In Box Review of DML Dragon 1/35th Scale
Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. B, DAK Version
Kit no. 6207
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $29.50
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $29.50
HISTORY:
The Panzer I was a light tank produced in Germany in the 1930s. The name is short for the German Panzerkampfwagen I ("armored fighting vehicle mark I"), abbreviated PzKpfw I. The tank's official German ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 101 ("special purpose vehicle 101").
Design of the Panzer I began in 1932 and mass production began in 1934. Intended only as a training tank to introduce the concept of armored warfare to theGerman Army, the Panzer I saw combat in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, in Poland, France, the Soviet Union and North Africa during the Second World War, and in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Experiences with the Panzer I during the Spanish Civil War helped shape the German armored corps' invasion of Poland in 1939 and France in 1940. By 1941, the Panzer I chassis design was used as the basis of tank destroyers and assault guns. There were attempts to upgrade the Panzer I throughout its service history, including by foreign nations to extend the design's lifespan. It continued to serve in the Spanish Armed Forcesuntil 1954.
The Panzer I's performance in combat was limited by its thin armor and light armament of two machine guns. As a design intended for training, the Panzer I was not as capable as other light tanks of the era, such as the Soviet T-26. Although weak in combat, it formed a large part of Germany's tank forces and was used in all major campaigns between September 1939 and December 1941. The small, vulnerable light tank would be surpassed in importance by better-known German tanks such as the Panzer IV, Panther, and Tiger; nevertheless, the Panzer I's contribution to the early victories of Nazi Germany during the Second World War was significant.
SPECS:
Type
Light tank
Place of origin
Germany
Service history
In service
1934–1945 (Nazi Germany)
Used by
Nazi Germany, Bulgaria,Republic of China, Hungary,Spain
Wars
Spanish Civil War, Second World War, Second Sino-Japanese War
Production history
Designed
1934
Manufacturer
Henschel, MAN, Krupp, Daimler
Produced
1934–1937
Number built
1493
Specifications
Weight
5.4 tonnes (6.0 short tons)
Length
4.02 m (13.2 ft)
Width
2.06 m (6.8 ft)
Height
1.72 m (5.6 ft)
Crew
2: commander and driver
Armor 7–13 mm
Main 7.92 mm MG13 machine Armorment guns
Engine Krupp M 305 four-cylinder air-cooled gasoline engine
Power/weight 60 PS (59 hp, 44 kW)
Suspension Quarter-elliptical leaf spring-suspension.
Operational range 200 km (120 mi) on-road; 175 km (109 mi) off-road.
Speed 50 km/h (31 mph) on-road; 37 km/h (23 mph) off-road.
DML Dragon is a prolific model company based in Hong Kong China. They market all manner of model subjects in all the popular scales.
The Panzer I was a light tank produced in Germany in the 1930s. The name is short for the German Panzerkampfwagen I ("armored fighting vehicle mark I"), abbreviated PzKpfw I. The tank's official German ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 101 ("special purpose vehicle 101").
Design of the Panzer I began in 1932 and mass production began in 1934. Intended only as a training tank to introduce the concept of armored warfare to theGerman Army, the Panzer I saw combat in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, in Poland, France, the Soviet Union and North Africa during the Second World War, and in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Experiences with the Panzer I during the Spanish Civil War helped shape the German armored corps' invasion of Poland in 1939 and France in 1940. By 1941, the Panzer I chassis design was used as the basis of tank destroyers and assault guns. There were attempts to upgrade the Panzer I throughout its service history, including by foreign nations to extend the design's lifespan. It continued to serve in the Spanish Armed Forcesuntil 1954.
The Panzer I's performance in combat was limited by its thin armor and light armament of two machine guns. As a design intended for training, the Panzer I was not as capable as other light tanks of the era, such as the Soviet T-26. Although weak in combat, it formed a large part of Germany's tank forces and was used in all major campaigns between September 1939 and December 1941. The small, vulnerable light tank would be surpassed in importance by better-known German tanks such as the Panzer IV, Panther, and Tiger; nevertheless, the Panzer I's contribution to the early victories of Nazi Germany during the Second World War was significant.
