In Box Review of Dragon 1/35th Scale
Sd.Kfz. 184 “Elefant”
Kit no. 6126
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2000
I paid $33.32 when this kit was marked down from $39.90.
Available from one person in the USA and at 6 locations overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2000
I paid $33.32 when this kit was marked down from $39.90.
Available from one person in the USA and at 6 locations overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
The Elefant (German for "elephant") was a heavy tank destroyer used by German Wehrmacht Panzerjäger during World War II. Ninety-one units were built in 1943 under the name Ferdinand, after its designer Ferdinand Porsche, using VK 45.01 (P) tank hulls produced for the Tiger I tank design abandoned in favour of a Henschel design.
In January to April 1944, Ferdinands received modifications and upgrades. They were renamed Elefant in May 1944. The official German designation was Panzerjäger Tiger (P) and the ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 184.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Heavy tank destroyer
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
Designer: Ferdinand Porsche
Designed: 1942–1943
Manufacturer: Nibelungenwerk
Produced: March–May 1943, (substantial upgrades in January to April 1944)
No. built: 91
Mass: 65 tonnes (143,000 lb)
Length: 8.14 m (26 ft 8 in) with gun
Width: 3.38 m (11 ft 1 in)
Height: 2.97 m (9 ft 9 in)
Crew: 6 (driver, radio-operator, commander, gunner, two loaders)
Armor: 200 mm (7.87 in) maximum
Main armament: 8.8 cm Pak 43/2 L/71, also known as StuK 43/1
Secondary armament: 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun (Elefant only)
Engine: 2 × Maybach HL120 TRM petrol of 600 PS (592 hp, 442 kW)
Power/weight: 9.2 PS (6.8 kW) / tonne
Suspension: longitudinal torsion-bar
Fuel capacity: 950 liters
Operational range: 150 km (93 mi) road, 90 km (56 mi) cross-country
Maximum speed: 30 kilometres per hour (19 mph)
The Elefant (German for "elephant") was a heavy tank destroyer used by German Wehrmacht Panzerjäger during World War II. Ninety-one units were built in 1943 under the name Ferdinand, after its designer Ferdinand Porsche, using VK 45.01 (P) tank hulls produced for the Tiger I tank design abandoned in favour of a Henschel design.
In January to April 1944, Ferdinands received modifications and upgrades. They were renamed Elefant in May 1944. The official German designation was Panzerjäger Tiger (P) and the ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 184.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Heavy tank destroyer
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
Designer: Ferdinand Porsche
Designed: 1942–1943
Manufacturer: Nibelungenwerk
Produced: March–May 1943, (substantial upgrades in January to April 1944)
No. built: 91
Mass: 65 tonnes (143,000 lb)
Length: 8.14 m (26 ft 8 in) with gun
Width: 3.38 m (11 ft 1 in)
Height: 2.97 m (9 ft 9 in)
Crew: 6 (driver, radio-operator, commander, gunner, two loaders)
Armor: 200 mm (7.87 in) maximum
Main armament: 8.8 cm Pak 43/2 L/71, also known as StuK 43/1
Secondary armament: 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun (Elefant only)
Engine: 2 × Maybach HL120 TRM petrol of 600 PS (592 hp, 442 kW)
Power/weight: 9.2 PS (6.8 kW) / tonne
Suspension: longitudinal torsion-bar
Fuel capacity: 950 liters
Operational range: 150 km (93 mi) road, 90 km (56 mi) cross-country
Maximum speed: 30 kilometres per hour (19 mph)
THE KIT:
Dragon (sometimes called DML) 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 shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cove art shows a color illustration of an “Elefant” that is moving down a street and knocking down a wood picket fence, past two houses that have thatched-roofs. One has its roof on fire.
The Elefant is in a wave-pattern camouflage of a base of earth yellow with dark-green bands. It has a black number 322 high on its sides and a black and white German cross low on its sides.
The tank commander is standing in the roof hatch. He wears a field-grey uniform and cloth billed field cap. He has a pair of ear-phones on his head. He is talking to a German infantryman on the ground. The infantryman is standing and waving his right arm. He wears a cloth camouflaged cover on his steel helmet.
There is a 3 man German heavy machine-gun crew on the side of the Elefant. They are all kneeling and manning the gun. One man wears a cloth camouflaged cover on his steel helmet. The other 2 men wear grey steel helmets.
There is one man kneeling behind the machine-gun crew. He is armed with a Mauser 98K carbine and wears a grey steel helmet.
Behind him are three more infantrymen. All the infantrymen wear field-grey uniforms and full field gear. All but two wear grey steel helmets.
The lower right corner of the box art says: Unassembled plastic model kit.
The kit contains 512 parts. For modelers aged 10 and over. Box contains a model of one tank.
One side panel of the box shows a color box art of Dragon’s kit no. 6132, an Sd.Kfz. 250/11 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. IN 6 languages, including English.
Followed by the copyright for the kit as 2000, over Dragon’s street address in Hong Kong, China and the kit was made in China.
Dragon (sometimes called DML) 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 shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cove art shows a color illustration of an “Elefant” that is moving down a street and knocking down a wood picket fence, past two houses that have thatched-roofs. One has its roof on fire.
The Elefant is in a wave-pattern camouflage of a base of earth yellow with dark-green bands. It has a black number 322 high on its sides and a black and white German cross low on its sides.
