In Box Review of Gunze Sangyo 1/35th Scale
Jagdpanther (Sd.Kfz. 173)
High-tech Model
Kit no. G-703
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1988
This kit sold for S140.00 years ago. It was given to me while I was on the staff at Cyber Modeler site.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1988
This kit sold for S140.00 years ago. It was given to me while I was on the staff at Cyber Modeler site.
HISTORY:
The Jagdpanther (German: "hunting Panther"), Sd.Kfz. 173, was a tank destroyer (Jagdpanzer, a self-propelled anti-tank gun) built by Germany during World War II. The Jagdpanther combined the 8.8 cm Pak 43 anti-tank gun, similar to the main gun of the Tiger II, and the armor and suspension of the Panther chassis.
It entered service in 1944 and served on the Eastern and Western Fronts. During the last stages of the war, limited German production resulted in small production numbers, shortage of spare parts, and shortened crew training periods of younger operators.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Self-propelled anti-tank gun
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1944–1945 (Nazi Germany)
Used by: Nazi Germany
Wars: World War II
Produced: 1943–1945
No. built: 413 (+ 12 postwar)
Variants: G1, G2
Mass: 45.5 t (44.8 long tons; 50.2 short tons)
Length: 9.87 m (32 ft 5 in)
Width: 3.42 m (11 ft 3 in)
Height: 2.71 m (8 ft 11 in)
Crew: 5
Armor: 80 mm (3.14 in) frontal, 100 mm (3.93 in) mantlet, 50 mm side, 40mm rear
Main armament: 1 × 8.8 cm Pak 43/3 or 43/4 with 57 rounds
Secondary armament: 1 × 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun (600 rounds)
Engine: Maybach HL230 P30 (V-12 petrol) of 700 PS (690 hp, 515 kW)
Power/weight: 15.4 PS (11.3 kW) / tonne
Suspension: dual torsion bar
Operational range: Road: 260 km (160 mi), Cross-country: 130 km (81 mi)
Maximum speed: 46 km/h (29 mph)
The Jagdpanther (German: "hunting Panther"), Sd.Kfz. 173, was a tank destroyer (Jagdpanzer, a self-propelled anti-tank gun) built by Germany during World War II. The Jagdpanther combined the 8.8 cm Pak 43 anti-tank gun, similar to the main gun of the Tiger II, and the armor and suspension of the Panther chassis.
It entered service in 1944 and served on the Eastern and Western Fronts. During the last stages of the war, limited German production resulted in small production numbers, shortage of spare parts, and shortened crew training periods of younger operators.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Self-propelled anti-tank gun
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1944–1945 (Nazi Germany)
Used by: Nazi Germany
Wars: World War II
Produced: 1943–1945
No. built: 413 (+ 12 postwar)
Variants: G1, G2
Mass: 45.5 t (44.8 long tons; 50.2 short tons)
Length: 9.87 m (32 ft 5 in)
Width: 3.42 m (11 ft 3 in)
Height: 2.71 m (8 ft 11 in)
Crew: 5
Armor: 80 mm (3.14 in) frontal, 100 mm (3.93 in) mantlet, 50 mm side, 40mm rear
Main armament: 1 × 8.8 cm Pak 43/3 or 43/4 with 57 rounds
Secondary armament: 1 × 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun (600 rounds)
Engine: Maybach HL230 P30 (V-12 petrol) of 700 PS (690 hp, 515 kW)
Power/weight: 15.4 PS (11.3 kW) / tonne
Suspension: dual torsion bar
Operational range: Road: 260 km (160 mi), Cross-country: 130 km (81 mi)
Maximum speed: 46 km/h (29 mph)
THE KIT:
Gunze Sangyo is an old prolific plastic model kit and paints manufacturer based in Tokyo, Japan. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales and hobby paints.
This kit came in a large shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover is bright orange, with 3 color walk-around type photos of the model made up and black and white photos of the metal gun barrel and fender ends, 5 black and white walk-around photos of the model made up. Black and white photos of the 2 steel PE frets and a black and white photo of the metal and resin parts.
One side-panel of the box shows a color side-view photo of the model made up. It is in a camouflage of a base of sand-yellow with faded green bands- pattern. Followed by the history and specifications of the tank and kit contents.
Gunze Sangyo is an old prolific plastic model kit and paints manufacturer based in Tokyo, Japan. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales and hobby paints.
This kit came in a large shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover is bright orange, with 3 color walk-around type photos of the model made up and black and white photos of the metal gun barrel and fender ends, 5 black and white walk-around photos of the model made up. Black and white photos of the 2 steel PE frets and a black and white photo of the metal and resin parts.
One side-panel of the box shows a color side-view photo of the model made up. It is in a camouflage of a base of sand-yellow with faded green bands- pattern. Followed by the history and specifications of the tank and kit contents.
The other side-panel of the box shows 2 more, walk-around color photos of the tank made up in the camouflage pattern. No markings are shown.
Followed by a paragraph all in Japanese and Gunze Sango's street address in Tokyo, Japan and kit was made in Japan.
Followed by a paragraph all in Japanese and Gunze Sango's street address in Tokyo, Japan and kit was made in Japan.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds over 100 parts for sure. I personally have not counted them.
The cast metal parts include: Road wheels, return rollers, idler wheels, drive sprockets, final transfer covers, the jack, grab-handles, tools, mantle, tow-cable end loops, rear storage bins, air-intake grills, hatches etc.
This kit holds over 100 parts for sure. I personally have not counted them.
The cast metal parts include: Road wheels, return rollers, idler wheels, drive sprockets, final transfer covers, the jack, grab-handles, tools, mantle, tow-cable end loops, rear storage bins, air-intake grills, hatches etc.
Brass gun barrel and mud guards.
Two steel PE frets.
White styrene plastic hull tub, hull top, road wheels and the tree for the rear plate, gun mantlet etc. (11 parts).
Light tan trees of individual track links.
The decal sheet and the instructions,
A lot of the parts are packaged, two or three each, stapled into small clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 16 pages, in 11 ½” x 8 ¼” page format.
Page 1 shows 6 black and white photos of the model made up in the camouflage scheme.
Page 2 gives international assembly symbol explanations, down the left hand column. A black and white photo of the cast metal parts in the center of the top of the page, another black and white photo of the model made up.
The bottom of the page lists parts names in Japanese and English.
Page 3 through to page 15 gives a grand total of 17 assembly steps.
Page 16 has a customer service coupon on it. All in Japanese. With black and white photos of tools and paints that Gunze Sangyo manufactures and 2 black and white photos of other tank kits that they make: A Panther Ausf. G and a Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf, J.
The detail of the kit is excellent but this kit is definitely for the advanced modeler and not a novice or beginner.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 16 pages, in 11 ½” x 8 ¼” page format.
Page 1 shows 6 black and white photos of the model made up in the camouflage scheme.
Page 2 gives international assembly symbol explanations, down the left hand column. A black and white photo of the cast metal parts in the center of the top of the page, another black and white photo of the model made up.
The bottom of the page lists parts names in Japanese and English.
Page 3 through to page 15 gives a grand total of 17 assembly steps.
Page 16 has a customer service coupon on it. All in Japanese. With black and white photos of tools and paints that Gunze Sangyo manufactures and 2 black and white photos of other tank kits that they make: A Panther Ausf. G and a Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf, J.
The detail of the kit is excellent but this kit is definitely for the advanced modeler and not a novice or beginner.