In Box Review of Testor/Italeri 1/35th Scale
German Sd.Kfz. 234/2 “Puma” Armored car
Kit no. 854
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION ($7.79 in 1980)
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION ($7.79 in 1980)
HISTORY:
The Sd.Kfz. 234 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 234, or Special Purpose Vehicle 234), was a family of armoured cars designed and built in Germany during World War II. The vehicles were lightly armoured, armed with a 20, 50 or 75 mm main gun, and powered by a Tatra V12 diesel engine.
The Sd.Kfz. 234 broadly resembles the appearance of Sd.Kfz. 231 (8- Rad) Armored car.
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwerer_Panzersp%C3%A4hwagen" "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwerer_Panzersp%C3%A4hwagen"
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwerer_Panzersp%C3%A4hwagen".
Armoured wheeled vehicles were developed early in Germany, since they were not subject to the restrictions of the Versailles Treaty. The Sd.Kfz. 234 belonged to the ARK series (type designation of the chassis) and was the successor to the earlier Sd.Kfz. 231/232/233 (8-Rad), which belonged to the GS series.
The combat experience of fast-moving, hard-hitting wheeled reconnaissance vehicles during the Wehrmacht's early invasions of Poland and France impressed German military officials, but indicated some deficiencies in existing designs.
A new armoured car project was thus undertaken in August 1940, incorporating several lessons from the Wehrmacht's own external operations.[5] The latest Büssing-NAG Sd.Kfz. 232 variant, the Sd.Kfz. 234 was designed later that year. It was to have a monocoque chassis with eight wheels, and an aircooled engine for use in North Africa.
Chassis were built by Büssing-NAG in Leipzig-Wahren, while armoured bodies were provided by Deutsche Edelstahlwerke of Krefeld and turrets by Daimler Benzin Berlin-Marienfelde and Schichau of Elbing, with engines from Ringhoffer-Tatra-Werke AG of Nesseldorf.
Tatra 103 engine, Panzermuseum Munster, Germany
The vehicle had four-wheel steering and was able to quickly change direction thanks to a second rear-facing driver's seat; the transmission had six forward and reverse gears, with traction over the eight wheels. Power was provided by an air-cooled Tatra 103 diesel engine.
The first and possibly best known version was the Sd.Kfz. 234/2; it had a turret armed with a 5cm L/60 gun, which was originally intended for the VK 1602 "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VK_1602_Leopard Leopard
light tank. It was produced from late 1943 to mid 1944. This variant was replaced in production by the second version, the Sd.Kfz. 234/1, which had a simpler open turret (Hängelafette 38) armed with a 2 cm KwK 38 gun; it was manufactured from mid 1944 to early 1945.
The Sd.Kfz. 234 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 234, or Special Purpose Vehicle 234), was a family of armoured cars designed and built in Germany during World War II. The vehicles were lightly armoured, armed with a 20, 50 or 75 mm main gun, and powered by a Tatra V12 diesel engine.
The Sd.Kfz. 234 broadly resembles the appearance of Sd.Kfz. 231 (8- Rad) Armored car.
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwerer_Panzersp%C3%A4hwagen" "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwerer_Panzersp%C3%A4hwagen"
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwerer_Panzersp%C3%A4hwagen".
Armoured wheeled vehicles were developed early in Germany, since they were not subject to the restrictions of the Versailles Treaty. The Sd.Kfz. 234 belonged to the ARK series (type designation of the chassis) and was the successor to the earlier Sd.Kfz. 231/232/233 (8-Rad), which belonged to the GS series.
The combat experience of fast-moving, hard-hitting wheeled reconnaissance vehicles during the Wehrmacht's early invasions of Poland and France impressed German military officials, but indicated some deficiencies in existing designs.
A new armoured car project was thus undertaken in August 1940, incorporating several lessons from the Wehrmacht's own external operations.[5] The latest Büssing-NAG Sd.Kfz. 232 variant, the Sd.Kfz. 234 was designed later that year. It was to have a monocoque chassis with eight wheels, and an aircooled engine for use in North Africa.
Chassis were built by Büssing-NAG in Leipzig-Wahren, while armoured bodies were provided by Deutsche Edelstahlwerke of Krefeld and turrets by Daimler Benzin Berlin-Marienfelde and Schichau of Elbing, with engines from Ringhoffer-Tatra-Werke AG of Nesseldorf.
Tatra 103 engine, Panzermuseum Munster, Germany
The vehicle had four-wheel steering and was able to quickly change direction thanks to a second rear-facing driver's seat; the transmission had six forward and reverse gears, with traction over the eight wheels. Power was provided by an air-cooled Tatra 103 diesel engine.
The first and possibly best known version was the Sd.Kfz. 234/2; it had a turret armed with a 5cm L/60 gun, which was originally intended for the VK 1602 "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VK_1602_Leopard Leopard
light tank. It was produced from late 1943 to mid 1944. This variant was replaced in production by the second version, the Sd.Kfz. 234/1, which had a simpler open turret (Hängelafette 38) armed with a 2 cm KwK 38 gun; it was manufactured from mid 1944 to early 1945.
