In Box Review of Ertl/Esci 1/35th Scale
German Smoke Unit Nebelwerfer 41
Kit no. 8570
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $16.98 at one place on E-Bay
My kit has a copyright date of 1995. I paid a whopping $2.80 for mine back then.
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $16.98 at one place on E-Bay
My kit has a copyright date of 1995. I paid a whopping $2.80 for mine back then.
HISTORY:
During WWII the German Army used rocket launchers, also called "Nebewrfer" (Smoke Launchers) in order to increase their fire power or to hide troop movements behind smoke screens.
The Nebelwerfer could cover a range of 1 Km. and could cover targets with about 650 rockets within 90 seconds. Originally they were designed for chemical warfare.
TECHNICAL DATA:
Weight: Empty-510 Kg.
Barrel length: 1,30m
Limits of elevation: 5 degrees to 45 degrees
Limits of traverse: 27 degrees
Range: 7,000 m
Calibre: 15,8 cm
Width: 1,66 m
Length: in traveling position - 3,60 m
Height: in traveling position -1,40 m
Rocket weight: 31,8 Kg
Rocket length: 97,9 cm
Smoke rocket weight: 35,9 Kg
Smoke rocket length: 102 cm
During WWII the German Army used rocket launchers, also called "Nebewrfer" (Smoke Launchers) in order to increase their fire power or to hide troop movements behind smoke screens.
The Nebelwerfer could cover a range of 1 Km. and could cover targets with about 650 rockets within 90 seconds. Originally they were designed for chemical warfare.
TECHNICAL DATA:
Weight: Empty-510 Kg.
Barrel length: 1,30m
Limits of elevation: 5 degrees to 45 degrees
Limits of traverse: 27 degrees
Range: 7,000 m
Calibre: 15,8 cm
Width: 1,66 m
Length: in traveling position - 3,60 m
Height: in traveling position -1,40 m
Rocket weight: 31,8 Kg
Rocket length: 97,9 cm
Smoke rocket weight: 35,9 Kg
Smoke rocket length: 102 cm
THE KIT:
Ertl was a toy company based in Dyreville, IA that went out of business. They started years ago manufactureing farm toys - tractors, plows, combines etc. and later got into making plastic models using the molds of the Esci company in Italy. This is one of those kits.
Also at the time that this kit was released Ertl was a subsidiary of Kidde, Inc.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a nebelwerfer team posed against a pale yellow background.
They are all in white winter uniforms with dark field equipment.
The nebewerder is overall panzer gray.
There are 4 men in the crew.
The first man on the left is looking through binoculars.
The next 2 men are holding ammo rounds and getting ready to load them.
The fourth man is walking away with a roll of wire in his left hand. This wire was used at a distance to fire the weapon.
A canteen, 2 mess kits and a shovel lay around the nebelwerfer along with 2 ammo storage tubes and a 98K carbine.
To the right on the box art is a list of the kit's features: 4 soldier figures, mult-piece rockt launchers with rockets, rifles and support equipment, over 100 pieces, molde in color, French and English instructions.
One side panel says the kit was made in Italy by Esci for the Ertl Co. in Dyresville, IA and Kidde
Recreation Products site is shown as being in Cambridge, Ontario. This is followed by 3 color walk-around type photos of the model made up.
The other side panel repeats all this again.
Ertl was a toy company based in Dyreville, IA that went out of business. They started years ago manufactureing farm toys - tractors, plows, combines etc. and later got into making plastic models using the molds of the Esci company in Italy. This is one of those kits.
Also at the time that this kit was released Ertl was a subsidiary of Kidde, Inc.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a nebelwerfer team posed against a pale yellow background.
They are all in white winter uniforms with dark field equipment.
The nebewerder is overall panzer gray.
There are 4 men in the crew.
The first man on the left is looking through binoculars.
The next 2 men are holding ammo rounds and getting ready to load them.
The fourth man is walking away with a roll of wire in his left hand. This wire was used at a distance to fire the weapon.
A canteen, 2 mess kits and a shovel lay around the nebelwerfer along with 2 ammo storage tubes and a 98K carbine.
To the right on the box art is a list of the kit's features: 4 soldier figures, mult-piece rockt launchers with rockets, rifles and support equipment, over 100 pieces, molde in color, French and English instructions.
