In Box Review of AFV Club 1/35th Scale
Leichte Zugkraftwagen 3t, Sd.Kfz. 11 Einheitstahrerhaus
3 Ton, Late Version, Half-Track Truck+
Kit no. AF 35047
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $36.49 at Sprue Bros
Copyright of kit is 2002
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $36.49 at Sprue Bros
Copyright of kit is 2002
HISTORY:
The Sd.Kfz. 11 Light Half-Track was originally designed for towing mid-size howitzers and was widely adapted on all fronts throughout Europe and North Africa during WWII.
Due to the lack of materials at later stages of the war, its production proceedure had gone through considerable simplification. Besides the chassis, which remained unchanged, the later model heavily adopted parts of the Sd.Kfz. 251 rendering it a significantly different look.
Due to the crucial need for steel and other war supplies, the upper hull of the late war Sd.Kfz 11 was assembled largely with wooden material. Following the lengthening of its engine compartment, the driving cabin was modified to a tightly enclosed wooden structure.
Similar to the Sd.Kfz. 251, its steering wheel was also changed to a downward-tilting angle. Other than its original towing duty for artillery units, the usage of late-war Sd.Kfz. 11's had widely diversified, serving the Third Reich throughout the last days of the war.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Light half-track
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
Service history:
In service: 1938–45
Used by: Nazi Germany
Wars: World War II
Production history:
Designer: Hanomag
Designed: 1934–38
Manufacturers: Hanomag, Adlerwerke, Horch, Škoda, Borgward
Produced: 1938–45
No. built: Approx. 9,000
Variants: Sd.Kfz. 11/1, Sd.Kfz. 11/2, Sd.Kfz. 11/3, Sd.Kfz. 11/4, Sd.Kfz. 11/5
Specifications (late Sd.Kfz. 11):
Weight: 7,200 kilograms (15,900 lb)
Length: 5.55 metres (18.2 ft)
Width: 2 metres (6.6 ft)
Height: 2.15 metres (7.1 ft)
Crew: 2 + 6
Engine: 4.1L Maybach HL42 TRKM petrol 6-cylinder, water-cooled, 100 horsepower (100 PS)
Payload capacity: 1,800 kilograms (4,000 lb)
Transmission: 4 + 1 speed Hanomag U 50
Suspension: torsion bar
Ground clearance: 32 centimetres (13 in)
Fuel capacity: 110 litres (29 US gal)
Operational range: 240 kilometres (150 mi) (road)
140 kilometres (87 mi) (cross-country)
Speed: 52.5 km/h (32.6 mph) (road)
The Sd.Kfz. 11 Light Half-Track was originally designed for towing mid-size howitzers and was widely adapted on all fronts throughout Europe and North Africa during WWII.
Due to the lack of materials at later stages of the war, its production proceedure had gone through considerable simplification. Besides the chassis, which remained unchanged, the later model heavily adopted parts of the Sd.Kfz. 251 rendering it a significantly different look.
Due to the crucial need for steel and other war supplies, the upper hull of the late war Sd.Kfz 11 was assembled largely with wooden material. Following the lengthening of its engine compartment, the driving cabin was modified to a tightly enclosed wooden structure.
Similar to the Sd.Kfz. 251, its steering wheel was also changed to a downward-tilting angle. Other than its original towing duty for artillery units, the usage of late-war Sd.Kfz. 11's had widely diversified, serving the Third Reich throughout the last days of the war.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Light half-track
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
Service history:
In service: 1938–45
Used by: Nazi Germany
Wars: World War II
Production history:
Designer: Hanomag
Designed: 1934–38
Manufacturers: Hanomag, Adlerwerke, Horch, Škoda, Borgward
Produced: 1938–45
No. built: Approx. 9,000
Variants: Sd.Kfz. 11/1, Sd.Kfz. 11/2, Sd.Kfz. 11/3, Sd.Kfz. 11/4, Sd.Kfz. 11/5
Specifications (late Sd.Kfz. 11):
Weight: 7,200 kilograms (15,900 lb)
Length: 5.55 metres (18.2 ft)
Width: 2 metres (6.6 ft)
Height: 2.15 metres (7.1 ft)
Crew: 2 + 6
Engine: 4.1L Maybach HL42 TRKM petrol 6-cylinder, water-cooled, 100 horsepower (100 PS)
Payload capacity: 1,800 kilograms (4,000 lb)
Transmission: 4 + 1 speed Hanomag U 50
Suspension: torsion bar
Ground clearance: 32 centimetres (13 in)
Fuel capacity: 110 litres (29 US gal)
Operational range: 240 kilometres (150 mi) (road)
140 kilometres (87 mi) (cross-country)
Speed: 52.5 km/h (32.6 mph) (road)
THE KIT:
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. This box is blousy and has a large letter "L" void around the parts.
