In Box Review of DML 1/35TH Scale
German Jagdpanzer/Flammpanzer 38 Mid Production
Kit no.6037
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1995
Out of production
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1995
Out of production
HISTORY:
The Jagdpanzer 38 (Sd.Kfz. 138/2) was a German light tank destroyer of the Second World War based on a modified Czechoslovakian Panzer 38(t) chassis.
German armored forces in World War II created a variety of vehicles by mounting anti-tank guns on obsolete tank chassis. These machines performed even better than expected, yet were still vulnerable due to high vehicle profiles and open-topped turrets.
Allied bombings took a heavy toll on German production facilities, and further increased the need for an easily produced yet effective light tank destroyer to replace vehicles like the StuG III and Marder series. Prototypes of the Jagdpanzer 38 were ready by 1944 and mass production began in April of that year.
The Jagdpanzer 38 was covered entirely with sloped armor, and possessed a compact form and low silhouette, giving it much improved defensive ability over other self-propelled guns. Armament consisted of a 7.5 cm Pak 39 L/48 gun in fixed mounting as well as a remote-controlled MG 34.
It featured a wide body to accommodate the four-man crew, as well as strengthened lower hull with enlarged wheels, guide rollers and tracks.
Jagdpanzer 38s first entered service in July 1944, and would eventually be assigned to a number of units, including infantry, Panzerjäger and Volksgrenadier divisions. BMM and Škoda continually modified and improved the Jagdpanzer 38 during production of the more than 2,800 vehicles built.
Owing to the ease of production and high operating rates, the Jagdpanzer 38 came to serve as Germany's main tank destroyer in the latter period of the war, making an important contribution on both the Eastern and Western Fronts.
The Flammpanzer 38 - Jagdpanzer 38 was modified with a Koebe flamethrower in place of the main gun. Deployed on the Western Front, with first use during the Battle of the Bulge (20 in 352nd and 353rd Panzer-Flamm-Kompany's attached to Army Group G). Less than 50 units produced.
The Jagdpanzer 38 (Sd.Kfz. 138/2) was a German light tank destroyer of the Second World War based on a modified Czechoslovakian Panzer 38(t) chassis.
German armored forces in World War II created a variety of vehicles by mounting anti-tank guns on obsolete tank chassis. These machines performed even better than expected, yet were still vulnerable due to high vehicle profiles and open-topped turrets.
Allied bombings took a heavy toll on German production facilities, and further increased the need for an easily produced yet effective light tank destroyer to replace vehicles like the StuG III and Marder series. Prototypes of the Jagdpanzer 38 were ready by 1944 and mass production began in April of that year.
The Jagdpanzer 38 was covered entirely with sloped armor, and possessed a compact form and low silhouette, giving it much improved defensive ability over other self-propelled guns. Armament consisted of a 7.5 cm Pak 39 L/48 gun in fixed mounting as well as a remote-controlled MG 34.
It featured a wide body to accommodate the four-man crew, as well as strengthened lower hull with enlarged wheels, guide rollers and tracks.
Jagdpanzer 38s first entered service in July 1944, and would eventually be assigned to a number of units, including infantry, Panzerjäger and Volksgrenadier divisions. BMM and Škoda continually modified and improved the Jagdpanzer 38 during production of the more than 2,800 vehicles built.
Owing to the ease of production and high operating rates, the Jagdpanzer 38 came to serve as Germany's main tank destroyer in the latter period of the war, making an important contribution on both the Eastern and Western Fronts.
The Flammpanzer 38 - Jagdpanzer 38 was modified with a Koebe flamethrower in place of the main gun. Deployed on the Western Front, with first use during the Battle of the Bulge (20 in 352nd and 353rd Panzer-Flamm-Kompany's attached to Army Group G). Less than 50 units produced.
THE KIT:
DML is an old prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of two Jagdpanzer 38’s moving down a snow-covered road in a forest, past a German officer and 3 infantry-men.
Both tanks are in a wave camouflage of khaki-green, red-brown and field-grey, with narrow white stripes. German cross is on their sides. The tank commanders of both tanks are looking out of the top of each. Both wear camouflaged uniforms, The commander of the lead tank wears a steel helmet. The following commander wears a black side cap and pair of head-phones on his head
The 3 infantry-men wear field-grey uniforms and steel helmets. The officer wears a field-grey overcoat, black jack boots and an officer’s billed hat.
