In Box Review of Cyber-hobby.com (DML) 1/35th Scale
Sd.Kfz. 10 Ausf. A, 1940 Production
Smart Kit no. 6630 (Limited Edition, one production run)
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $56.95
MSRP: $56.95
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. First to tow light artillery pieces and later, because of its reliability and solidness, it was adapted to become a self-propelled vehicle with antitank and antiaircraft guns (Pak 40, Flak 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 1 ton half-track, Demag D7, manufactured by the company of the same name, officially took service in the German army in 1939. First to tow light artillery pieces and later, because of its reliability and solidness, it was adapted to become a self-propelled vehicle with antitank and antiaircraft guns (Pak 40, Flak 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:
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
Cyber-hobby.com is an odd name that DML uses on some of their kits. DML is a prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
The box art showa a 3-view illustration of a Sd.Kfz. 10 Ausf. A posed against an all-white background. Similar to how Tamiya does all their box arts.
The half-track is in overall Panzer-grey with white edges on the front fenders. It carries the license plate no. WH 687535 on the front and on dual plates on the rear. There is a tactical insignia on the left side of the rear.
One corner of the box art says the box contains an unassembled model kit of over 500 parts for skilled modelers over 14 years of age. Just one model in the box.
One side panel has 7 white illustrations of kit parts calling out their detail that are posed against all black background. A newly tooled Sd.Kfz. 10 rendered with fine detail. Seat in storage compartment is newly produced. Sides o stowage compartment can be folded up or down. Newly designed rifle rack with full detail. Newly tooled taillight brackets and photo-etched plates. Realistic circular mesh rack mounted on detailed chassis.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
Cyber-hobby.com is an odd name that DML uses on some of their kits. DML is a prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
The box art showa a 3-view illustration of a Sd.Kfz. 10 Ausf. A posed against an all-white background. Similar to how Tamiya does all their box arts.
The half-track is in overall Panzer-grey with white edges on the front fenders. It carries the license plate no. WH 687535 on the front and on dual plates on the rear. There is a tactical insignia on the left side of the rear.
One corner of the box art says the box contains an unassembled model kit of over 500 parts for skilled modelers over 14 years of age. Just one model in the box.
One side panel has 7 white illustrations of kit parts calling out their detail that are posed against all black background. A newly tooled Sd.Kfz. 10 rendered with fine detail. Seat in storage compartment is newly produced. Sides o stowage compartment can be folded up or down. Newly designed rifle rack with full detail. Newly tooled taillight brackets and photo-etched plates. Realistic circular mesh rack mounted on detailed chassis.
The other side panel has 2 color side-view illustrations of the Sd.Kfz. 10. One is the box art subject and the other is overall earth-yellow with white front fender edges. This is followed by an illustration of the decal sheet in the kit and the statement that the kit is not suitable for kids under 3 due to small parts in multiple languages including English. CAUTIONS about the kit are also given in multiple languages. The copyright date of 2011 is shown and DML's street address in Hong Kong and their web address is provided. The kit was made in China.
The bottom of the tray has 22 more white illustrations of features of parts in the kit posed against black backgrounds.
Transparent windshield can be folded up or down. Driving compartment with interior details. Radiator cover with accurate detail. Intricate engine housing. Realistic engine hood formed from multiple parts with open louver detail. Delicate gearbox included. Engine represented by multiple parts. Fully detailed steering components Suspension system as per the real vehicle. Delicate on-vehicle tools reproduced. Intricately detailed internal mechanical components: engine, gearbox, fuel tank, compressed-air tank, suspension and exhaust. Injection molded fenders are reproduced. Slide-molded suspension arms and springs with delicate detail. 2 kinds of battery boxes available as options. Includes clear lenses for headlamps. Delicate fuel tank included. Road wheels with precise detail. Drive sprocket with multi-part assembly to achieve the highest levels of detail and accuracy. Rear chassis with realistic low pintle depicted like the real one. Magic TRACKS for convenient assembly. Intricate rear compartment represented by multiple parts. One piece slide-molded lower hull.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 12 medium-grey parts trees, a clear tree and the decal sheet in 5 sealed cello bags, a brass PE fret and Magic Tracks in cello bags and pinned to a cardboard sheet that has a raised tread pattern printed on it. The instructions complete the kits contents.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 7 1/2" x 13 1/2" page format.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white repeat of the box art 3-view illustration. Technical assistance with the kit was provided by Thomas Anderson, Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson. Below this is the parts trees illustrations. Some parts are shown blued-out, indicating that they are excess and not needed to complete the kit.
