Build Review of Trumpeter 1/35th Scale
German 12.8 cm Selbstfahrlafette L/61
"Sturer Emil" Tank Destroyer
Kit no. 00350
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2005
Available at Mega Hobby for $22.46 or at Kit Linx also for $22.46 or at Sprue Bros. for $18.99 or at Section 8 Hobbies for $23.99 and at 7 locations overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2005
Available at Mega Hobby for $22.46 or at Kit Linx also for $22.46 or at Sprue Bros. for $18.99 or at Section 8 Hobbies for $23.99 and at 7 locations overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
The 12.8 cm Selbstfahrlafette auf VK 30.01(H) "Sturer Emil" (German for "Stubborn Emil") was an experimental World War II German self-propelled anti-tank gun.
It was based on the Henschel VK30.01 chassis and armed with a Rheinmetall 12.8 cm K40 L/61 gun (based on the 12.8 cm FlaK 40).
This gun could traverse 7° to each side, elevate 10° and depress -15°. It carried 15 rounds for the main gun.
The chassis was left over from Henschel's submission for the canceled VK 30.01 heavy tank program, but the hull was stretched and an extra road wheel added to its overlapped and interleaved Schachtellaufwerk roadwheel-based suspension system, to accommodate the large gun, which was mounted on a pedestal ahead of the engine.
A large, open-topped fighting compartment, much like that fitted to the Panzer IV-based Hummel self-propelled 15 cm howitzer, was built where the turret was intended to go in the original design.
Two vehicles (named after Max and Moritz) were built, both of which served on the Eastern Front. One vehicle was destroyed, the other captured at Stalingrad in January 1943, with 31 kill marks painted on the barrel.
This captured vehicle is now displayed in the collection at the Kubinka Tank Museum.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: heavy tank destroyer
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1942-1943
Used by: Nazi Germany
Designed: 1941
Produced: 1942
No. built: 2
Mass: 35 tonnes (34 long tons; 39 short tons)
Length: 9.7 metres (32 ft)
Width: 3.16 metres (10.4 ft)
Height: 2.7 metres (8.9 ft)
Crew: 5
Armor: 15 - 50 mm
Main armament: Rheinmetall 128 mm PaK 40 L/61
Secondary armament: MG 34 machine gun
Engine: Maybach water-cooled, V-6, HL116 of 300 hp (220 kW)
Power/weight: 8.57 hp/tonne
Fuel capacity: 450 litres (120 US gal)
Speed: 25 kilometres per hour (16 mph)
The 12.8 cm Selbstfahrlafette auf VK 30.01(H) "Sturer Emil" (German for "Stubborn Emil") was an experimental World War II German self-propelled anti-tank gun.
It was based on the Henschel VK30.01 chassis and armed with a Rheinmetall 12.8 cm K40 L/61 gun (based on the 12.8 cm FlaK 40).
This gun could traverse 7° to each side, elevate 10° and depress -15°. It carried 15 rounds for the main gun.
The chassis was left over from Henschel's submission for the canceled VK 30.01 heavy tank program, but the hull was stretched and an extra road wheel added to its overlapped and interleaved Schachtellaufwerk roadwheel-based suspension system, to accommodate the large gun, which was mounted on a pedestal ahead of the engine.
A large, open-topped fighting compartment, much like that fitted to the Panzer IV-based Hummel self-propelled 15 cm howitzer, was built where the turret was intended to go in the original design.
Two vehicles (named after Max and Moritz) were built, both of which served on the Eastern Front. One vehicle was destroyed, the other captured at Stalingrad in January 1943, with 31 kill marks painted on the barrel.
This captured vehicle is now displayed in the collection at the Kubinka Tank Museum.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: heavy tank destroyer
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1942-1943
Used by: Nazi Germany
Designed: 1941
Produced: 1942
No. built: 2
Mass: 35 tonnes (34 long tons; 39 short tons)
Length: 9.7 metres (32 ft)
Width: 3.16 metres (10.4 ft)
Height: 2.7 metres (8.9 ft)
Crew: 5
Armor: 15 - 50 mm
Main armament: Rheinmetall 128 mm PaK 40 L/61
Secondary armament: MG 34 machine gun
Engine: Maybach water-cooled, V-6, HL116 of 300 hp (220 kW)
Power/weight: 8.57 hp/tonne
Fuel capacity: 450 litres (120 US gal)
Speed: 25 kilometres per hour (16 mph)
THE KIT:
Trumpeter is a prolific model company based in China. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows the "Sturer Emil" crossing a grassy field with a knocked-out and smoking Soviet T-34 tank that is surrounded by advancing German infantrymen in the background.
The "Emil" is overall panzer-grey with a small white skeletal German cross on its sides. The commander is looking out of the roof. He is wearing an all-black tanker's uniform with a cloth side cap and has headphones on his head.
