Kit Review: DML 1-72 Armor Series Kit No. 7246; Sd. Kfz. 182 King Tiger (Henschel Turret); 152 parts (144 in grey styrene, 4 etched brass, 2 metal screws, 2 in black vinyl); price $8.95
Advantages: new kit of a very popular subject; all styrene kit
Disadvantages: some parts may be confused due to use of the same sprues with other kits
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for beginning modelers and small-scale German armor fans
I am getting a scary feeling that DML has been reading my reviews and reacting to them, for this is the second kit in as many months that has shown up with corrections made to the original that make it more modeler-friendly.
DML produced some nice kits of small-scale armor last year, but as they were converted directly from their small-scale radio-controlled kits they had diecast metal hulls, which makes it very tough for the serious modeler to change or modify. This kit has now been released, and as such has a new all styrene hull (held together by screws) that replaces the diecast parts. The screws mount through the bow gunner/radio operator's hatch and left rear side of the engine deck under the deck.) As such, all axles are cast as part of the belly and are not adjustable.
The rest of the parts include nicely done hangers on the turret for the extra track link sections. A very shallow engine bay is also included (recall it must clear the screw mounts) as well as solid plastic screens for the front intakes on the engine deck. The turret has two optional position crew hatches and the rear gun removal hatch. A breech is included for the 88mm gun but no other turret interior.
The wheels appear to be nicely done, and all injection pin marks are hidden when the suspension is in place. The tracks are very soft but well detailed in this scale.
Four finishes are offered: one for s.Pz.Abt. 505 in Normandy (the "Charging Knight" scheme, with provisions to build all the tanks from this unit based on all of the numbers being included in a "number jungle"), a three color scheme from s.Pz.Abt. 501 in the Ardennes 1944, and anothe with whitewash, and one from s.Pz.Abt. 506 in Germany 1945.
Overall, this corrects the one observation that I made on the original kits, and now means that the kit is quite useful to the mainstream modeling community. But as they are inexpensive and do not require a great deal of engineer prowess (and are inexpensive by today's standards!) as before I recommend them to younger modelers as they are a great place to start.
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
Cookie Sewell