Page 2 begins with ATTENTION abou the kit in 6 languages including English, followed by international assembly symbol explanations and a listing of GSI Creos Corp. Aqueous Hobby Color and their Mr. Color paints. Below this is the first 2 assembly steps.
Page 3 to the top of page 6 gives a grand total of 14 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 6 has two 3-views for painting and marking schemes.
1. The box art scheme (already described above). It is a half-track with a unidentified unit, Eastern Front 1941.
2. An overall earth-yellow halftrack with blank license plates. You can build your own license number from the two decal sheets in the kit. It is also a vehicle of an unknown unit in North Africa 1941. DML surely could have came up with some units as this vehicle was widely used in many theatres.
Below these illustrations is DML's European address in Graz. Austria, the copyright date of 2011 and decal applicaton instructions in the 6 languages, including English.
Large medium-grey letter A tree holds: leaf springs, windshield frame, radiator, hood parts, steering wheel, driver's compartment floor, dashboard etc. (89 parts) 21 parts are shaded-out in blue in the parts trees illustrations as being excess and not needed to complete the model.
This kit contains 12 medium-grey parts trees, a clear tree and the decal sheet in 5 sealed cello bags, a brass PE fret and Magic Tracks in cello bags and pinned to a cardboard sheet that has a raised tread pattern printed on it. The instructions complete the kits contents.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 7 1/2" x 13 1/2" page format.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white repeat of the box art 3-view illustration. Technical assistance with the kit was provided by Thomas Anderson, Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson. Below this is the parts trees illustrations. Some parts are shown blued-out, indicating that they are excess and not needed to complete the kit.
Page 2 begins with ATTENTION abou the kit in 6 languages including English, followed by international assembly symbol explanations and a listing of GSI Creos Corp. Aqueous Hobby Color and their Mr. Color paints. Below this is the first 2 assembly steps.
Page 3 to the top of page 6 gives a grand total of 14 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 6 has two 3-views for painting and marking schemes.
1. The box art scheme (already described above). It is a half-track with a unidentified unit, Eastern Front 1941.
2. An overall earth-yellow halftrack with blank license plates. You can build your own license number from the two decal sheets in the kit. It is also a vehicle of an unknown unit in North Africa 1941. DML surely could have came up with some units as this vehicle was widely used in many theatres.
Below these illustrations is DML's European address in Graz. Austria, the copyright date of 2011 and decal applicaton instructions in the 6 languages, including English.
Large medium-grey letter A tree holds: leaf springs, windshield frame, radiator, hood parts, steering wheel, driver's compartment floor, dashboard etc. (89 parts) 21 parts are shaded-out in blue in the parts trees illustrations as being excess and not needed to complete the model.
Large medium-grey letter B tree holds: bogies, front tires, engine parts etc. (82 parts)
There is no letter C parts tree
There is no letter C parts tree
Large medium-grey letter D part tree holds: tools, cargo area walls and floor, canvas roof support bar etc. (58 parts)
There are 2 identical medium-grey letter E parts trees. They hold the road wheels, idler wheels (13 parts each)
There are 2 identical medium-grey letter F parts trees. They hold cargo area wall braces etc. (7 parts each)
Small medium-grey letter G tree holds 5 parts. I haven't a clue what these are.
Small medium-grey letter H tree holds the drive sprockets (6 parts) 2 parts are excess.
Letter MA is the brass PE fret. it holds the fender flag frame, license plates etc. (25 parts)
Letter N is the black Magic Tracks. These are in 2 parts and there are 96 links of each part.
Letter V tree is the clear windshield and light lenses (4 parts)
There are 2 identical medium-grey letter WA parts trees. They hold a couple rifles and other small parts (18 parts each)
Letter X is the medium-grey hull tub part.
The decal sheet and the instructions complete the kits contents.
This kit has a lot of parts in it and I do not recommend it to the novice modeler. It is NOT a weekend project either. I don't look forward to those 2 part very tiny Magic Tracks assembling them.
I got my kit as a gift years ago.