In Box Review of DML 1/35TH Scale
German Super Tank “Maus”
Kit no. 6007
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1993
I paid $39.98 for my kit, years ago at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
Available in a later 2011 boxing, at 2 locations overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1993
I paid $39.98 for my kit, years ago at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
Available in a later 2011 boxing, at 2 locations overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus (English: 'mouse') was a German World War II super-heavy tank completed in late 1944. It is the heaviest fully enclosed armored fighting vehicle ever built. Five were ordered, but only two hulls and one turret were completed, the turret being attached before the testing grounds were captured by advancing Soviet military forces. This vehicle was also built to compete with the Soviet heavy Kliment Voroshilov tank.
These two prototypes underwent trials in late 1944. The complete vehicle was 10.2 m (33 ft) long, 3.71 m (12.2 ft) wide and 3.63 m (11.9 ft) high. Weighing 188 metric tons, the Maus's main armament was the Krupp-designed 128 mm KwK 44 L/55 gun, based on the 12.8 cm Pak 44 towed anti-tank gun also used in the casemate-type Jagdtiger tank destroyer, with a coaxial 75 mm KwK 44 L/36.5 gun. The 128 mm gun was powerful enough to destroy all Allied armored fighting vehicles in service at the time, with some at ranges exceeding 3,500 m (3,800 yd).
The principal problem in the design of the Maus was developing an engine and drivetrain which was powerful enough to adequately propel the tank, yet small enough to fit inside it – as it was meant to use the same sort of "hybrid drive", using an internal-combustion engine to operate an electric generator to power its tracks with electric motor units, much as its Porsche-designed predecessors, the VK 30.01 (P), VK 45.01 (P), and Elefant had.
The drive train was electrical, designed to provide a maximum speed of 20 km/h (12 mph) and a minimum speed of 1.5 km/h (0.9 mph). However, during actual field testing, the maximum speed achieved on hard surfaces was 13 km/h (8.1 mph) with full motor field, and by weakening the motor field to a minimum, a top speed of 22 km/h (14 mph) was achieved.
The vehicle's weight made it unable to use most bridges; instead it was intended to ford to a depth of 2 m (6.6 ft) or submerge up to a depth of 8 m (26 ft) and use a snorkel to cross rivers. The Maus was intended to punch holes through enemy fortifications in the manner of an immense "breakthrough tank", while taking virtually no damage to any components.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Super-heavy tank
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
Used by: Nazi Germany
Wars: World War II
Designer: Ferdinand Porsche
Designed: 1941
Manufacturer: Ferdinand Porsche, Krupp, Alkett mass-production would switch to Krupp if the war continued
Produced: 1944
No. built: 2
Variants: V1, V2
Mass: 188 t (207 short tons; 185 long tons)
Length: 10.2 m (33 ft)
Width: 3.71 m (12.2 ft)
Height: 3.63 m (11.9 ft)
Crew: 6 (commander, gunner, 2 loaders, driver, radio operator)
Armour: 220 mm (8.7 in) (turret front), 200 mm (7.9 in) (turret side and rear), 200 mm (7.9 in) (hull front),180 mm (7.1 in) (hull side), 150 mm (5.9 in) (hull rear)
Main armament: 128 mm (5 in) KwK 44 gun L/55 with (68 rounds)
Secondary armament: 75 mm (3 in) KwK 44 gun L/36.5 with (co-axial, 100 rounds), 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 34 machine gun with (co-axial, 1,000 rounds)
Engine: (V1) MB509 V12 petrol engine, DB 603 derivative, (V2) MB 517 V12 diesel engine, (V1) 1,080 hp (805 kW),(V2) 1,200 hp (895 kW)
Power/weight: 6.4 HP/ton
Ground clearance: 500 mm (20 in)
Fuel capacity: 2,700 L (590 imp gal; 710 U.S. gal) (internal fuel tank), 1,500 L (330 imp gal; 400 U.S. gal) (external fuel tank)
Operational range: 160 km (99 mi) (road), 62 km (39 mi) (off road)
Maximum speed: 20 km/h (12 mph) (maximum), 18 km/h (11 mph) (average road speed)
Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus (English: 'mouse') was a German World War II super-heavy tank completed in late 1944. It is the heaviest fully enclosed armored fighting vehicle ever built. Five were ordered, but only two hulls and one turret were completed, the turret being attached before the testing grounds were captured by advancing Soviet military forces. This vehicle was also built to compete with the Soviet heavy Kliment Voroshilov tank.