One side panel of the box has one-paragraph histories of the tank in Japanese, French, English, Italian, German and Chinese on it. Each language is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
In these histories the date 1994 is WRONG. It should say 1944. They only got it right in the French language one, This is followed by Marco Polo Import Inc’s street address in City of Industry, CA, the importer and distributor for DML models in the 90’s. Copyright of the kit is 1995 and the kit was made in Hong Kong, China.
DML is an old prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of two Jagdpanzer 38’s moving down a snow-covered road in a forest, past a German officer and 3 infantry-men.
Both tanks are in a wave camouflage of khaki-green, red-brown and field-grey, with narrow white stripes. German cross is on their sides. The tank commanders of both tanks are looking out of the top of each. Both wear camouflaged uniforms, The commander of the lead tank wears a steel helmet. The following commander wears a black side cap and pair of head-phones on his head
The 3 infantry-men wear field-grey uniforms and steel helmets. The officer wears a field-grey overcoat, black jack boots and an officer’s billed hat.
One side panel of the box has one-paragraph histories of the tank in Japanese, French, English, Italian, German and Chinese on it. Each language is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
In these histories the date 1994 is WRONG. It should say 1944. They only got it right in the French language one, This is followed by Marco Polo Import Inc’s street address in City of Industry, CA, the importer and distributor for DML models in the 90’s. Copyright of the kit is 1995 and the kit was made in Hong Kong, China.
The other side panel of the box shows 3 walk-around type photos of the model made up in the box art scheme, but with no narrow white stripes over the 3 color camouflage. A German cross and a red 102 outlined in white on its sides. Followed by a repeat of Marco Polo’s address and FAX number and copyright date and MADE IN HONG KONG, CHINA.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 8 medium-grey parts trees, decal sheet and a steel PE fret in 4 sealed clear cello bags and 2 instructions.
The main instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 8 ¼” x 14” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art, over the history of the tank in English, French, Japanese, Chinese, German and Italian.
Page 2 begins with ATTENTION about the kit, over international assembly explanations and a suggested paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo and Italeri brands of hobby paints in the 6 languages.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 7 gives a grand total of 13 assembly steps.
Page 8 is the parts-trees illustrations, over the decal application instructions in the 6 languages, the 1995 copyright date for the kit and printing was done in Hong Kong, China.
The second instruction is a painting and marking guide. It shows a 4-view and a 5 view.
Both tanks shown are in the box art scheme, but without the narrow white stripes.
The 4-view has a number 201 on its sides, followed by the German cross. It was with an unknown unit, Bastogne. Ardennes 1945.
The 5 view has the number S 14 on its sides. It was a flammpanzer 38, Rimling France 1945.
The kit holds 8 medium-grey parts trees, decal sheet and a steel PE fret in 4 sealed clear cello bags and 2 instructions.
The main instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 8 ¼” x 14” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art, over the history of the tank in English, French, Japanese, Chinese, German and Italian.
Page 2 begins with ATTENTION about the kit, over international assembly explanations and a suggested paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo and Italeri brands of hobby paints in the 6 languages.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 7 gives a grand total of 13 assembly steps.
Page 8 is the parts-trees illustrations, over the decal application instructions in the 6 languages, the 1995 copyright date for the kit and printing was done in Hong Kong, China.
The second instruction is a painting and marking guide. It shows a 4-view and a 5 view.
Both tanks shown are in the box art scheme, but without the narrow white stripes.
The 4-view has a number 201 on its sides, followed by the German cross. It was with an unknown unit, Bastogne. Ardennes 1945.
The 5 view has the number S 14 on its sides. It was a flammpanzer 38, Rimling France 1945.
Trees are alphabetized.
Medium-grey letter A tree holds: hull tub & top, final transfer covers, regular gun barrel, side skirts, jack, cable cutter, machine gun etc. (39 parts)
Medium-grey letter A tree holds: hull tub & top, final transfer covers, regular gun barrel, side skirts, jack, cable cutter, machine gun etc. (39 parts)
Medium-grey letter B tree holds: the flame gun barrel, mantle, rear hull wall, engine deck roof etc. (27 parts)
There are 4 identical medium-grey letter C trees which hold: the individual track links, road wheels, idler wheels, springs, bogies (64 parts each)
There are 2 identical medium-grey letter D trees. They are co-joined to 2 of the letter C trees. They hold drive sprockets etc. (8 parts each).
The steel PE fret is next. It is backed by a stiff card to prevent bending. It holds an engine air intake screen etc. (6 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit contents.
I also added an Aber brand brass PE set to the kit. It holds many parts, including side skirts and a “crow’s foot” type radio antenna.
There are no clear parts or figures included. External detail is great,
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.