THE KIT:
Italeri is an older prolific model company based in Italy, They make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales. Testors was their U.S. distributor at one time.
The kit comes in shrink-wrapped end-opening type box that has a tray inside. I am no fan of this type of box because parts and especially the decal sheet would find their way past the end flaps to get lost. However, with the parts being in the tray in this box losing things is less liable to happen. Good move Italeri/Testors.
The box art shows a color photo of the armored car made up and sitting on a modeler’s work bench. It is in overall dark earth yellow with German crosses on the sides and the rear of the turret and the red number 415 outlined in white on the turret sides also. A white number 5 is on the sides of the front ends of the fenders and again on the left side of the nose. The license number WH-1551051 is on the nose with a white tactical symbol.
One side panel has a short history of the Sd.Kfz. 234/2 in English, followed by a small color side view that shows the armored car in a base of dark earth yellow with a dark green wide wave pattern over it. A German cross followed by a red 1111 outlined in white is on the turret sides.
The other side panel lists materials required to complete the kit: glue, paint, tools, paint brushes and tape. Model Master and Testors brands are suggested.
The kit is recommended for modelers over 10 years of age.
The bottom of the box has 8 color walk-around type photos of the model made up. Testors usually credits the modeler that did the build, but in this case they did not.
Italeri is an older prolific model company based in Italy, They make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales. Testors was their U.S. distributor at one time.
The kit comes in shrink-wrapped end-opening type box that has a tray inside. I am no fan of this type of box because parts and especially the decal sheet would find their way past the end flaps to get lost. However, with the parts being in the tray in this box losing things is less liable to happen. Good move Italeri/Testors.
The box art shows a color photo of the armored car made up and sitting on a modeler’s work bench. It is in overall dark earth yellow with German crosses on the sides and the rear of the turret and the red number 415 outlined in white on the turret sides also. A white number 5 is on the sides of the front ends of the fenders and again on the left side of the nose. The license number WH-1551051 is on the nose with a white tactical symbol.
One side panel has a short history of the Sd.Kfz. 234/2 in English, followed by a small color side view that shows the armored car in a base of dark earth yellow with a dark green wide wave pattern over it. A German cross followed by a red 1111 outlined in white is on the turret sides.
The other side panel lists materials required to complete the kit: glue, paint, tools, paint brushes and tape. Model Master and Testors brands are suggested.
The kit is recommended for modelers over 10 years of age.
The bottom of the box has 8 color walk-around type photos of the model made up. Testors usually credits the modeler that did the build, but in this case they did not.
The kit features listed are: 196 parts, realistic driver’s compartment, rotating tires and turret, Jerry cans, tools, knap sacks and spare parts, decals for 2 versions.
Testors street address in Rockford, IL is provided. MADE IN ITALY and printed in the U.S.
Testors street address in Rockford, IL is provided. MADE IN ITALY and printed in the U.S.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kits contents are all in the slide-out tray. It contains 3 Panzer grey parts trees in a sealed cello bag, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The kits contents are all in the slide-out tray. It contains 3 Panzer grey parts trees in a sealed cello bag, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a unbound booklet of 12 pages in 9” x 12” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo showing a side view of the model made up in the box art scheme, followed by the history of the Sd.Kfz. 234/2 in English, BEFORE STARTING instructions, PREPARATION OF PARTS and painting instructions.
Page 2 has the parts trees illustrations. The trees are labeled with geometric symbols and not alphabetized like in most kits.
Pages 3 through 9 give a grand total of 10 assembly steps. Each has text that walks you through the assembly step by step.
Page 10 is the painting and marking instructions. There are two 4-views that are shown:
1. Serial no. 415, the box art scheme.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo showing a side view of the model made up in the box art scheme, followed by the history of the Sd.Kfz. 234/2 in English, BEFORE STARTING instructions, PREPARATION OF PARTS and painting instructions.
Page 2 has the parts trees illustrations. The trees are labeled with geometric symbols and not alphabetized like in most kits.
Pages 3 through 9 give a grand total of 10 assembly steps. Each has text that walks you through the assembly step by step.
Page 10 is the painting and marking instructions. There are two 4-views that are shown:
1. Serial no. 415, the box art scheme.
415 was the 5th vehicle, 1st Platoon, 4th Company (unit unavailable) France 1944.
2. 1111 was the 1st vehicle, 1st Troop, 11th Company, Recon. Section, IX SS Panzer Division, “Hohenstaufen”, France 1944.
Page 11 has a long description of weathering hints.
The decal sheet holds the markings for the 2 schemes, plus tire pressure stencils. My seet has some black smears on it…..sigh.
2. 1111 was the 1st vehicle, 1st Troop, 11th Company, Recon. Section, IX SS Panzer Division, “Hohenstaufen”, France 1944.
Page 11 has a long description of weathering hints.
The decal sheet holds the markings for the 2 schemes, plus tire pressure stencils. My seet has some black smears on it…..sigh.
There are no clear parts or crew figures provided in the kit.
The kit has very nice detail.
I bought my kit back in the 80’s at my local hobby shop.
The kit has very nice detail.
I bought my kit back in the 80’s at my local hobby shop.