In Box Review of Dragon 1/35th Scale
German Sd.Kfz. 253 le Beob. Pz.Wg.
Kit no, 6140
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2001
Available at 5 locations overseas on the web,.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2001
Available at 5 locations overseas on the web,.
HISTORY:
The Sd.Kfz. 253 began life as the Sd.Kfz. 250. This series of vehicles had numerous variants. Many of them are the subject of previous DML kits that have been already reviewed in Internet Modeler Magazine in the past.
I can find little, or no, history on the 253 variant. I am puzzled, a bit, as to why it was not called a 250/ something or other.
There was an earlier Beobachtungswagen (observation post vehicle): the Sd.Kfz. 250/5. However, it did not have a roof over the rear fighting compartment. The 253 version (subject of this new kit) has this feature.
I thought that DML had exhausted the 250 types in their kit releases. Apparently, I was wrong – they still could do a few more. A Sd.Kfz. 252 ammo carrier version would be well received, especially if they included the two wheeled ammo trailer with it.
The Sd.Kfz. 253 began life as the Sd.Kfz. 250. This series of vehicles had numerous variants. Many of them are the subject of previous DML kits that have been already reviewed in Internet Modeler Magazine in the past.
I can find little, or no, history on the 253 variant. I am puzzled, a bit, as to why it was not called a 250/ something or other.
There was an earlier Beobachtungswagen (observation post vehicle): the Sd.Kfz. 250/5. However, it did not have a roof over the rear fighting compartment. The 253 version (subject of this new kit) has this feature.
I thought that DML had exhausted the 250 types in their kit releases. Apparently, I was wrong – they still could do a few more. A Sd.Kfz. 252 ammo carrier version would be well received, especially if they included the two wheeled ammo trailer with it.
THE KIT:
Dragon (sometimes said as DML) is an old prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture many different plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
The box art of the kit shows a color illustration of a Sd.Kfz. 253 on a grassy field with 2 other German tanks. I describe its colors and marking when I do page 10 in this review.
One side panel of the box shows a color box art for Dragon’s kit no. 6132, a Sd.Kfz. 250 le SPW w/Panzerbuchse 41, followed by a CAUTION: When you use paint or cement, do not be near an open flame and be in a well ventilated room. Kit is not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts. It is for modelers age 10 and over. In multiple languages, including English.
Copyright of the kit is 2001 and Dragon’s street address in Hong Kong, China is provided.
Dragon (sometimes said as DML) is an old prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture many different plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
The box art of the kit shows a color illustration of a Sd.Kfz. 253 on a grassy field with 2 other German tanks. I describe its colors and marking when I do page 10 in this review.
One side panel of the box shows a color box art for Dragon’s kit no. 6132, a Sd.Kfz. 250 le SPW w/Panzerbuchse 41, followed by a CAUTION: When you use paint or cement, do not be near an open flame and be in a well ventilated room. Kit is not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts. It is for modelers age 10 and over. In multiple languages, including English.
Copyright of the kit is 2001 and Dragon’s street address in Hong Kong, China is provided.
The other side panel shows a 4 color walk-around photos of the model made up in overall Panzer-gray with no markings shown. These are followed with a repeat of the copyright date and address.
WHAT IS IN THE BOX::
Inside the box are 16 medium-gray parts trees in sealed clear cello bags.
Medium-gray letter A tree holds: the vehicle's lower-side panels, bottom, floor, drive sprockets, leaf spring, suspension parts, tow hooks, notek lamp, tools etc. (41 parts) Eleven parts are shaded out, on the instruction sheet, as being not to use or excess.
Inside the box are 16 medium-gray parts trees in sealed clear cello bags.
Medium-gray letter A tree holds: the vehicle's lower-side panels, bottom, floor, drive sprockets, leaf spring, suspension parts, tow hooks, notek lamp, tools etc. (41 parts) Eleven parts are shaded out, on the instruction sheet, as being not to use or excess.
There are four, identical, medium-gray letter B trees. They hold: the road wheels, front wheels & tires, idler wheels, a rifle, an MG 34 machine gun, and a pistol in a holster etc. (21 parts) Nine parts are shaded out, on the instruction sheet, as being not to use or excess.
Small, medium-gray letter C parts tree holds: the steering column, steering wheel, transmission cover, radios, gear shift levers, driver's compartment floor, seat, storage boxes etc. (30 parts) Twelve parts are marked as excess.
Tree lettering now jumps to four identical small medium-gray letter F trees. These hold the individual track links, in two parts: metal links & rubber blocks. (40 parts on each tree) All are used.
There is a second, single small medium-gray tree, also lettered as F (but in lower case lettering on the instruction sheet). It holds three telescopes and some other parts that are shaded out as excess on the instructions. (10 parts) Six parts are excess.
Lettering now, again, jumps to the medium-gray letter K tree. It holds: the vehicle's upper side panels, firewall/dashboard, & numerous other unidentified parts. (46 parts) Twenty-three are marked as excess on the instructions, including some nice MG34 machine guns (which I just KNOW will find their way into other armor projects).
We jump, again, in the numbering system to medium-gray letter M tree. It holds only two parts: the vehicle's upper structure and nose piece.
