In Box Review of Gunze Sangyo 1/35th Scale
Schwerer Panzerspahwagen (Infanteriewagen)
German Armored Railcar
Kit no. M-20
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1997
Out of production.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1997
Out of production.
HISTORY:
In 1943, at many places in the Eastern Front, the railway lines, the vita life lines for the Wehrmacht, were being sabotaged by the Soviet Partisans. In the meantime, Germany had only a small number of armored rail cars, all to be operated with engine cars, for patrol. To cope with the increasing threats from the partisans, OKW was ordered to develop self-propelled armored rail cars for patrol and reconnaissance.
In 1944, OKW deployed such newly developed armored rail-car units in the Eastern Front and the Balkans Front, mainly for anti-partisan engagements. Ten units of Heavy Armored Railcar Recon. Convoy, No. 201 to No. 210 were organized then. Each convoy consisted of fifteen rail cars, i.e. four Atrilleriewagans, (each with 7.5cm L/24 KwK). Five Infanteriewagen (each with 6 machine guns, two Flakwagens (each with 2cm Flakvierling 38’s), two flat car each with Skoda 38(t) tank, for off-track engagements and two special mine-plower cars, plus one railroad type Panhard P204 (f) armored car for reconnaissance.
The organization order of these heavy armored railcar convoy units were issued during the period of April 1944 to July 1944, though it is not clear when and how they were actually deployed and few records were left. An official OKW record indicated that the Heavy Armored Railcar Recon. Convoy Unit No, 205 was destroyed on April 28, 1945 at the Central Army Gruppe Battle Zone in the Eastern Front. No details on other units were on the official records, but they were presumably deployed mainly in the Balkan area.
Infanteriewagen were used as a part of Heavy Armored Railcar Recon, Unit, and it was equipped with six 7.9mm machine guns, It was equipped with Steyr 76 hp engines and could be deployed singly,
In 1943, at many places in the Eastern Front, the railway lines, the vita life lines for the Wehrmacht, were being sabotaged by the Soviet Partisans. In the meantime, Germany had only a small number of armored rail cars, all to be operated with engine cars, for patrol. To cope with the increasing threats from the partisans, OKW was ordered to develop self-propelled armored rail cars for patrol and reconnaissance.
In 1944, OKW deployed such newly developed armored rail-car units in the Eastern Front and the Balkans Front, mainly for anti-partisan engagements. Ten units of Heavy Armored Railcar Recon. Convoy, No. 201 to No. 210 were organized then. Each convoy consisted of fifteen rail cars, i.e. four Atrilleriewagans, (each with 7.5cm L/24 KwK). Five Infanteriewagen (each with 6 machine guns, two Flakwagens (each with 2cm Flakvierling 38’s), two flat car each with Skoda 38(t) tank, for off-track engagements and two special mine-plower cars, plus one railroad type Panhard P204 (f) armored car for reconnaissance.
The organization order of these heavy armored railcar convoy units were issued during the period of April 1944 to July 1944, though it is not clear when and how they were actually deployed and few records were left. An official OKW record indicated that the Heavy Armored Railcar Recon. Convoy Unit No, 205 was destroyed on April 28, 1945 at the Central Army Gruppe Battle Zone in the Eastern Front. No details on other units were on the official records, but they were presumably deployed mainly in the Balkan area.
Infanteriewagen were used as a part of Heavy Armored Railcar Recon, Unit, and it was equipped with six 7.9mm machine guns, It was equipped with Steyr 76 hp engines and could be deployed singly,
THE KIT:
Gunze Sangyo is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Japan. They manufacture all manner of plastic model subject s in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. It has a fold-over shelf inside the tray to prevent any crushing of the box. Nice touch !
The cover art shows a color illustration of the armored railcar, sitting on snow-covered-tracks next to 3 crewmen and a captured Soviet BA-20 Model 1937 armored car.
The armored rail car is covered with a solid coating of winter white-wash. It has a solid black German cross on its sides. Its side door is ajar.
The three men standing beside it all wear white parkas and quilted trousers over high black jack boots. One man wears a field-grey officer’s billed hat. He is looking through binoculars. The second man wears a fur lined leather cap. The third man wears a steel helmet covered with white wash.
One side panel of the box is all Japanese text. I think it lists Gunze Sangyo paints in the center.
Gunze Sangyo is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Japan. They manufacture all manner of plastic model subject s in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. It has a fold-over shelf inside the tray to prevent any crushing of the box. Nice touch !