The box art shows a Sd.Kfz. 11 posed against an all-white background, similar to how Tamiya does their box arts.
The half-track is overall light tan with a white license plate with the number WH-955032 in black on it. The right front fender has a white trident insignia on it and a white horizontal bar on the left front fender.
This is a Sd.Kfz. 11 with the 2nd Panzer Division, France 1944.
The box art also has a listing of the features of the kit, in English, Japanese and Chinese:
Photo-etched parts, realistic rubber tracks, highly detailed precision lower hull.
One side panel of the box has a 3-view of the box art subject Sd.Kfz. 11, showing its front, rear and side.
The other side panel gives the address of Hobby Fan Trading Co.,Ltd. in Taipan, Taiwan, their telephone and FAX numbers.
This is followed by a small repeat of the box art and a listing of a few specifications for the truck.
Next, in 7 languages including English, it says that the kit is for collectors 10 years and older. The importer for Europe is Azimut Productions based in Paris, France, who's address is supplied.
Around the 4 inside walls of the lid there are color box arts of 12 other kits that AFV markets: kit no. AF 35015 a U.S. M-18 Tank-destroyer, kit no.AF 35023 a British Achilles Mk.IIc, kit no. AF 35002 a M730A1 Chaparral Air Defense Missile System, kit no. AF 35006 a U.S. M102 105mm Howitzer, kit no. AF 35011 a U.S. M88 Recovery Tank (NAM), kit no. AF a U.S. LVTP5A1 Amphibian, kit no. AF 35024 a U.S. M10 Tank-destroyer, kit no. AF 35041 a U.S. M41 Light Tank, kit no. AF 35004 a U.S. M35A2 2 1/2 Ton Cargo Truck, kit no. AF 35007 a U.S. M49A2C Fuel Tank Truck, kit no. AF 35034 a U.S. M35A1 Quad 50 cal Gun Truck, kit no. AF 35003 a U.S. M548A1 Tracked Cargo Carrier.
Printed in black and white on the inside bottom of the box tray are 15 more box arts. Most are repeats of the ones above.
Other box arts shown here are: kit no. AF 3505 individual track links for a M48 or M60, kit no. AF 3509 a U.S. M59 155MM "Long Tom" Cannon, kit no. AF 3510 a reboxing of the individual M48 or M60 track links, kit no. AF 3512 individual track links for the M1A1 & A2, kit no. AF 35013 a British CVRT FV107 Scimitar, kit no. AF 355-03 a British Mk.20A1 Wiesel, kit no. AF 35015 a M-18 Hellcat Tank-destroyer, No kit number shown of 155mm Howitzer Rounds & Storage Cases.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. This box is blousy and has a large letter "L" void around the parts.
The box art shows a Sd.Kfz. 11 posed against an all-white background, similar to how Tamiya does their box arts.
The half-track is overall light tan with a white license plate with the number WH-955032 in black on it. The right front fender has a white trident insignia on it and a white horizontal bar on the left front fender.
This is a Sd.Kfz. 11 with the 2nd Panzer Division, France 1944.
The box art also has a listing of the features of the kit, in English, Japanese and Chinese:
Photo-etched parts, realistic rubber tracks, highly detailed precision lower hull.
One side panel of the box has a 3-view of the box art subject Sd.Kfz. 11, showing its front, rear and side.
The other side panel gives the address of Hobby Fan Trading Co.,Ltd. in Taipan, Taiwan, their telephone and FAX numbers.
This is followed by a small repeat of the box art and a listing of a few specifications for the truck.
Next, in 7 languages including English, it says that the kit is for collectors 10 years and older. The importer for Europe is Azimut Productions based in Paris, France, who's address is supplied.
