In Box Review of DML Dragon 1/35th Scale
Sd.Kfz. 251/16 Ausf. C Flammpanzerwagen
Kit no. 6202
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $34.95
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $34.95
HISTORY:
The Sd.Kfz. 251/16 - Flammpanzerwagen. Fitted with two flame projectors and initially a rear mounted flamethrower, detachable but still connected to the vehicle, to be operated by dismounted infantry. This was in addition to the standard forward machine gun mount. Six Sd.Kfz. 251/16 Flammpanzerwagens were authorised for issue to each Panzergrenadier regiment.
DML Dragon is a prolific model company based in Hong Kong China. They make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
THE KIT:
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.. The box art shows a Sd.Kfx. 251/16 Ausf. C Flammpanzerwagen crossing a field with two crewmen firing it’s flame gun and a third crewman manning the machine gun. It is in overall sandy brown with a dark green wave pattern It has a black German cross bordered in white on the rear door and sides of the fighting compartment with a red 89 next to the cross. Another 251 is unloading troops in the background. That one is not a flammpanzerwagen version. The box art says the kit contains a BONUS in the form of both a riveted and a welded hull being provided. The kit is said to contain 658 parts, 3 figures and is intended for modelers over 10 years of age.
One side panel has a color photo of the model made up in a scheme of overall sandy brown with broad waves of dark green and red brown with the German cross on the sides. Paint and glue are not included. Illustrations of the 3 decal sheets, 3 brass PE frets, the turned brass fender posts, 3 crew figures and a silver sticker (to use to make rear-view mirror faces) and 2 vinyl folded uniforms. CAUTIONS about usi9ng paint or glue near an open flame is in 6 languages including English and DML’s street address in Hong Kong is provided. MADE IN CHINA and DML’s web address are also shown.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 14 medium gray trees, a clear tree, 2 thicknesses of woven string, silver stickers, 3 brass PE frets, 3 decal sheets and the instructions. Parts trees are all nicely cello bagged.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion folds out into 10 pages in 8 ½” x 12” page format.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, with parts trees illustrations below it. 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, followed by international assembly symbol explanations and a paint color listing of CSI Creos Corp., Mr. Color and Model Master brands of hobby paints in 6 languages including English. Below these is the first 2 assembly steps.
Page 3 through 9 give a grand total of 21 assembly steps.
Page 10 has a 4-view and two 3-views of schemes. We are not told on any of these 3 schemes what unit the scheme is for.
1. The box art subject (already described above)
2. The box side panel subject (already described above)
3. A overall sandy brown vehicle with crosses on the sides and license plate number WH-1384489 on the front and rear with a white helmet insignia. I know that this insignia is the one for the Grossdeutschland Division. Below this is DML’s office address in Austria, a copyright date for the kit of 2004 and the decal application instructions in 6 languages including English.
The Sd.Kfz. 251/16 - Flammpanzerwagen. Fitted with two flame projectors and initially a rear mounted flamethrower, detachable but still connected to the vehicle, to be operated by dismounted infantry. This was in addition to the standard forward machine gun mount. Six Sd.Kfz. 251/16 Flammpanzerwagens were authorised for issue to each Panzergrenadier regiment.
DML Dragon is a prolific model company based in Hong Kong China. They make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
THE KIT:
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.. The box art shows a Sd.Kfx. 251/16 Ausf. C Flammpanzerwagen crossing a field with two crewmen firing it’s flame gun and a third crewman manning the machine gun. It is in overall sandy brown with a dark green wave pattern It has a black German cross bordered in white on the rear door and sides of the fighting compartment with a red 89 next to the cross. Another 251 is unloading troops in the background. That one is not a flammpanzerwagen version. The box art says the kit contains a BONUS in the form of both a riveted and a welded hull being provided. The kit is said to contain 658 parts, 3 figures and is intended for modelers over 10 years of age.
