Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/72 Scale Armor Pro Kit No. 7208; Soviet SU-100 Tank Destroyer; 152 parts (134 in grey styrene, 14 etched brass, 2 DS plastic track runs, 2 twisted steel wires); price about US$14.95
Advantages: first new kit of this subject in this scale, very nicely rendered components
Disadvantages: like 1/35 scale one will not build postwar Czech version
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for all small-scale Soviet armor fans
DML continues to make the same "Big Brother - Little Brother" pairs of kits with its 1/35 scale models and 1/72 scale companion pieces. This one follows hot on the heels of the Premium Edition 1/35 scale kit, but is a new effort.
Like all of the recent 1/72 scale kits, this one uses the same conventions of shared sprues, DS plastic flexible tracks that may be glued together with styrene cement, and etched brass components to enhance the model. The kit comes with only two sprues - one from the
1/72 scale T-34-85 kit family and a dedicated SU-100 upper hull. The lower hull is a late T-34 hull with separate "beak" edge for the bow and with the now-familiar DML "Slide Molded" wheel sets for their 1/72 scale '34s.About half of the T-34-85 parts are not used, but the rest are the detail bits to complete the model. It comes with a choice of plastic or etched brass grilles for the rear, four new 95 liter spare fuel tanks, and twin tow cables made from twisted steel wire.
Assembly is simpler than the 1/35 scale version as the upper hull and casemate are in one piece, with only a "pulpit" to be added to the right side of the hul l and the hull rear and front plates. Both are, like all DML '34 series vehicles, basically appliques over a frame molded onto the hull part.
All hatches except the engine access hatch are separate parts and may be posed either open or closed. The gun barrel is styrene but is "slide molded" with a hollow bore.
Etched brass parts consist of the aforementioned grilles, the internal air louvers for the radiator exhaust grille, and some smaller fittings.
The kit offers five different finishing options: Unidentified unit, Bohemia 1945 (white 433 on 4BO green); Unidentified unit, Vienna 1945 (red stars with white surrounds on 4BO green); 7th Mechanized Corps, Hungary 1945 (whitewash over 4BO green); 11th Guards Mechanized Corps, Hungary 1945 (faded whitewash over 4BO green); and Unidentified unit, Czechoslovakia 1954 (white 482 on 4BO green). The decals are from Cartograf and it is a "targeted" sheet with just those markings on it.
Overall it is a very nice effort, but as with the large kit it's a shame that the markings and few extra parts needed to convert it into a Czech-made vehicle serving with Egypt could not be provided.
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
Cookie Sewell