StuG III Ausf.G Early Production w/Schurtzen - Smart Kit
Scale
1/35
Kit Number
6365
Primary Media
659 parts (400 in grey styrene, 216 “Magic
Track” links, 20 etched brass, 12 etched nickel,
10 clear styrene, 1 length of twisted steel wire)
Pros
Early model StuG now with the schurtzen
added to the kit
Cons
No zimmerit; does not come with DS
plastic track runs
Skill Level
Experienced
MSRP (USD)
$45.00
DML has now re-released their very nice StuG III Early kit
with a set of nickel “schurtzen” plates and styrene
hangers. The rest of the kit (other than the markings, of course!)
is a complete reissue of Kit No. 6320.
As before, this kit provides the “early production” – e.g.
welded mantelet/recoil cover vice the later “Saukopf” mantelet – version
of the Ausf. G. It uses individual torsion bars and road wheel
arms as well as all of the external details on the lower hull
such as shocks and bump stops. Each idler wheel consists of
five parts with twin brass inserts between the plastic castings.
All wheels are detailed to the point of having the rubber tire
manufacturer’s data readable!
The brass is provided only for those bits where plastic cannot
do the job, such as the aforementioned wheel rims and the air
intake and exhaust grilles on the engine deck plus some non-slip
gridding. All fender details are separate and go on in subassemblies.
In point of fact, most of this model consists of subassemblies,
which is how it gets its tremendous level of details. This
also shows in the sprues, as for example the “A” wheel
sprue actually consists of seven sub-sprues, so future kits
can be done by gating off or ungating other sections of the
master sprue to meet the need of those kits. DML seems to be
getting smarter in their old age, using this technique vice
tossing in 5-10 other sprues from other kits to get one part
from each one.
The kit comes with a high level of interior parts, including
the gun, commander’s cupola assembly, floor, and the
radios and stowage racks for various bits on each side of the
casemate.
Likewise the engine deck consists of several subassemblies
combined to form the deck. Note that every hatch on this vehicle
can be opened for display of the interior, but there is no
engine or transmission provided.
Final assembly again has a number of different modules combined
into one final assembly – lower hull, fenders, engine
deck, interior, gun barrel, casemate, and tracks. Oddly enough,
while the radios and antenna bases are supplied, no comment
is made about the antennas for them!
Anyone who has done any of the other DML kits with “schurtzen” will
recognize the concept of using styrene hangers and etched nickel
plates, and this kit has the same options with it. There are
two angled end pieces and two overlapping center sections provided
for each side of the vehicle.
The kit does not come with any “zimmerit” which
photos show applied to vehicles just like this one, and it
will disappoint more than a few modelers. It also comes with
the single link “Magic Tracks” rather than two
simple DS plastic runs; while not incorrect it does make construction
more tedious for the modeler.
Technical advice for the kit is credited to Thomas Anderson,
Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson.
Six different finishing options and a targeted Cartograf are
provided: Pz.Jg.Abt. 2, 12th Panzer Division, Estonia 1944
(two-color, black 221); SS Pz.Gren.Div “Das Reich”,
Kursk 1943 (tricolor with no numbers); SS Pz.Gren.Div. “Totenkopf”,
Kursk 1943 (two-color, white cross outlines); Pz.Abt. 103,
3rd Pz.Gren.Div, Italy 1943 (sand with battalion insignia);
Pz.Abt.(Fkl) 301, 2nd Pz.Div., Normandy 1944 (tricolor, black
421); and 3./Pz.Abt.(Fkl) 302, Warsaw 1944 (tricolor “squiggle” pattern).
Overall, this will be popular but I personally think it is
time for a “zimmerit” version of the StuG III.
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
Sprue layout
A 61x2 Wheels and torsion bars (7 mini-sprues connected)
