In Box Review of Dragon 1/35th Scale
Sd.Kfz. 250 Engine w/Mechanics
Kit no. 6112
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1999
I paid $18.98 for my kit years ago at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
Available at Kit Linx for $21.59 and 4 locations overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1999
I paid $18.98 for my kit years ago at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
Available at Kit Linx for $21.59 and 4 locations overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
The Sd.Kfz. 250 (German: Sonderkraftfahrzeug 250; 'special motor vehicle') was a light armoured half-track, very similar in appearance to the larger Hanomag-designed Sd.Kfz. 251, and built by the DEMAG firm, for use by Nazi Germany in World War II. Most variants were open-topped and had a single access door in the rear.The Sd. Kfz 250 was adopted in 1939 to supplement the standard half-track. Production delays meant that the first vehicle did not appear until mid-1941.
In 1939, the Inspectorate for Motorised Troops (AHA/In 6) decided that it would be useful for armoured half-tracks to accompany tanks in the attack. These could meet the requirements for smaller vehicles to be used in the headquarters, artillery observer, radio, and reconnaissance roles. Demag, the designer of the smallest half-track in service, the Sd.Kfz. 10, was selected to develop the "light armoured troop carrier" (leichter gepanzerter Mannschafts-Transportwagen) or Sd.Kfz. 250.
To this end, the Sd.Kfz. 10 hull was shortened by one road wheel station, and an armoured hull (Panzerwanne) constructed around the truncated running gear. While intended as a derivative of a standard inventory item, eventually virtually every component was redesigned and specific to the Sd.Kfz. 250.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Half-track armoured personnel carrier
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1941–1945
Used by: Nazi Germany, Kingdom of Romania
Wars: World War II
Designer: Demag
Designed: 1939–1940
Manufacturer: Demag, Adlerwerke, Büssing-NAG, MWC
Unit cost: 20,420 Reichsmarks
Produced: 1941–1945
No. built: Approx. 6,628
Specifications (Sd.Kfz. 250/1 Ausf. A)
Mass Load: 5,800 kg (12,800 lb)
Length: 4.56 m (15 ft 0 in)
Width: 1.945 m (6 ft 5 in)
Height: 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Crew: 2 + 4
Armour: 5.5–14.5 mm (0.22–0.57 in)
Main armament: 1 or 2 x 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 34 machine guns
Engine: Maybach HL42 TRKM 6-cylinder, water-cooled petrol of 100 PS (99 hp, 74 kW)
Power/weight: 17.2 hp/ton
Transmission: 7 + 3 speed Maybach VG 102128 H
Suspension: Overlapping torsion bar (track) Leaf spring (wheels)
Ground clearance: 28.5 cm (10 in)
Fuel capacity: 140 L (37 US gal)
Operational range: Road: 300–320 km (190–200 mi), Cross Country: 180–200 km (110–120 mi)
Maximum speed: Road: 76 km/h (47 mph)
The Sd.Kfz. 250 (German: Sonderkraftfahrzeug 250; 'special motor vehicle') was a light armoured half-track, very similar in appearance to the larger Hanomag-designed Sd.Kfz. 251, and built by the DEMAG firm, for use by Nazi Germany in World War II. Most variants were open-topped and had a single access door in the rear.The Sd. Kfz 250 was adopted in 1939 to supplement the standard half-track. Production delays meant that the first vehicle did not appear until mid-1941.
In 1939, the Inspectorate for Motorised Troops (AHA/In 6) decided that it would be useful for armoured half-tracks to accompany tanks in the attack. These could meet the requirements for smaller vehicles to be used in the headquarters, artillery observer, radio, and reconnaissance roles. Demag, the designer of the smallest half-track in service, the Sd.Kfz. 10, was selected to develop the "light armoured troop carrier" (leichter gepanzerter Mannschafts-Transportwagen) or Sd.Kfz. 250.
To this end, the Sd.Kfz. 10 hull was shortened by one road wheel station, and an armoured hull (Panzerwanne) constructed around the truncated running gear. While intended as a derivative of a standard inventory item, eventually virtually every component was redesigned and specific to the Sd.Kfz. 250.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Half-track armoured personnel carrier
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1941–1945
Used by: Nazi Germany, Kingdom of Romania
Wars: World War II
Designer: Demag
Designed: 1939–1940
Manufacturer: Demag, Adlerwerke, Büssing-NAG, MWC
Unit cost: 20,420 Reichsmarks
Produced: 1941–1945
No. built: Approx. 6,628
Specifications (Sd.Kfz. 250/1 Ausf. A)
Mass Load: 5,800 kg (12,800 lb)
Length: 4.56 m (15 ft 0 in)
Width: 1.945 m (6 ft 5 in)
Height: 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Crew: 2 + 4
Armour: 5.5–14.5 mm (0.22–0.57 in)
Main armament: 1 or 2 x 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 34 machine guns
Engine: Maybach HL42 TRKM 6-cylinder, water-cooled petrol of 100 PS (99 hp, 74 kW)
Power/weight: 17.2 hp/ton
Transmission: 7 + 3 speed Maybach VG 102128 H
Suspension: Overlapping torsion bar (track) Leaf spring (wheels)
Ground clearance: 28.5 cm (10 in)
Fuel capacity: 140 L (37 US gal)
Operational range: Road: 300–320 km (190–200 mi), Cross Country: 180–200 km (110–120 mi)
Maximum speed: Road: 76 km/h (47 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 models in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of 4 German engine mechanics, working on the engine of a Sd.Kfz. 25o half-track (not included in the kit).
