 17 parts comes on another. The modeler has a choice of towed or deployed configurations, and the gun is very petite and nicely done. No brass gun shield option is provided of the gun.
Directions are standard DML fare, but due to the fewer parts in their
1/72 series kits they are not as busy and much easier to read.Technical advice was provided by Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson.
Painting and marking options are provided for four vehicles: one from Panzerdivision =93Grossdeutschland=94, Eastern Front 1942 (grey with white outline crosses and markings); Pz.Rgt. 110, 11th Panzer Division, Kursk 1943 (sand with green patches, grey gun); 24th Panzer Division, Eastern Front 1942 (sand with green stripes, grey gun); Pz.Rgt. 12,
4th Panzer Division, Kurland 1944 (three color scheme, black 232, sand gun). A sheet of Cartograf decals with targeted markings and license plate =93jungles=94 are provided.Overall, again a nice effort and another =93gap filler=94 in the 251 family.
Thanks to Freddie Leung of DML for the review sample.
Cookie Sewell