These two prototypes underwent trials in late 1944. The complete vehicle was 10.2 m (33 ft) long, 3.71 m (12.2 ft) wide and 3.63 m (11.9 ft) high. Weighing 188 metric tons, the Maus's main armament was the Krupp-designed 128 mm KwK 44 L/55 gun, based on the 12.8 cm Pak 44 towed anti-tank gun also used in the casemate-type Jagdtiger tank destroyer, with a coaxial 75 mm KwK 44 L/36.5 gun. The 128 mm gun was powerful enough to destroy all Allied armored fighting vehicles in service at the time, with some at ranges exceeding 3,500 m (3,800 yd).
The principal problem in the design of the Maus was developing an engine and drivetrain which was powerful enough to adequately propel the tank, yet small enough to fit inside it – as it was meant to use the same sort of "hybrid drive", using an internal-combustion engine to operate an electric generator to power its tracks with electric motor units, much as its Porsche-designed predecessors, the VK 30.01 (P), VK 45.01 (P), and Elefant had.
The drive train was electrical, designed to provide a maximum speed of 20 km/h (12 mph) and a minimum speed of 1.5 km/h (0.9 mph). However, during actual field testing, the maximum speed achieved on hard surfaces was 13 km/h (8.1 mph) with full motor field, and by weakening the motor field to a minimum, a top speed of 22 km/h (14 mph) was achieved.
The vehicle's weight made it unable to use most bridges; instead it was intended to ford to a depth of 2 m (6.6 ft) or submerge up to a depth of 8 m (26 ft) and use a snorkel to cross rivers. The Maus was intended to punch holes through enemy fortifications in the manner of an immense "breakthrough tank", while taking virtually no damage to any components.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Super-heavy tank
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
Used by: Nazi Germany
Wars: World War II
Designer: Ferdinand Porsche
Designed: 1941
Manufacturer: Ferdinand Porsche, Krupp, Alkett mass-production would switch to Krupp if the war continued
Produced: 1944
No. built: 2
Variants: V1, V2
Mass: 188 t (207 short tons; 185 long tons)
Length: 10.2 m (33 ft)
Width: 3.71 m (12.2 ft)
Height: 3.63 m (11.9 ft)
Crew: 6 (commander, gunner, 2 loaders, driver, radio operator)
Armour: 220 mm (8.7 in) (turret front), 200 mm (7.9 in) (turret side and rear), 200 mm (7.9 in) (hull front),180 mm (7.1 in) (hull side), 150 mm (5.9 in) (hull rear)
Main armament: 128 mm (5 in) KwK 44 gun L/55 with (68 rounds)
Secondary armament: 75 mm (3 in) KwK 44 gun L/36.5 with (co-axial, 100 rounds), 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 34 machine gun with (co-axial, 1,000 rounds)
Engine: (V1) MB509 V12 petrol engine, DB 603 derivative, (V2) MB 517 V12 diesel engine, (V1) 1,080 hp (805 kW),(V2) 1,200 hp (895 kW)
Power/weight: 6.4 HP/ton
Ground clearance: 500 mm (20 in)
Fuel capacity: 2,700 L (590 imp gal; 710 U.S. gal) (internal fuel tank), 1,500 L (330 imp gal; 400 U.S. gal) (external fuel tank)
Operational range: 160 km (99 mi) (road), 62 km (39 mi) (off road)
Maximum speed: 20 km/h (12 mph) (maximum), 18 km/h (11 mph) (average road speed)
THE KIT:
DML (sometimes called Dragon) is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a large shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Maus, that is on a field with 2 Tiger tanks. It is in a camouflage of a base of sand-yellow with a wide dark-green wave pattern on it. It shows no markings.
The Tigers are overall earth-yellow with no markings shown too.
There are 6 German infantry-men beside it. One is kneeling and armed with a bazooka. He wears a camouflaged jacket and field-grey trousers and steel helmet. The jacket has a white collar.
The man behind him is dressed the same. He has a cloth camouflaged cover on his helmet and is armed with a MP-40 sub machine-gun.
On the left of him is an officer in a field-grey leather overcoat and officer’s billed hat.. He too is armed with a sub machine-gun.
Too the right of them is a man in a field-grey cloth overcoat and cloth field cap with a bill. He is armed with a Mauser 98K carbine.
At the rear there are 2 more infantrymen in field-grey uniforms and steel helmets. Both armed with 98K’s.
In the distance there is a wrecked truck and a burning building.