They are all dressed in field-grey uniforms, with their trousers bloused at the bottom over low black shoes. Three wear jackets that are reversible to white and cloth field caps with bills. The fourth mechanic wears a cloth side cap.
Three of the men are standing and two are working on the engine. The third man is opening a tan wood tool box that is atop one of two folding metal tables. There are 2 folding metal low benches with canvas tops, 2 metal jacks, an oil can and metal tool chest on the ground around them.
The fourth man is kneeling atop the Sd.Kfz. 250 and looking into the engine compartment. He wears a dark-grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He has a wrench in his right hand and a sledge hammer and oil can laying in front of him.
The team is on a sandy field by a forest.
The Sd.Kfz. 250 is overall earth-yellow. (not included in the kit).
One side panel of the kit shows 3 color walk-around type photos of the kit made up. Followed by the copyright of the kit as 1999, over Dragon’s street address in Hong Kong, China and the kit was made there.
Dragon (sometimes called DML) is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic models in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of 4 German engine mechanics, working on the engine of a Sd.Kfz. 25o half-track (not included in the kit).
They are all dressed in field-grey uniforms, with their trousers bloused at the bottom over low black shoes. Three wear jackets that are reversible to white and cloth field caps with bills. The fourth mechanic wears a cloth side cap.
Three of the men are standing and two are working on the engine. The third man is opening a tan wood tool box that is atop one of two folding metal tables. There are 2 folding metal low benches with canvas tops, 2 metal jacks, an oil can and metal tool chest on the ground around them.
The fourth man is kneeling atop the Sd.Kfz. 250 and looking into the engine compartment. He wears a dark-grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He has a wrench in his right hand and a sledge hammer and oil can laying in front of him.
The team is on a sandy field by a forest.
The Sd.Kfz. 250 is overall earth-yellow. (not included in the kit).
One side panel of the kit shows 3 color walk-around type photos of the kit made up. Followed by the copyright of the kit as 1999, over Dragon’s street address in Hong Kong, China and the kit was made there.
The other side panel shows 2 color box arts of other figure kits that Dragon manufactures: Kit no. 6115, 352nd Volksgrenadier Div.,(Ardennes 1944) and kit no. 6131, Armor- Reconnaissance Wiking Div. (Hungary 1845). Followed by a CAUTION: When using paint or cement do not be near an open flame and be in a well-ventilated room. In 6 languages, including English. For modelers aged 10 and over. Not suitable for children under 3 because of sharp parts. In multiple languages. Including English.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 8 medium-grey parts trees in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 7 ¼” x 10” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over the parts trees illustrations. Some parts are shown blued-out. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
Page 2 begins with CAUTIONS about the kit, over international assembly symbol explanations and a list of Gunze Sangyo and Italeri brands of hobby paints. In 6 languages, including English.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 4 gives a grand total of 12 assembly steps.
Page 5 is an assembly and painting guide for the 4 figures.
Page 5 begins with a black and white photo of the set made up, over decal application instructions in the 6 languages.
Seven of the eight trees are alphabetized.
Medium-grey letter D tree holds the parts of the kneeling figure (divided into separate head, torso, arms and legs) etc. (25 parts) Co-joined to a letter E and X tree.
The kit holds 8 medium-grey parts trees in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 7 ¼” x 10” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over the parts trees illustrations. Some parts are shown blued-out. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
Page 2 begins with CAUTIONS about the kit, over international assembly symbol explanations and a list of Gunze Sangyo and Italeri brands of hobby paints. In 6 languages, including English.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 4 gives a grand total of 12 assembly steps.
Page 5 is an assembly and painting guide for the 4 figures.
Page 5 begins with a black and white photo of the set made up, over decal application instructions in the 6 languages.
Seven of the eight trees are alphabetized.
Medium-grey letter D tree holds the parts of the kneeling figure (divided into separate head, torso, arms and legs) etc. (25 parts) Co-joined to a letter E and X tree.
Medium-grey letter F tree holds field caps, 3 pistols in holsters etc. (26 parts) 18 parts are excess.
The un-alphabetized medium-grey tree holds two of the standing figures. Both are divided into separate heads, full bodies and arms etc. (19 parts) 6 parts are excess.
Lettering jumps to the medium-grey letter H tree. It holds the parts of the two folding steel tables and folding seats (12 parts).
Lettering jumps again to the two identical medium-grey letter X trees and they hold the engine parts (16 parts). This is co-joined to E tree which holds a sledge hammer, tool box, etc.(5 parts).
Adding this set to a Sd.Kfz. 250 kit to make this scene will create an interesting diorama.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.