This "Emil" was with the 3rd Company, 521st Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung.
One side panel has a color 3-view of an "Emil" that is overall panzer-grey with a white skeletal German cross on its sides and a white shield insignia for the 3rd Company, 521st Panzerjager Abteilung and has 22 white kill rings around the main gun barrel.
This is followed by PRECAUTIONS that say: Kit contains small parts. It is suitable for ages over 14. It contains parts for the construction of one scale model. Glue and paints are not included in the kit. With instructions in English. Copyright 2005 and Trumpeter's web address and MADE IN CHINA.
Trumpeter is a prolific model company based in China. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows the "Sturer Emil" crossing a grassy field with a knocked-out and smoking Soviet T-34 tank that is surrounded by advancing German infantrymen in the background.
The "Emil" is overall panzer-grey with a small white skeletal German cross on its sides. The commander is looking out of the roof. He is wearing an all-black tanker's uniform with a cloth side cap and has headphones on his head.
This "Emil" was with the 3rd Company, 521st Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung.
One side panel has a color 3-view of an "Emil" that is overall panzer-grey with a white skeletal German cross on its sides and a white shield insignia for the 3rd Company, 521st Panzerjager Abteilung and has 22 white kill rings around the main gun barrel.
This is followed by PRECAUTIONS that say: Kit contains small parts. It is suitable for ages over 14. It contains parts for the construction of one scale model. Glue and paints are not included in the kit. With instructions in English. Copyright 2005 and Trumpeter's web address and MADE IN CHINA.
The other side panel has 4 color walk-around type photos of the model made up in the scheme shown on the other side panel. Followed by a one-paragraph history of the "Emil", with a repeat of the copyright date of 2005 and kit is for ages 14 and older.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 5 medium-grey trees, loose medium-grey hull tub, floor with fenders attached and shield and black vinyl tracks in sealed clear cello bags, the decal sheet and 2 instructions.
The main-instructions consists of a staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format.
Page 1 begins a black and white repeat of a side view of the "Emil" with the 22 white kill rings around the main gun barrel, over READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, international assembly symbol explanations and decal application instructions, in English and Chinese.
Page 2 is the parts-trees illustrations.
Page 3 through to page 12 give a grand total of 12 assembly steps.
The second-instructions is the marking and painting guide. It is printed on one side in full color on slick coated paper that is in 8 1/2" x 11" page format.
It has two 3-views of the "Emil".
The first one is the one with the 22 white kill rings around the barrel (already described above).
The second one is the box art scheme (also already described above).
The trees are alphabetized, illustrated in the instructions and have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
Medium-grey letter A tree holds: bogies, drive sprockets, road wheels, return rollers, idler wheels (59 parts)
The kit contains 5 medium-grey trees, loose medium-grey hull tub, floor with fenders attached and shield and black vinyl tracks in sealed clear cello bags, the decal sheet and 2 instructions.
The main-instructions consists of a staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format.
Page 1 begins a black and white repeat of a side view of the "Emil" with the 22 white kill rings around the main gun barrel, over READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, international assembly symbol explanations and decal application instructions, in English and Chinese.
Page 2 is the parts-trees illustrations.
Page 3 through to page 12 give a grand total of 12 assembly steps.
The second-instructions is the marking and painting guide. It is printed on one side in full color on slick coated paper that is in 8 1/2" x 11" page format.
It has two 3-views of the "Emil".
The first one is the one with the 22 white kill rings around the barrel (already described above).
The second one is the box art scheme (also already described above).
The trees are alphabetized, illustrated in the instructions and have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
Medium-grey letter A tree holds: bogies, drive sprockets, road wheels, return rollers, idler wheels (59 parts)
Medium-grey letter B tree holds: fuel tanks, tools, vision flap, head light, tail light, fighting compartment, main gun base frame, floor, ladder, spare track links, smoke launcher etc. (49 parts)
Medium-grey letter C tree holds the main gun parts (32 parts)
Medium-grey letter D tree holds: the main gun barrel, machine guns, mantle, ammo racks etc. (44 parts)
Medium-grey letter E tree holds: more ammo racks and rounds etc. (28 parts)
Next are 2 runs of black vinyl tracks.
The upper and lower hull, side shields, decals and tracks.
There are no clear parts in the kit or any crew figures.
Great detail. Highly recommended.
I have assembled this kit, up to the hull, top, interior,shields and main weapon. I painted some of the panzer-grey and white on it.
Great detail. Highly recommended.
I have assembled this kit, up to the hull, top, interior,shields and main weapon. I painted some of the panzer-grey and white on it.
I am adding a set of Archer Fine Transfers Decals, set no. AR 35043 German WWII Balkenkreuz (German crosses).
This kit has excellent detail of the raised variety.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.