Kit Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/35 Scale '39-'45 Series Kit No. 6711; S d.Kfz. 10/4 fuer 2 cm Flak 30 1940 Production w/Ammo Trailer - Smart Kit; 7
94 parts(495 in grey styrene, 192 "Magic Track" two-part links, 103 etche b rass, 4 clear styrene); pre-order price US$58.99 via Dragon USA OnlineAdvantages: provides the earlier version of the light SP antiaircraft gun; uses proven DML parts from previous kits; adds a very useful ammo trailer
Disadvantages: more than past time for a set of DS Plastic tracks for this suspension
Rating: Recommended
Recommendation: for all German halftrack and "duck hunter" fans
As I noted when the first kit of the Sd.Kfz. 10/5 came out, the Germans we re clearly the most adventurous and committed country in working on halftra cked vehicles during WWII, and had multiple classes of vehicles covering th e 1, 3, 5, 8, 12 and 18 ton classes on softskin platforms and 1 and 3 ton f ully armored chassis. The Sd.Kfz. 10 chassis - and its armored Sd.Kfz. 250 equivalent - were the mainstay of the light end of the range.
Five different variants of the Sd.Kfz. 10 model were produced by DEMAG, an d the latter two - Sd.Kfz.10/4 and Sd.Kfz. 10/5 - were self-propelled light antiaircraft variants. The differences between them were slight - the /4 m ounted the 2 cm Flak 30 and the /5 the 2 cm Flak 38. Both were apparently a ccounted for as one variant as the same chassis was used for both vehicles, and a total of over 600 of both variants was produced.
DML has now re-released the eariler variant of the Sd.Kfz. 10/4 with the c omplete FlaK 30 kit plus a typical ammo trailer. This consisted of a box st ructure attached to the universal Sonderanhanger 51 two-wheel Y-shaped trai ler chassis.
The kit comes with a hull pan with individual torsion bars for the suspens ion and a complete engine and transmission assembly. The modeler only has t he street" tire choice (two piece types) for this kit, but a new set of roa d wheels and new driver center are included.
As before, the hood and grille are impressive as all vanes and louvers are molded open and clear, with the ones on the hood being very petite and nea tly done (be careful as I would bet a thick coat of paint would block them up and ruin the effect). No storage or rifles are included with this kit.
The cargo bed is new with four built-in mounts for the FlaK 30 carriage an d a very intricate one piece frame (part D11) for it. The side frames are s eparate with etched brass grid inserts and ten spare 2 cm ammo magazines to mount on them. Oddly enough it also comes with the stock Sd.Kfz. 10 cargo body which appears to provide some parts, but DML forgot to use its "blue-o ut" treatment on the parts layout to show which parts are not used. This wi ll confuse some modelers who look to that to see which parts are used and w hich are spares.
The 2 cm gun is the complete DML/cyber-hobby item. But as noted when it ca me out, the gun comes with a linked sight elevation system BUT it is not op erable. The best solution I can offer to those who wish to build the gun in an elevated position is install the gun and the sight arm (A26), set it at the desired angle, "freeze" the gun with a drop of liquid cement on the tr unnions, and then install the sight (assembly B) and its linkage arm (A41).
The FlaK 30 for this kit comes minus the extensive brass set seen in its p revious incarnation (No. 6739) which will not disappoint those not infatuat ed with brass. Once more the kit retains tiny Magic Track links of two parts each. While they are nicely done and accurate, they are smaller than many 1/72 scale ki ts and very tedious to assemble.
Technical consultants on this kit were Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson.
Two different finishing options are included, both "Unidentified Unit": 19
40, panzer grey with registration AA-640940; 1939, panzer grey with registr ation WH-129831. All decals are on a Cartograf sheet; also, four masks for the windshield are provided with the kit.Overall this kit is a nice kit, and the replacement of the over-saturation of etched brass for a nicely done ammo trailer will be appreciated by at l east diorama and vignette fans.
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample
Cookie Sewell