SPECS:
Type
Light tank
Place of origin
Germany
Service history
In service
1934–1945 (Nazi Germany)
Used by
Nazi Germany, Bulgaria,Republic of China, Hungary,Spain
Wars
Spanish Civil War, Second World War, Second Sino-Japanese War
Production history
Designed
1934
Manufacturer
Henschel, MAN, Krupp, Daimler
Produced
1934–1937
Number built
1493
Specifications
Weight
5.4 tonnes (6.0 short tons)
Length
4.02 m (13.2 ft)
Width
2.06 m (6.8 ft)
Height
1.72 m (5.6 ft)
Crew
2: commander and driver
Armor 7–13 mm
Main 7.92 mm MG13 machine Armorment guns
Engine Krupp M 305 four-cylinder air-cooled gasoline engine
Power/weight 60 PS (59 hp, 44 kW)
Suspension Quarter-elliptical leaf spring-suspension.
Operational range 200 km (120 mi) on-road; 175 km (109 mi) off-road.
Speed 50 km/h (31 mph) on-road; 37 km/h (23 mph) off-road.
DML Dragon is a prolific model company based in Hong Kong China. They market all manner of model subjects in all the popular scales.
THE KIT:
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. The box art shows a Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. B leading a Pz.Kpfw. IV across the sand. There is a burning British Matilda tank behind them. The Pz.Kpfw. I is in overall earth yellow that is heavily stone dinged showing it’s panzer gray undercoat. It has an un-painted patch of panzer gray on the front of the fighting compartment with a white palm tree and swastika insignia on it. To the left of that is a red 15th Panzer Division insignia. There is a red letter R outlined in white on the turret sides and a thin German cross is on the sides of the hull. The tank commander is standing in the turret hatch. There is a black pennant on the end of the radio antenna that has a white skull and cross-bones on it with the word “1 Komp”.
One side panel shows color illustrations of the decal sheet, the jerry cans and milk containers and the 2 PE sets. It says the kit is not for children under 3 in multiple languages including English. It tells when using paint or glue to keep them away from an open flame and be in a well ventilated room The kit is intended for modelers age 10 and older. Dragon’s Hong Kong street address and their web address are provided and the kit was made in China.
The other side-panel has 4 color illustrations telling the kits features: hatches with open or closed option, PE parts for the jerry can storage rack, PE parts for the engine grill/exhaust upgrade, 4 bonus crew figures. Paint and glue are not included.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. The box art shows a Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. B leading a Pz.Kpfw. IV across the sand. There is a burning British Matilda tank behind them. The Pz.Kpfw. I is in overall earth yellow that is heavily stone dinged showing it’s panzer gray undercoat. It has an un-painted patch of panzer gray on the front of the fighting compartment with a white palm tree and swastika insignia on it. To the left of that is a red 15th Panzer Division insignia. There is a red letter R outlined in white on the turret sides and a thin German cross is on the sides of the hull. The tank commander is standing in the turret hatch. There is a black pennant on the end of the radio antenna that has a white skull and cross-bones on it with the word “1 Komp”.
One side panel shows color illustrations of the decal sheet, the jerry cans and milk containers and the 2 PE sets. It says the kit is not for children under 3 in multiple languages including English. It tells when using paint or glue to keep them away from an open flame and be in a well ventilated room The kit is intended for modelers age 10 and older. Dragon’s Hong Kong street address and their web address are provided and the kit was made in China.
The other side-panel has 4 color illustrations telling the kits features: hatches with open or closed option, PE parts for the jerry can storage rack, PE parts for the engine grill/exhaust upgrade, 4 bonus crew figures. Paint and glue are not included.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
Inside the box are 16 gray parts trees, 2 clear trees, 2 brass PE frets and the decal sheet in 9 sealed cello bags. The instructions complete the kits contents.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion folds out into 8 pages in 8 ½” x 12” page format.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, followed by the parts trees illustrations. Some of the parts are shown here BLUED-0UT. That means that they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
Page 2 begins with “CAUTIONS” in 6 languages including English, followed by international assembly symbol explanations and a paint color list. The bottom of the page has the first 2 assembly steps.
Page 3 through 7 give a grand total of 14 assembly steps. The 14 step is for the assembly and painting of the crew figures.
Page 8 has two 4-views of painting and marking schemes:
1. A tank with the 21st Pz.Div. Africa 1941. It is in overall sandy brown 79. It has narrow German crosses on the hull sides and the rear of the turret. A white palm tree and swastika is next to the 21st’s Division mark on the front of the crew compartment and on the nose of the hull.
2. A tank with the 5th Pz.Div., Tripoli 1941. It is in overall panzer gray with a red “R01” outlined in white on the turret sides. It has thin German crosses on the turret rear and hull sides.
