DML 1/35 German Pontoon Set Kit First Look
By Cookie Sewell
| Date of Review | March 2009 | Manufacturer | DML |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | German Pontoon Set | Scale | 1/35 |
| Kit Number | 6532 | Primary Media | 43 parts (642 in grey styrene, 1 length of white nylon string) |
| Pros | Instant diorama; good way to “bulk up” a parts box for figures with accessories | Cons | Set 6109 figures were static when released 11 years ago and even with new arms still appear static; may not have sufficient parts for approach sections; not useable with most vehicles (other than motorcycles or light cars such as Kuebelwagens) |
| Skill Level | Experienced | MSRP (USD) | $27.95 |
First Look
DML continues its process of combining or recombining older kits to create new models with a different slant on things. Now they have dug back over 10 years to find a new way to offer components from four older kits with one sprue of 10 new arms to create a new kit with definitive diorama potential.
This kit takes three sets of figures from set 6109 (the single Grosser Flossack 34 inflatable rubber boat/pontoon), four pontoons, five decking sets from kit 6135 (German Pontoon Set, which originally only came with two pontoons and two decking sets) and a new sprue of arms and two sets of their complete “Gen2" German Generic Kit parts to create a new kit with a total of 13 figures.
The box art shows all 13 of them trudging across the small bridge the kit creates as a platoon, but they do not indicate if all are supposed to be infantry or engineers as the original kits did. This is not wrong, as for the most part other than specific kit the only difference in uniforms would have been piping, but there should be more than just infantry here.
The bridge the kit constructs appears to be some 240mm long (about 8.4 meters or a 25 foot wide stream) with a short ramp on one end. But the kit offers no advice or parts for anchors (floating bridges are rarely plunked down in water, especially if a current is involved, without some sort of anchoring system). Also there is only sufficient ramp material for only one end of the bridge, so the modeler will have to come up with his own opposite end.
There are no decals or basic finishing options provided, so the modeler will have to use the box art for recommended colors.
Overall, this is a good idea but the result seems to be more “box of parts” than cohesive kit.
Thanks to DML for the review sample.
Sprue Layout:
- A 10 Extra arms
- 6070 4 (Fallschirmjaeger - Crete 1941) 2 x Kar 98K, 1 x MP40
- 6105 10 (German Wehrmacht Infantry - Operation Barbarossa 1941) German
- 7.92mm machine gun ammo boxes (2)
- 6105 63 German Wehrmacht Infantry - Operation Barbarossa 1941 - 4 figures
- 6109 44x3 German Large Rubber Dinghy and Pionere (Grosser Flosssack 34) (3 figures)
- 6109 33x4 Inflatable rubber pontoons/rafts
- 6135B 10x5 German Pontoon Set - decking and railings for bridging
- GA 68x2 German generic kit - helmets, entrenching tools, canteens, mess kits
- GB 65x2 German generic kit - ammo pouches, bread bags, holsters, ponchos
- MG34 8 1 x MG34 machine gun and accessories
- ‒ 1 Length of nylon string