The tank commander is standing in the roof hatch. He wears a field-grey uniform and cloth billed field cap. He has a pair of ear-phones on his head. He is talking to a German infantryman on the ground. The infantryman is standing and waving his right arm. He wears a cloth camouflaged cover on his steel helmet.
There is a 3 man German heavy machine-gun crew on the side of the Elefant. They are all kneeling and manning the gun. One man wears a cloth camouflaged cover on his steel helmet. The other 2 men wear grey steel helmets.
There is one man kneeling behind the machine-gun crew. He is armed with a Mauser 98K carbine and wears a grey steel helmet.
Behind him are three more infantrymen. All the infantrymen wear field-grey uniforms and full field gear. All but two wear grey steel helmets.
The lower right corner of the box art says: Unassembled plastic model kit.
The kit contains 512 parts. For modelers aged 10 and over. Box contains a model of one tank.
One side panel of the box shows a color box art of Dragon’s kit no. 6132, an Sd.Kfz. 250/11 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. IN 6 languages, including English.
Followed by the copyright for the kit as 2000, over Dragon’s street address in Hong Kong, China and the kit was made in China.
The other side panel of the box shows 3 color photos of the model made up in the box art scheme. Followed by a repeat of the copyright date and address etc.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 13 medium-grey trees, loose hull top and bottom and decal sheet in 6 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 8 ¼” x 13 ¾” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art. Over the parts trees illustrations. A few parts are shown blued-out. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
Page 2 begins with CAUTION about the kit, over international assembly symbol explanations and a listing of Gunze Sangyo and Italeri brands of hobby paints. In 6 languages, including English.
The bottom of page 2, through to the top of page 7, gives a grand total of 23 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 7 is a painting and marking guide.
It shows a 5-view profile of the Elefant in the box art camouflage scheme, with a white number 102 on its sides and no German cross.
It was with 1st Company, Schwere Panzerjager Abt. 653, Italy 1944.
Page 8 is also a painting and marking guide.
It shows two 4-view profiles of the Elefant.
The 1st one is in the box art camouflage scheme, with a black number 223 and a black and white German cross on its sides.
It was with 2nd Company, Schwere Panzerjager Abt. 653, Galicia Russia 1944.
The 2nd one is the box art one. (already described above)
It was with 3rd Company, Schwere Panzerjager Abt. 653, Galicia Russia 1944.
The bottom of the page gives the copyright date again of 2000 for this kit. Printing was done in Hong Kong. Decal application instructions are given in the 6 languages, including English.
The kit holds 13 medium-grey trees, loose hull top and bottom and decal sheet in 6 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 8 ¼” x 13 ¾” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art. Over the parts trees illustrations. A few parts are shown blued-out. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
Page 2 begins with CAUTION about the kit, over international assembly symbol explanations and a listing of Gunze Sangyo and Italeri brands of hobby paints. In 6 languages, including English.
The bottom of page 2, through to the top of page 7, gives a grand total of 23 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 7 is a painting and marking guide.
It shows a 5-view profile of the Elefant in the box art camouflage scheme, with a white number 102 on its sides and no German cross.
It was with 1st Company, Schwere Panzerjager Abt. 653, Italy 1944.
Page 8 is also a painting and marking guide.
It shows two 4-view profiles of the Elefant.
The 1st one is in the box art camouflage scheme, with a black number 223 and a black and white German cross on its sides.
It was with 2nd Company, Schwere Panzerjager Abt. 653, Galicia Russia 1944.
The 2nd one is the box art one. (already described above)
It was with 3rd Company, Schwere Panzerjager Abt. 653, Galicia Russia 1944.
The bottom of the page gives the copyright date again of 2000 for this kit. Printing was done in Hong Kong. Decal application instructions are given in the 6 languages, including English.
The parts trees are all alphabetized and are molded in light-grey.
Light-grey tree A has the engine deck.driver's openings, hatches, rear hatch, etc. (26 parts).
Light-grey tree A has the engine deck.driver's openings, hatches, rear hatch, etc. (26 parts).
Light-grey tree B are the mud guards, hull rear plate, etc. (30 parts).
Light-grey tree C has the parts for the main gun. mantlet, trunnion, travel lock, etc. (29 parts).
Light-grey tree D has the individual track links. ( 60 parts per tree).
Light-grey trees E & F are co-joined together and contain the drive sprockets, suspension assembly, etc. (52 parts).
Light-grey tree G is the one piece lower hull.
Light-grey tree H is the one piece casemate turret
Light-grey Y tree holds the engine deck radiator grills, commander;'s cupola. driver's vision ports, etc. (31 parts).
The decal sheet completes the kit contents.
I have added a set of Cavalier brand zimmerit. It consists of a sheet of clear plastic embossed with zimmerit and 3 light grey molded plastic parts.
Also added is a set of Eduard brand brass PE zimmerit. I haven’t decided which set I will use.
Also added is a set of Eduard brand brass PE zimmerit. I haven’t decided which set I will use.
I also added a 3 brass PE fret set by Part brand.
I added sets of my companies (Armor Research brand) metal 88mm ammo rounds and 88mm ammo storage boxes.
There are no figures included in the kit.
This kit will be super-detailed once built.
Highly recommended.
This kit will be super-detailed once built.
Highly recommended.