In Box Review of Esci 1/35th Scale
1 Ton Half-track Demag D7
Kit no. 5007
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION ($6.98 back in the 60’s)
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION ($6.98 back in the 60’s)
HISTORY:
The 1 ton half-track, Demag D7, manufactured by the company of the same name, officially took service in the German army in 1939. It was first to tow light artillery pieces and later, because of its reliability and solidness, it was adapted to become a self-propelled vehicle with anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns (Pak 40, Fak 30/38).
Over 17,000 were manufactured. It was very widely used and its chassis served for the well known Sd.Kfz. 250, the first of a long series of sub-versions.
THE KIT:
Esci was a company based in Italy that went out of business. Their molds went first to Ertl for a while and a few went to Italeri.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Demag D7 in overall Panzer-gray, against n all-white background with black outlines of squares on it. It has a white license plate with the black number WH-7209623 on it. This number is on the decal sheet, but it is missing the numeral “0”.
There is a white tactical sign for a field radio unit on the right front fender and a yellow division marking of a yellow arrow with a bar across it on the left front fender.
A sticker on the box art says “Imported by Scale Craft Models of Northridge, California”. Kit was made in Italy.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 3 very dark-green trees, a clear tree, steel colored rubber-band type treads and the decal sheet in a sealed cello bag.
The instructions complete the kits contents.
The instruction consist of a single sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 8 ½” x 11” page format, folded in the center of its length to fit the box.
The parts fit the sturdy tray very tightly in all directions.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white photo of an actual D-7 moving through a forest and pulling a small anti-tank gun. It appears to have a coating of winter white-wash overall. The driver and 2 gun crewmen are all in heavy winter clothing. This is followed by the history of the D-7 in Italian, English, French, German and Spanish.
Page 2 through 5 give a total of 8 assembly steps.
Page 6 is the painting and marking instructions.
A 3-view illustration is shown with letters pointing to where marks should go and geometric symbols pointing to where colors go.
However, the only symbol on the illustration is for Panzer-gray overall.
There are 3 marking choices. One each are for Wehrmacht, SS and Luftwaffe. The tactical marks and division logos for these are on the decal sheet.
There are no parts trees illustrations in the instructions.
Dark-green letter A parts tree holds: wheels, headlight housings and their blackout covers, tools, windshield frame, jerry cans, road wheels, drive sprockets, idler wheels, transmission hump, steering wheel etc. (98 parts)
The 1 ton half-track, Demag D7, manufactured by the company of the same name, officially took service in the German army in 1939. It was first to tow light artillery pieces and later, because of its reliability and solidness, it was adapted to become a self-propelled vehicle with anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns (Pak 40, Fak 30/38).
Over 17,000 were manufactured. It was very widely used and its chassis served for the well known Sd.Kfz. 250, the first of a long series of sub-versions.
THE KIT:
Esci was a company based in Italy that went out of business. Their molds went first to Ertl for a while and a few went to Italeri.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Demag D7 in overall Panzer-gray, against n all-white background with black outlines of squares on it. It has a white license plate with the black number WH-7209623 on it. This number is on the decal sheet, but it is missing the numeral “0”.
There is a white tactical sign for a field radio unit on the right front fender and a yellow division marking of a yellow arrow with a bar across it on the left front fender.
A sticker on the box art says “Imported by Scale Craft Models of Northridge, California”. Kit was made in Italy.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 3 very dark-green trees, a clear tree, steel colored rubber-band type treads and the decal sheet in a sealed cello bag.
The instructions complete the kits contents.
The instruction consist of a single sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 8 ½” x 11” page format, folded in the center of its length to fit the box.
The parts fit the sturdy tray very tightly in all directions.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white photo of an actual D-7 moving through a forest and pulling a small anti-tank gun. It appears to have a coating of winter white-wash overall. The driver and 2 gun crewmen are all in heavy winter clothing. This is followed by the history of the D-7 in Italian, English, French, German and Spanish.
Page 2 through 5 give a total of 8 assembly steps.
Page 6 is the painting and marking instructions.
A 3-view illustration is shown with letters pointing to where marks should go and geometric symbols pointing to where colors go.
However, the only symbol on the illustration is for Panzer-gray overall.
There are 3 marking choices. One each are for Wehrmacht, SS and Luftwaffe. The tactical marks and division logos for these are on the decal sheet.
There are no parts trees illustrations in the instructions.
Dark-green letter A parts tree holds: wheels, headlight housings and their blackout covers, tools, windshield frame, jerry cans, road wheels, drive sprockets, idler wheels, transmission hump, steering wheel etc. (98 parts)
Dark-green letter B parts tree holds: the frame with front fenders attached, cabin floor, tie rods, hood parts, grill, front seats, axles, leaf springs, fire wall , hull side panels etc. (35 parts)
Dark-green letter C parts tree holds: the canvas roof and its support, small side panels, bench seats, fender pennant frame, rear canvas wall, rolled tarp etc. (58 parts)
The clear parts tree holds the windshield panes and light lenses (4 parts)
A dark-green tree that is not alphabetized holds the driver figure (6 parts) He is divided into separate torso, arms, legs and steel helmet. However, the steel helmet has a sink mark in the top of it in my kit and will need to be puttied.
The two steel colored rubber-band type tread runs are next. They are very narrow and look more like they are 1/72nd scale than 1/35th.
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.
This kit is now sold by Italeri. I recommend it to modelers of average building skills.
Kit was compliments of my wallet years ago.