One side panel has a color photo of the model made up in a scheme of overall sandy brown with broad waves of dark green and red brown with the German cross on the sides. Paint and glue are not included. Illustrations of the 3 decal sheets, 3 brass PE frets, the turned brass fender posts, 3 crew figures and a silver sticker (to use to make rear-view mirror faces) and 2 vinyl folded uniforms. CAUTIONS about usi9ng paint or glue near an open flame is in 6 languages including English and DML’s street address in Hong Kong is provided. MADE IN CHINA and DML’s web address are also shown.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 14 medium gray trees, a clear tree, 2 thicknesses of woven string, silver stickers, 3 brass PE frets, 3 decal sheets and the instructions. Parts trees are all nicely cello bagged.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion folds out into 10 pages in 8 ½” x 12” page format.
Page 1 of the instructions begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, with parts trees illustrations below it. 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, followed by international assembly symbol explanations and a paint color listing of CSI Creos Corp., Mr. Color and Model Master brands of hobby paints in 6 languages including English. Below these is the first 2 assembly steps.
Page 3 through 9 give a grand total of 21 assembly steps.
Page 10 has a 4-view and two 3-views of schemes. We are not told on any of these 3 schemes what unit the scheme is for.
1. The box art subject (already described above)
2. The box side panel subject (already described above)
3. A overall sandy brown vehicle with crosses on the sides and license plate number WH-1384489 on the front and rear with a white helmet insignia. I know that this insignia is the one for the Grossdeutschland Division. Below this is DML’s office address in Austria, a copyright date for the kit of 2004 and the decal application instructions in 6 languages including English.
Medium gray letter A parts tree holds parts for the welded hull version (27 parts) 8 parts are excess.
Medium gray letter B parts tree holds: the hull sides, dash board, vision flaps, foot pedals, MP-40 machine pistols, tow hooks, shift levers, antenna, tools etc. (39 parts) 12 parts are excess.
Large medium gray letter C parts tree holds: machine guns, floor panels, steering wheel etc. (55 parts) 4 parts are excess.
There are 2 identical medium gray letter D parts trees. They hold: rifles, jerry cans, head lights etc. (40 parts per tree) One tree holds an extra part that is the lower hull nose panel. 11 parts are excess.
There are 2 identical medium gray letter E parts trees. They hold: tires, drive sprockets, road wheels, idler wheels, individual track links etc. (142 parts each)
There is no letter F or G parts tree.
Medium gray letter H parts tree holds the parts for the riveted version hull (9 parts)
Medium gray letter H parts tree holds the parts for the riveted version hull (9 parts)
There is no letter I or J parts tree.
Medium gray letter K tree holds: the fuel tank, side lockers and numerous small parts (57 parts)
Medium gray letter K tree holds: the fuel tank, side lockers and numerous small parts (57 parts)
There are 2 identical medium gray letter L parts trees. They hold the flame tubes parts and shields (41 parts per tree) One of these trees is co-joined to letter C tree. Small medium gray letter C parts tree holds the seat parts (9 parts)
The last medium gray part is the single hull tub part.
Next is the clear parts tree. It holds vision block windows and headlight lenses (16 parts)
There is a cream colored vinyl tree that holds 2 standing crew figures and a seated one. One of the standing figures has a miss-molded leg and part of it is missing below the knee. All 3 figures are divided into separate heads, torsos, lower bodies and arms. The two standing figures have alternate heads that have flame retardant hoods over them. (17 parts)
The 3 brass PE frets, 3 decal sheets, silver stickers, turned brass fender poles and 2 thicknesses of braided string, all in separate cello bags that are Scotch taped to a stiff card, all inside a large cello bag complete the kit’s contents.
I bought my kit at a hobby shop that was terribly over-stocked with model kits, so they marked most of them down 50%. Nice to get a bargain once in a while.
I recommend this kit to modelers who have had experience previously with kits of this complexity and number of parts. It is not for the novice nor is it a weekend project.
I recommend this kit to modelers who have had experience previously with kits of this complexity and number of parts. It is not for the novice nor is it a weekend project.