Around the 4 inside walls of the lid there are color box arts of 12 other kits that AFV markets: kit no. AF 35015 a U.S. M-18 Tank-destroyer, kit no.AF 35023 a British Achilles Mk.IIc, kit no. AF 35002 a M730A1 Chaparral Air Defense Missile System, kit no. AF 35006 a U.S. M102 105mm Howitzer, kit no. AF 35011 a U.S. M88 Recovery Tank (NAM), kit no. AF a U.S. LVTP5A1 Amphibian, kit no. AF 35024 a U.S. M10 Tank-destroyer, kit no. AF 35041 a U.S. M41 Light Tank, kit no. AF 35004 a U.S. M35A2 2 1/2 Ton Cargo Truck, kit no. AF 35007 a U.S. M49A2C Fuel Tank Truck, kit no. AF 35034 a U.S. M35A1 Quad 50 cal Gun Truck, kit no. AF 35003 a U.S. M548A1 Tracked Cargo Carrier.
Printed in black and white on the inside bottom of the box tray are 15 more box arts. Most are repeats of the ones above.
Other box arts shown here are: kit no. AF 3505 individual track links for a M48 or M60, kit no. AF 3509 a U.S. M59 155MM "Long Tom" Cannon, kit no. AF 3510 a reboxing of the individual M48 or M60 track links, kit no. AF 3512 individual track links for the M1A1 & A2, kit no. AF 35013 a British CVRT FV107 Scimitar, kit no. AF 355-03 a British Mk.20A1 Wiesel, kit no. AF 35015 a M-18 Hellcat Tank-destroyer, No kit number shown of 155mm Howitzer Rounds & Storage Cases.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 6 light tan parts trees in 5 sealed cello bags, a dark green tree in a sealed cello bag, a clear tree in a sealed cello bag, a steel PE fret in a zip-locked cello bag with the decal sheet, 2 lengths of black vinyl rubber band type treads in a sealed cello bag and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 1/4" x 11 1/2" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, followed by the history of the truck in English and Chinese.
Page 2 begins with a paragraph that is all in Chinese, above an international assembly symbol explanations, decal application instructions and a suggested pain color listing in the two languages.
Page 3 through the top of page 11 give a grand total of 19 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 11 has a 2-view of the box art subject (already described above).
Page 12 has the parts trees illustrations at the top. At the bottom of the page is a customer assistance coupon in English and Chinese.
There are 2 identical light tan letter A parts trees. They each hold: the tires, road wheels, idler wheels, suspension arms etc. (33 parts per tree).
The kit contains 6 light tan parts trees in 5 sealed cello bags, a dark green tree in a sealed cello bag, a clear tree in a sealed cello bag, a steel PE fret in a zip-locked cello bag with the decal sheet, 2 lengths of black vinyl rubber band type treads in a sealed cello bag and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 1/4" x 11 1/2" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, followed by the history of the truck in English and Chinese.
Page 2 begins with a paragraph that is all in Chinese, above an international assembly symbol explanations, decal application instructions and a suggested pain color listing in the two languages.
Page 3 through the top of page 11 give a grand total of 19 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 11 has a 2-view of the box art subject (already described above).
Page 12 has the parts trees illustrations at the top. At the bottom of the page is a customer assistance coupon in English and Chinese.
There are 2 identical light tan letter A parts trees. They each hold: the tires, road wheels, idler wheels, suspension arms etc. (33 parts per tree).
The second light tan letter B parts tree holds, tie rods drive sprockets, shift levers etc. (26 parts).
The third light tan letter C parts tree holds: frame sides, cargo compartment floor, dashboard, fuel tank, cabin floor, steering wheel, exhaust etc. (33 parts).
Labeling now jumps to letter G, which is the steel PE fret it holds the radiator grill.
Letter H is the two runs of black vinyl rubber-band type treads.
Lettering now jumps to the light tan letter M parts tree. It holds: cab doors, hood parts, fire wall, cargo compartment walls etc. (22 parts).
Letter N is the clear parts. The tree holds 3 window panes. There are no clear headlight lenses.
Lettering again jumps to the light tan letter W parts tree. It holds: the front and rear walls of the cargo compartment, canvas roof support bars etc. (35 parts)
The final tree is the dark green letter X tree. It holds: 4 98K carbines, a MG 34, a MG42 with their ammo belts and folded bipods (11 parts)
Letter I is the decal sheet and completes the kit contents. It has a frosted tissue to protect its face from scratching. There are other unit and tactical markings on this sheet, but the marking and painting instructions don't mention them.
This is a neat kit, as far as it goes. I would have liked to have had it supply at least a driver figure and some cargo stuff. Also more instruction on where those other marks would be used.
Otherwise recommended.
I bought my kit years ago at my local hobby shop.
Otherwise recommended.
I bought my kit years ago at my local hobby shop.