One side panel says the kit was made in Italy by Esci for the Ertl Co. in Dyresville, IA and Kidde
Recreation Products site is shown as being in Cambridge, Ontario. This is followed by 3 color walk-around type photos of the model made up.
The other side panel repeats all this again.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 2 very dark grey trees of parts and the decal sheet in a sealed cello bag and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a staple bound booklet of 8 pages in 7" x 8 1/2" page format.
Page 1 has a black and white illustration of the nebelwerfer with a 2 man crew.
Page 2 has PLEASE READ THIS PAGE BEFORE STARTING instructions.
Page 3 to 7 show what I counted as about 12 assembly steps. However, they are not numbered.
There are no parts trees illustrations in the instructions. They are not alphabetized, but the trees do have part number tabs on them next to the parts.
Page 8 has a listing of other model kits that Ertl marketed:
Kit no. 8205, a Vought A7-E, Kit no. 8206, a M.D.D. A-4E/F Skyhawk, Kit no. 8208, a F-5E Tiger Dog Fighter, Kit no. 8213, a F-4B/J Navy Phantom, Kit no. 8215, a F-4C/D Mig Killer, Kit no. 8216, a Viking Sub Hunter, Kit no. 8570, this German Smoke unit-nebelwerfer 41, Kit no. 8571, a British Paratroop Unit - "Red Devils", Kit no. 8572, German Sturmtruppen "Sappers Unit" and Kit no. 8574, British Camp "Rest Area".
The first very dark gray tree holds: 5 98k carbine ammo pouches, 4 nebelwerfer ammo round storage containers, 3 bread sacks, 4 base plates for underneath the figures, the 4 figures (divided into separate torsos, lower bodies and arms), 4 mess kits, 4 gas mask canisters, an officers peaked hat, 4 steel helmets, 3 98K carbines, 4 canteens, 3 rolled tarps, 3 canvas pouches and 3 shovels in carrying cases (72 parts).
This kit contains 2 very dark grey trees of parts and the decal sheet in a sealed cello bag and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a staple bound booklet of 8 pages in 7" x 8 1/2" page format.
Page 1 has a black and white illustration of the nebelwerfer with a 2 man crew.
Page 2 has PLEASE READ THIS PAGE BEFORE STARTING instructions.
Page 3 to 7 show what I counted as about 12 assembly steps. However, they are not numbered.
There are no parts trees illustrations in the instructions. They are not alphabetized, but the trees do have part number tabs on them next to the parts.
Page 8 has a listing of other model kits that Ertl marketed:
Kit no. 8205, a Vought A7-E, Kit no. 8206, a M.D.D. A-4E/F Skyhawk, Kit no. 8208, a F-5E Tiger Dog Fighter, Kit no. 8213, a F-4B/J Navy Phantom, Kit no. 8215, a F-4C/D Mig Killer, Kit no. 8216, a Viking Sub Hunter, Kit no. 8570, this German Smoke unit-nebelwerfer 41, Kit no. 8571, a British Paratroop Unit - "Red Devils", Kit no. 8572, German Sturmtruppen "Sappers Unit" and Kit no. 8574, British Camp "Rest Area".
The first very dark gray tree holds: 5 98k carbine ammo pouches, 4 nebelwerfer ammo round storage containers, 3 bread sacks, 4 base plates for underneath the figures, the 4 figures (divided into separate torsos, lower bodies and arms), 4 mess kits, 4 gas mask canisters, an officers peaked hat, 4 steel helmets, 3 98K carbines, 4 canteens, 3 rolled tarps, 3 canvas pouches and 3 shovels in carrying cases (72 parts).
nThe second very dark gray tree holds: the parts of the nebelwerfer and its rounds (118 parts)
Some of these parts are super-tiny.
Some of these parts are super-tiny.
The decal sheet completes the kits contents it holds helmet insignia. Some stencils to go on the ammo storage tubes would have been nice.
I do have a Ertl/Esci kit of the nebelwerfer that has a crew.
This is theroughly detailed kit. Because some of the parts are nearly microscopic I recommend the kit only to experienced modelers.
I bought my kit at the Ertl factory discount store years ago, before they went out of business.
This is theroughly detailed kit. Because some of the parts are nearly microscopic I recommend the kit only to experienced modelers.
I bought my kit at the Ertl factory discount store years ago, before they went out of business.