In Box Review of Italeri `1/35th Scale
sWS with Panzerwerfer 42
German Rocket Launcher
Kit no. 356
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1998
Kit is available in a later boxing that came out in 2019, kit no. 6562, at Squadron for $42.00 or at Sprue Brothers for $45.99 or at Mega Hobby for $48.59 or at Hobby Linc for $96.89 or at Kit Linx for $43.19 and at 1001 Hobbies for $50.99.
I paid $26.00 for this kit, years ago, at a local hobby shop that went out of business
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1998
Kit is available in a later boxing that came out in 2019, kit no. 6562, at Squadron for $42.00 or at Sprue Brothers for $45.99 or at Mega Hobby for $48.59 or at Hobby Linc for $96.89 or at Kit Linx for $43.19 and at 1001 Hobbies for $50.99.
I paid $26.00 for this kit, years ago, at a local hobby shop that went out of business
HISTORY:
The German Panzerwerfer refers to either of two different types of half-tracked multiple rocket launchers employed by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. The two self-propelled artillery vehicles are the 15 cm Panzerwerfer 42 auf Selbstfahrlafette Sd.Kfz.4/1 (based on the Opel Maultier, or "mule", half-track) and 15 cm Panzerwerfer 42 auf Schwerer Wehrmachtsschlepper (or Panzerwerfer auf SWS).
SPECIFICATIONS;
Type; Half-track multiple rocket launcher
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service; 1943–1945
Used by; Nazi Germany
Wars; World War II
Designer; Opel
Manufacturer; Opel
No. built: 300
Mass; 7.1 tonnes (6.99 long tons or 7.83 short tons)
Length; 6 m (19.69 ft)
Width: 2 m (6.56 ft)
Height: 3 m (9.84 ft)
Armor; 6-14.5 mm (0.24-0.57 in)
Main armament: 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41
Secondary armament:
MG 34 or MG 42
Engine one Adam Opel 6-cylinder petrol engine 69 PS (68 hp)
Power/weight 9.58 hp/tonne
Suspension: Overlapping torsion bar (track), Leaf spring (wheels)
Maximum speed: 40 km/h (24 mph)
The German Panzerwerfer refers to either of two different types of half-tracked multiple rocket launchers employed by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. The two self-propelled artillery vehicles are the 15 cm Panzerwerfer 42 auf Selbstfahrlafette Sd.Kfz.4/1 (based on the Opel Maultier, or "mule", half-track) and 15 cm Panzerwerfer 42 auf Schwerer Wehrmachtsschlepper (or Panzerwerfer auf SWS).
SPECIFICATIONS;
Type; Half-track multiple rocket launcher
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service; 1943–1945
Used by; Nazi Germany
Wars; World War II
Designer; Opel
Manufacturer; Opel
No. built: 300
Mass; 7.1 tonnes (6.99 long tons or 7.83 short tons)
Length; 6 m (19.69 ft)
Width: 2 m (6.56 ft)
Height: 3 m (9.84 ft)
Armor; 6-14.5 mm (0.24-0.57 in)
Main armament: 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41
Secondary armament:
MG 34 or MG 42
Engine one Adam Opel 6-cylinder petrol engine 69 PS (68 hp)
Power/weight 9.58 hp/tonne
Suspension: Overlapping torsion bar (track), Leaf spring (wheels)
Maximum speed: 40 km/h (24 mph)
THE KIT:
Italeri is an old prolific model company based in Italy.
They manufacture all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of the SWS Panzerwerfer 42 on a grassy field by a woods. at night, firing its rockets. It is overall earth-yellow, with a black and white German cross on the sides of the hull and a white license plate on its nose with WL-2 745 on it.
One side panel of the box has a one-paragraph history of the SWS in 8 languages, including English. Each language is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
Italeri is an old prolific model company based in Italy.
They manufacture all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of the SWS Panzerwerfer 42 on a grassy field by a woods. at night, firing its rockets. It is overall earth-yellow, with a black and white German cross on the sides of the hull and a white license plate on its nose with WL-2 745 on it.
One side panel of the box has a one-paragraph history of the SWS in 8 languages, including English. Each language is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
The other side panel says the kit makes up to be of 198mm (almost 8”).Followed by 5 more paragraphs in that many languages with flags.
Model Master brand paints are suggested.
There is a white sticker on the box with Tester Corp’s. street address in Rockford, IL on it.
Model Master brand paints are suggested.
There is a white sticker on the box with Tester Corp’s. street address in Rockford, IL on it.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 4 tan parts trees, the decal sheet and the instructions. Trees are not cello bagged.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 10 pages in 7 ¾” x 13” page format.
Page 1 has 10 one-paragraph histories of the SWS in that many languages, including English.
Page 2 begins with ATTENTION about the kit in the 10 languages, over parts trees illustrations of trees letter A & B.
Page 3 has the part tree illustration for letter C tree, Over a suggested paint color listing of Model Master brand hobby paints.
The bottom of page 3 through to page 9 gives a grand total of 14 assembly steps.
Page 10 is a painting and marking guide
It shows a 5-view of the SWS. It can be done in overall earth yellow. Like the box art illustration with German black and white cross on its sides or in a wave pattern of sand, green and red-brown.
Also either license number WH-123 or WL-123. It is how it looked with the German Army in April 1945. No unit is said.
The bottom of the page has the decal application instructions in 9 languages, including English.
The trees are alphabetized.
Tan letter A tree holds: tools, floor, walls, dash, axle, rockets and their launch tubes etc.(21 parts)
The kit holds 4 tan parts trees, the decal sheet and the instructions. Trees are not cello bagged.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 10 pages in 7 ¾” x 13” page format.
Page 1 has 10 one-paragraph histories of the SWS in that many languages, including English.
Page 2 begins with ATTENTION about the kit in the 10 languages, over parts trees illustrations of trees letter A & B.
Page 3 has the part tree illustration for letter C tree, Over a suggested paint color listing of Model Master brand hobby paints.
The bottom of page 3 through to page 9 gives a grand total of 14 assembly steps.
Page 10 is a painting and marking guide
It shows a 5-view of the SWS. It can be done in overall earth yellow. Like the box art illustration with German black and white cross on its sides or in a wave pattern of sand, green and red-brown.
Also either license number WH-123 or WL-123. It is how it looked with the German Army in April 1945. No unit is said.
The bottom of the page has the decal application instructions in 9 languages, including English.
The trees are alphabetized.
Tan letter A tree holds: tools, floor, walls, dash, axle, rockets and their launch tubes etc.(21 parts)
Tan letter B tree holds: the top. Roof, sides, turret etc. (60 parts)
There are 2 identical tan letter C trees. They hold: road wheels, front tires, tracks etc. (60 parts ea.)
The decal sheet completes the kit contents. The sheet contains the blank plates with either WH or WL and numbers 1-0. It also has the Balkenkreuz and a motorized artillery marking.
I bought the Eduard photo etch set for the kit. You get 2 brass sheets and a clear acetate sheet for the instrument panel.
There are no crew figures included in the kit.
Nice detail.
Highly recommended.
Nice detail.
Highly recommended.