Roden 1/72
Sd.Kfz.234/1

Background

After the Hawker Typhoon fighter was added to the RAF’s inventory the Panzerwaffe endured heavy casualties and German troop movements became complicated. As the Typhoon was armed with 4 cannons and 8 rockets, the German Military Command put out a requirement for a new armored car, intended to replace the out-of-date Sd.Kfz.231

(8–Rad) and the Sd.Kfz.232 (8–Rad) and it should be able to resist air attacks.

The new Sd.Kfz.234 was equipped with a 20mm KwK38 gun installed in a hexagonal turret, allowing 360 degree rotation and a good vertical arc of fire (from 4 to 70 degrees).

It was installed in the same way on the Sd.Kfz.222 and the Sd.Kfz.250/9. It showed itself to be very effective in combat. The new lower turret was covered by netting, and had 14.5mm of armor on the sides and 30mm in front. A 7.92mm MG 42 machine-gun was also installed in the turret offset to the left.

Nevertheless, as the Sd.Kfz.234/1 (as the new armored car was classified) it was mainly designed for reconnaissance. It was equipped with two wireless stations (Fv Ger-12SE80 and FV. Ger “F”) and a 2 meter radio aerial was fitted at the rear of the turret.

Serial production of the Sd.Kfz.234/1 started in June of 1944 and it was an opportune time, as the Allied Air Forces dominated on the Western Front and the air raids of British and American ground attack aircraft were continuous.

Most of the 200 Sd.Kfz.234/1’s produced up to the beginning of 1945 were sent to the Western Front and they fought there in the last battles of WWII.

Performance Data:

• Overall Length with gun: 5.86m
• Overall Width: 2.33m
• Overall Height: 2.1m
• Allowable weight: 11740 kg
• Engine: Tatra 103
• Max Power: 155 kW
• Max Speed: 90 km/h
• Range: 1000 km on roads, 600 km cross-country
• Armament: one 20mm KwK38 gun and one 14.5mm MG42 machine-gun
• Crew: 4

The Kit

The kit comes in an end-opening type box. The box art shows a Sd.Kfz.234/1 tooling along a road, just before it passes through a battle damaged gate in the road. There appears to be snow on the ground and the turret has a canvas cover over the top of it.

The back of the box has a full color 3-view of a camouflage scheme and markings for a vehicle serving with the 4 th Panzer Division, Gdansk, Feb. – March 1945. Below this 3-view are color patches calling out Humbrol brand paint colors. A warning also appears here that the kit is not intended for kids under 3, as it holds small parts that they may inject. The two side panels of the box give a short paragraph history of the vehicle in 7 languages (including English).

The contents of the kit consist of 2 medium gray trees of parts and 2 black trees. There is also a square of nylon screen, to use on the turret (a pattern for cutting the sections to fit the turret is given in the instructions). The decal sheet and small instruction booklet complete the kits contents.

The largest tree in the kit, letter B is identical to the same tree in Roden’s kit of the Puma (reviewed elsewhere on this site). The 2 identical black trees are the same too. Only the smaller of the two medium gray trees is new…it holds the turret and 20mm cannon unique to this version of the vehicle.

Letter B is all the parts for the body of the vehicle plus a spare tire.(31 parts)

The letter A trees hold the wheels, leaf springs, a shovel, suspension parts, some jerry cans etc. (51 parts per tree).

Letter E tree is the turret parts and the 20mm cannon parts etc. (16 parts)

The piece of nylon screen and the decal sheet and instruction booklet complete the contest as already mentioned.

There are no crew figures provided in the kit.

The small instruction booklet consists of 8 pages.

Page one gives the history of the vehicle in 3 languages (including English).

Page 2 is the parts tree drawings.

Page 3 begins with “Attention – Useful Advice” in 3 languages (including English), followed by international assembly symbol translations.

Pages 4 through 7 give us a total of 15 assembly steps.

Page 8 is the same paint scheme as was already given in full color on the back of the box, but this time in black and white.

Conclusions

This kit looks like it will make up just as nice as Roden’s Puma did. Cutting the 6 sections out of the nylon screen square, for the turret, will be tricky…but the rest of the build should be straight forward. You can find this kit at your local hobby retailer or directly from Squadron Mail Order (www.squadron.com).

My sincere thanks to Squadron Mail Order for this review sample!