On either scheme we are told we can use any one of the alternate German crosses provided on the decal sheet.
Below this is Dragon’s office address at their Braz, Austria site. The copyright date is 2004. The bottom of the page has the decal application instructions in the 6 languages.
Inside the box are 16 gray parts trees, 2 clear trees, 2 brass PE frets and the decal sheet in 9 sealed cello bags. The instructions complete the kits contents.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion folds out into 8 pages in 8 ½” x 12” page format.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, followed by the parts trees illustrations. Some of the parts are shown here BLUED-0UT. That means that they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
Page 2 begins with “CAUTIONS” in 6 languages including English, followed by international assembly symbol explanations and a paint color list. The bottom of the page has the first 2 assembly steps.
Page 3 through 7 give a grand total of 14 assembly steps. The 14 step is for the assembly and painting of the crew figures.
Page 8 has two 4-views of painting and marking schemes:
1. A tank with the 21st Pz.Div. Africa 1941. It is in overall sandy brown 79. It has narrow German crosses on the hull sides and the rear of the turret. A white palm tree and swastika is next to the 21st’s Division mark on the front of the crew compartment and on the nose of the hull.
2. A tank with the 5th Pz.Div., Tripoli 1941. It is in overall panzer gray with a red “R01” outlined in white on the turret sides. It has thin German crosses on the turret rear and hull sides.
On either scheme we are told we can use any one of the alternate German crosses provided on the decal sheet.
Below this is Dragon’s office address at their Braz, Austria site. The copyright date is 2004. The bottom of the page has the decal application instructions in the 6 languages.
Gray letter A parts tree holds: the muffler, suspension springs, engine compartment roof, hull nose, shovel etc. (34 parts) The tree is co-joined to gray tree letter L which holds the upper hull for the turret.
Gray letter B parts tree holds: the jack, tools, suspension parts, fender front sections etc. (39 parts). Three parts are blue-out as being excess on the parts tree illustrations. This tree is co-joined to gray parts trees letter D and E.
Gray letter D parts tree holds: the rear hull wall, tail lights etc. (15 parts) Three parts are excess. The tree is co-joined to gray parts trees B and E.
There are 2 identical gray letter C parts trees. They hold: the individual track links, road wheels, return rollers and drive sprockets (128 parts per tree)
Gray letter E parts tree holds: the rear hull storage bin, engine air intake grills etc. (15 parts). Five parts are excess. The tree is co-joined to gray parts tree letter F.
Lettering now jumps to gray letter I parts tree. It holds the single hull tub part.
Gray letter F parts tree holds the turret parts and two machine gun barrels (25 parts) There are NO breeches provided for these machine guns. Eight parts are excess.
Letter MA tree is one of the two brass PE frets. It holds the engine air intake screens, perforated muffler cover, smoke grenade launch tubes chains etc. (16 parts)
Letter MB tree is the second of the two brass PE frets. It holds the jerry can rack and jerry can center sections (7 parts)
Letter MB tree is the second of the two brass PE frets. It holds the jerry can rack and jerry can center sections (7 parts)
There are two identical gray letter N parts trees. They hold the Jerry can parts. (12 parts per tree)
There is NO letter O parts tree.
Clear letter P parts tree holds head light lenses (3 parts)
Clear letter P parts tree holds head light lenses (3 parts)
Clear letter WP parts tree holds vision ports windows (22 parts)
An un-alphabetized gray tree holds the crew figures parts (34 parts)
Gray lower case f parts tree holds the milk container jug parts (13 parts)
Gray lower case e parts tree holds assorted personal gear (11 parts)
These last 2 trees are co-joined.
Gray lower case e parts tree holds assorted personal gear (11 parts)
These last 2 trees are co-joined.
Trees letter P, the 2 brass PE frets and the decal sheet are all attached to a card that has a tread pattern printed on it and in a large cello.
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.
I bought the Archer brand dry transfer decal set no. AR35026W. It is variants of the DAK’s palm tree and swastika insignia all in white.
The turret hatch is a separate part and can be posed open. However, there is absolutely no interior details provided for inside the hull or the turret.
The turret hatch is a separate part and can be posed open. However, there is absolutely no interior details provided for inside the hull or the turret.
I have always liked DAK subjects in AFV’s and figures. So, I jumped at the chance to buy this kit at my local hobby shop.
I recommend it to modelers that have average building skills.
I recommend it to modelers that have average building skills.