The cover art shows a color illustration of the armored railcar, sitting on snow-covered-tracks next to 3 crewmen and a captured Soviet BA-20 Model 1937 armored car.
The armored rail car is covered with a solid coating of winter white-wash. It has a solid black German cross on its sides. Its side door is ajar.
The three men standing beside it all wear white parkas and quilted trousers over high black jack boots. One man wears a field-grey officer’s billed hat. He is looking through binoculars. The second man wears a fur lined leather cap. The third man wears a steel helmet covered with white wash.
One side panel of the box is all Japanese text. I think it lists Gunze Sangyo paints in the center.
The other side panel of the box shows 3 walk-around type color photos of the model made up in overall tan color, with the solid black German cross on its sides and a tank commander figure standing in the upper turret hatch. He is wearing a black Panzer uniform and cloth side cap and a pair of earphones.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 9 tan parts trees, 3 medium-grey parts trees and the decal sheet in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 ¼” x 13” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art. Over the history of the armored railcar, in Japanese and 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 a paragraph in Japanese (I don’t know what it says?) Over a paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo paints and international assembly symbol explanations in Japanese only.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 6 gives a grand total of 18 assembly steps.
Step 18 is for assembly and painting the crew figure.
Page 6 shows a 4-view of the armored railcar in what I believe is overall tan with the solid black German cross on its sides and Panzer-grey bumpers.
Description is all in Japanese.
Page 8 begins with assembly and painting instructions of the road bed and tracks, over a front and rear view of the crew figure (already described above). The bottom of the page shows two black and white box arts of other armor kits that Gunze Sangyo manufactures, but their description is all in Japanese, along with some other text.
The trees are alphabetized, except for the medium-grey tree of four and a half figures.
Tan letter A tree holds: the bottom, top, ends, doors etc. ( 19 parts) 2 parts are excess.
This kit contains 9 tan parts trees, 3 medium-grey parts trees and the decal sheet in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 ¼” x 13” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art. Over the history of the armored railcar, in Japanese and 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 a paragraph in Japanese (I don’t know what it says?) Over a paint color listing of Gunze Sangyo paints and international assembly symbol explanations in Japanese only.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 6 gives a grand total of 18 assembly steps.
Step 18 is for assembly and painting the crew figure.
Page 6 shows a 4-view of the armored railcar in what I believe is overall tan with the solid black German cross on its sides and Panzer-grey bumpers.
Description is all in Japanese.
Page 8 begins with assembly and painting instructions of the road bed and tracks, over a front and rear view of the crew figure (already described above). The bottom of the page shows two black and white box arts of other armor kits that Gunze Sangyo manufactures, but their description is all in Japanese, along with some other text.
The trees are alphabetized, except for the medium-grey tree of four and a half figures.
Tan letter A tree holds: the bottom, top, ends, doors etc. ( 19 parts) 2 parts are excess.
There are 2 identical tan letter B trees. One of them is co-joined to tan trees lettered C, D & I. And a side panel each.
There are 2 identical tan letter B trees. One of them is co-joined to tan trees lettered C, D & I. A side panel each.
There are 3 identical tan letter C trees. Co-joined to tan trees letter B, D & I.
They hold 2 machine guns and small parts (25 parts ea.)
They hold 2 machine guns and small parts (25 parts ea.)
There are 2 identical tan letter D trees. Co-joined to tan trees letter B, C & I.
They hold: road wheels, axles, buffers (these are assembled) and a length of rail etc. (12 parts ea.)
There is no letter E part tree.
They hold: road wheels, axles, buffers (these are assembled) and a length of rail etc. (12 parts ea.)
There is no letter E part tree.
Tan letter F tree holds the turret parts etc. (12 parts)
There are 2 identical tan letter G trees. They hold rails and wood ties. (15 parts ea.) 2 parts are excess,
There are 2 identical medium-grey letter H trees. They hold road beds with indentations in them for wood ties. (2 parts ea.)
An un-alphabetized medium-grey tree holds the parts of 4 and a half figures (4 are divided into separate heads, torsos, arms and legs. one is just divided into separate head, torso and arms). Also on the tree are 4 sets of headphones, 2 pistols in holsters, an MP40 sub machine-gun and a pair of binoculars (46 parts) 39 parts are excess.
The decal sheet complete the kit contents.
There are no clear parts or any internal details in the kit. Externally the detail is great.
This kit is a welcome subject.
Recommended.
Recommended.