The lower left hand corner of the box art says, in white lettering: This kit contains 286 parts. For modelers age 10 and over. Box contains a model of one armored vehicle.
One side-panel of the box shows a one-paragraph history of the Maus in 6 languages, including English. Followed by the street address and FAX number for Marco Polo Import Inc. in City of Industry, CA. They were the U.S. importer and distributor for DML when this kit was released. Copyright of the kit is 1993.
DML (sometimes called Dragon) is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a large shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Maus, that is on a field with 2 Tiger tanks. It is in a camouflage of a base of sand-yellow with a wide dark-green wave pattern on it. It shows no markings.
The Tigers are overall earth-yellow with no markings shown too.
There are 6 German infantry-men beside it. One is kneeling and armed with a bazooka. He wears a camouflaged jacket and field-grey trousers and steel helmet. The jacket has a white collar.
The man behind him is dressed the same. He has a cloth camouflaged cover on his helmet and is armed with a MP-40 sub machine-gun.
On the left of him is an officer in a field-grey leather overcoat and officer’s billed hat.. He too is armed with a sub machine-gun.
Too the right of them is a man in a field-grey cloth overcoat and cloth field cap with a bill. He is armed with a Mauser 98K carbine.
At the rear there are 2 more infantrymen in field-grey uniforms and steel helmets. Both armed with 98K’s.
In the distance there is a wrecked truck and a burning building.
The lower left hand corner of the box art says, in white lettering: This kit contains 286 parts. For modelers age 10 and over. Box contains a model of one armored vehicle.
One side-panel of the box shows a one-paragraph history of the Maus in 6 languages, including English. Followed by the street address and FAX number for Marco Polo Import Inc. in City of Industry, CA. They were the U.S. importer and distributor for DML when this kit was released. Copyright of the kit is 1993.
The other side-panel of the box shows 3 color walk around type photos of the model made up. Followed by a listing of SPECIAL FEATURES of the kit: A rotated turret. Elevated 12.8cm main gun and coaxial 7.5cm gun. Detailed road wheel system and tracks. Optional open or closed driver and escape hatches.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 8 pale-grey parts trees, a loose pale-grey bottom, top and turret part and the decal sheet, in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The instruction consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¼” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white copy of the box art at the top, over one-paragraph histories and specifications of the Maus in 6 languages, including English.
Page 2 begins with CAUTION about the kit, over international assembly symbol explanations and a paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo and Italeri brands of hobby paints.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 6 gives a grand total of 8 assembly steps.
Page 7 is a painting and marking guide.
It shows a 4 view of the Maus in a camouflage of a base of earth-yellow with grey and dark-green narrow band pattern. It has 8 small white illustrations of tanks, that are victory markings on the side of the turret, followed by a large white number 104. It is how it looked in Berlin in 1945.
Page 8 is the parts-trees illustrations, down the left side column. The right column gives decal application instructions in the 6 languages. Copyright 1993 is repeated. Printing was done in Hong Kong.
Pale-grey letter A is the hull top part (1 part)
This kit contains 8 pale-grey parts trees, a loose pale-grey bottom, top and turret part and the decal sheet, in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The instruction consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¼” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white copy of the box art at the top, over one-paragraph histories and specifications of the Maus in 6 languages, including English.
Page 2 begins with CAUTION about the kit, over international assembly symbol explanations and a paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo and Italeri brands of hobby paints.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 6 gives a grand total of 8 assembly steps.
Page 7 is a painting and marking guide.
It shows a 4 view of the Maus in a camouflage of a base of earth-yellow with grey and dark-green narrow band pattern. It has 8 small white illustrations of tanks, that are victory markings on the side of the turret, followed by a large white number 104. It is how it looked in Berlin in 1945.
Page 8 is the parts-trees illustrations, down the left side column. The right column gives decal application instructions in the 6 languages. Copyright 1993 is repeated. Printing was done in Hong Kong.
Pale-grey letter A is the hull top part (1 part)
Pale-grey letter B is the hull bottom part (1 part)
Pale-grey letter C is he turret part (1 part)
There are 6 identical pale-grey letter D trees. They hold: road wheels, axles, individual track links (37 parts ea.)
Pale-grey letter E tree holds: hull sides, drive sprockets, idler wheels, fuel tank etc. (40 parts)
Pale-grey letter F tree holds: the gun barrel, turret bottom, mantle, return rollers etc. (19 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.In just holds pale yellow numbers.
There are no figures included in the kit.
Detail is very nice.
Detail is very nice.
Recommended.