| Date of Review |
June 2005 |
| Manufacturer |
DML |
| Subject |
Sd.Kfz.164 Hornisse |
| Scale |
1/72 |
| Kit Number |
7234 |
| Primary Media |
191 parts (172 in grey styrene, 17
etched brass, 2 in tan DS 100 plastic) |
| Pros |
First kit of this vehicle in this scale
in styrene; amazing amount of parts for a kit WITHOUT separate
track; very nicely done detail work |
| Cons |
Gun is very involved and will take
a great deal of care to assemble correctly; brass ammo
racks will require care in assembly; tracks are slightly
too long and will need cutting |
| Skill Level |
Basic |
| MSRP (USD) |
$10.95 |
When DML blew its first attempt at the Nashorn and Hornisse
ten years ago (and this reviewer missed its major boo-boos)
many modelers were quite upset and unforgiving of the errors
and problems. DML, to their credit, provided some immediate
correction to the mistakes and three years ago put out very
well done ground-up corrections to those kits. Most modelers
were forgiving of the first kit in light of the new one.
Now DML has done the same in 1/72 scale, using the research
that produced the two new kits. The first variant offered is
the Hornisse (early model Nashorn) and it is an amazing kit
for its size. DML has managed to provide nearly all of the
details that come on the larger model in a 1/72 scale kit,
and includes etched brass as well.
The kit provides the Gw III /IV chassis and also many of
the parts that will go with the other (probably) three partners
for this kit – the Nashorn and an early and late Hummel – in
two sets of drivers, exhausts, and associated details. Two
different travel locks are provided but while the directions
show a separate forward barrel section for the late-model (part
F12) it has been gated off and is not present in the kit, so
you will have to get another kit to get the later barrel.
The gun consists of some 12 parts, with the rear half of
the breech split horizontally rather than vertically; if neatly
assembled and sanded down with a "Flex-i-File" this
should cause no problems and does remove the pesky ridge along
the top of the barrel.
The wheels come pre-molded in pairs and with a separate center;
this idea has been popular, for it permits neat painting of
the tires and center sections separately to provide a clean
separation line.
Brass parts are included for the fighting compartment floor
ammo chest (along with three single 8.8 cm rounds) and also
for the side cooling air louvers.
There is bad news and good news on the tracks. According
to Al Boone (who is working on one right now) the bad news
is that the tracks are too long and must be cut down. The good
news is that they are made out of DML's DS 100 glueable vinyl
plastic, and so cutting them down is not a problem as it is
relatively easy to simply cement them to the wheels when done.
Six different finishing options are provided: s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt.
525 (four variants) and s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt. 560 (two variants).
Overall this an elegant little model and should please many
German fans in providing a first-class kit in 1/72 scale.
Thanks to Freddie Leung of DML for the review sample.
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