Large, medium-gray letter N tree holds: the vehicle's fenders, banister aerial (not used), head lights, tools, rear panel & door, tools etc. (65 parts) Twenty-five are excess.
Next, we move ahead to the medium sized, medium-gray letter P tree. It holds: all the parts that make this vehicle the 253 variant. Seats, commander's cupola, fighting compartment roof, radios, antennas etc. (32 parts ) All these parts are used.
We jump, again, in lettering to black letter X part. This is a small piece of black nylon mesh to use inside the two engine air intake holes on the hood.
Small, medium-gray letter Y parts tree holds: 2 parts that make up the transmission halves.
Finally, small medium-gray letter Z tree is the driver figure (five parts)
The decal sheet has a crystal clear plastic sheet over it to protect it. This is new to DML kits, far as I know. The decal gives markings for three different vehicles:
1. Stug. Abt. 191, Eastern Front 1942.
2. 1/Stug. Abt. 197, Crimea 1942 (This is the vehicle depicted on the box painting)
3. 3/Stug. Abt. 197, Balkans 1941.
1. Stug. Abt. 191, Eastern Front 1942.
2. 1/Stug. Abt. 197, Crimea 1942 (This is the vehicle depicted on the box painting)
3. 3/Stug. Abt. 197, Balkans 1941.
The instructions are a new departure for DML from their norm. By that, I mean that they are printed on slick coated paper. Not the dull looking paper they have always used in the past.
The instructions accordion-folds out into 10 pages. The first page has the box art, in full color, at the top of the page. This is also new, as DML always did the box art in black and white in the past here. As ever, there is no history of the vehicle given. (readers now know that this is a pet peeve of mine with DML). The bottom of page one has the parts tree drawings. Excess parts (not to be used on this version) are shaded in brown, rather than the blue that DML always used in the past to indicate this.
Page two begins with CAUTIONS about the kit, followed by international assembly symbol explanations, followed by a suggested paint number chart of Gunze Sangyo and Italeri brands of hobby paints.
The bottom of page two through to the top of page 9 gives a grand total of 30 assembly steps.
Again, something NEW for DML instructions is that they show actual photos of the kit parts in all the steps. In the past this was done with line drawings. I kind of like this format.
The instructions accordion-folds out into 10 pages. The first page has the box art, in full color, at the top of the page. This is also new, as DML always did the box art in black and white in the past here. As ever, there is no history of the vehicle given. (readers now know that this is a pet peeve of mine with DML). The bottom of page one has the parts tree drawings. Excess parts (not to be used on this version) are shaded in brown, rather than the blue that DML always used in the past to indicate this.
Page two begins with CAUTIONS about the kit, followed by international assembly symbol explanations, followed by a suggested paint number chart of Gunze Sangyo and Italeri brands of hobby paints.
The bottom of page two through to the top of page 9 gives a grand total of 30 assembly steps.
Again, something NEW for DML instructions is that they show actual photos of the kit parts in all the steps. In the past this was done with line drawings. I kind of like this format.
The bottom of page nine and all of page 10 gives the three marking schemes and decal instructions.
The first scheme at the bottom of page 9 is a color 4-view. It is overall Panzer-gray, with narrow German black and white cross on its sides, a red black rectangle outlined in white with a white rampant bull on it on the left side of the rear and a white tactical mark on the right.
It was with StuG. Abt. 191, Eastern Front 1942.
At the top of page 10 there is another 4-view. It is in a wave pattern of vertical grey waves over a white base. No markings are shown on it, oddly.
It was with 1/StuG. Abt. 197, Crimea, 1942.
The first scheme at the bottom of page 9 is a color 4-view. It is overall Panzer-gray, with narrow German black and white cross on its sides, a red black rectangle outlined in white with a white rampant bull on it on the left side of the rear and a white tactical mark on the right.
It was with StuG. Abt. 191, Eastern Front 1942.
At the top of page 10 there is another 4-view. It is in a wave pattern of vertical grey waves over a white base. No markings are shown on it, oddly.
It was with 1/StuG. Abt. 197, Crimea, 1942.
The right column of page 10 gives decal application instructions in 6 languages, including English. Over the 2001 Copyright date for this kit and Printed in Hong Kong.
At the bottom of the page is another 4-view. It is overall Panzer-gray. It carries a small black and white German cross on its sides, a white license plate on its front and rear with black serial no. WH-676782 on them. On the left side of its nose and on the right of its rear there is a white shield with a black eagle over crossed swords insignia.
It was with 3/StuG. Abt. 197, Balkans, 1941.
It was with 3/StuG. Abt. 197, Balkans, 1941.
Conclusion:
I really like the new instructions, but DML really, really, needs to put histories on their instruction sheets. You will really fill your spare parts box with all the parts that are indicated as being excess in this kit.
Highly recommended.
Now, let's have a Sd.Kfz. 252. Are you listening DML?
I really like the new instructions, but DML really, really, needs to put histories on their instruction sheets. You will really fill your spare parts box with all the parts that are indicated as being excess in this kit.
Highly recommended.
Now, let's have a Sd.Kfz. 252. Are you listening DML?