MIRAGE HOBBY 1/35 FRENCH RENAULT UE sWG 40/32 cm Wk FL. "STUKA zu Fuss"
kit no. 35519
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1998
I got this kit in trade with my Japanese net friend Mitsu and want to thank him for the kit. He also traded me a French Lorraine Schlepper kit which mounts the same rockets.
Available 3 places overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1998
I got this kit in trade with my Japanese net friend Mitsu and want to thank him for the kit. He also traded me a French Lorraine Schlepper kit which mounts the same rockets.
Available 3 places overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
The Renault UE tracteur was a French 2 ton tractor. It was designed to be a light towing and reconnaissance vehicle. It had a 4 cylinder alloy engine and a top speed of 33.6 km/h on good roads. A small, fully tracked trailer, was usually seen being pulled behind it. The French called it a light infantry carrier, but - in practice - it was too small to carry any troops other than the driver and co-driver.
Both these guys would have had to be very small, in stature, as the vehicle is not much bigger than a Volkswagen Beetle. How do I know this? Well...in the next town to me a fellow has an actual UE that he is restoring - and I have viewed it several times.
After the fall of France, the Germans captured many French vehicles...including a substantial number of UE's. They used them for artillery support tractors, field police duties, and I even saw a picture in one of my WWII history books of one pulling aircraft around a Luftwaffe airfield.
In their role, for the Germans, as an infantry support vehicle, they were designated as Sicherungsfahrzeug UE(f) and were armed with one or two MG34 machine guns. As a rocket projector launcher/carrier they were designated as Infanterie Schlepper UE 630(f) mit 28/32cm wurfrahmen.(subject of this kit review).
They were also used as a gun carrier and designated as the 37mm Pak 35/36 auf Infanterie Schlepper UE 630(f). Finally, as a munitions carrier they were known as Munitions Schlepper auf Infanterie Schlepper UE 630(f).
The Germans first started using 28/32cm rockets, mounted in groups of three per side, on the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track. UE's and some other captured vehicles were later mounted with these weapons, however, in the case of the UE, only two per side could be mounted because of its small size.
These rockets were loaded onto swivel racks and fired right out of their shipping crates. In some cases the rockets were loaded into permanent metal cages for firing, but not many of these were produced. The rockets could be elevated, but the whole vehicle had to be turned to aim them. The rockets were then fired in a set sequence.
These vehicles had a couple of nicknames. They were most often known as the "Stuka zu Fuss" or Foot Stuka. Another, less heard nick-name was the "Heulende Kuh" or Howling Cow. They were often used to support panzer operations, especially in the early days of the invasion of the Soviet Union. Many of these improvised vehicles were used during the fighting in Normandy in 1944.
The Renault UE tracteur was a French 2 ton tractor. It was designed to be a light towing and reconnaissance vehicle. It had a 4 cylinder alloy engine and a top speed of 33.6 km/h on good roads. A small, fully tracked trailer, was usually seen being pulled behind it. The French called it a light infantry carrier, but - in practice - it was too small to carry any troops other than the driver and co-driver.
Both these guys would have had to be very small, in stature, as the vehicle is not much bigger than a Volkswagen Beetle. How do I know this? Well...in the next town to me a fellow has an actual UE that he is restoring - and I have viewed it several times.
After the fall of France, the Germans captured many French vehicles...including a substantial number of UE's. They used them for artillery support tractors, field police duties, and I even saw a picture in one of my WWII history books of one pulling aircraft around a Luftwaffe airfield.
In their role, for the Germans, as an infantry support vehicle, they were designated as Sicherungsfahrzeug UE(f) and were armed with one or two MG34 machine guns. As a rocket projector launcher/carrier they were designated as Infanterie Schlepper UE 630(f) mit 28/32cm wurfrahmen.(subject of this kit review).
They were also used as a gun carrier and designated as the 37mm Pak 35/36 auf Infanterie Schlepper UE 630(f). Finally, as a munitions carrier they were known as Munitions Schlepper auf Infanterie Schlepper UE 630(f).
The Germans first started using 28/32cm rockets, mounted in groups of three per side, on the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track. UE's and some other captured vehicles were later mounted with these weapons, however, in the case of the UE, only two per side could be mounted because of its small size.
These rockets were loaded onto swivel racks and fired right out of their shipping crates. In some cases the rockets were loaded into permanent metal cages for firing, but not many of these were produced. The rockets could be elevated, but the whole vehicle had to be turned to aim them. The rockets were then fired in a set sequence.
These vehicles had a couple of nicknames. They were most often known as the "Stuka zu Fuss" or Foot Stuka. Another, less heard nick-name was the "Heulende Kuh" or Howling Cow. They were often used to support panzer operations, especially in the early days of the invasion of the Soviet Union. Many of these improvised vehicles were used during the fighting in Normandy in 1944.
THE KIT:
Mirage is an old prolific model company based in Warsaw, Poland. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
The kit is packaged in a very blousey end opening type box. It is 3 ½” too long and 2” too wide.
I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps of the box to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The background, on the cover art of this box, is a line map of Poland. Atop it is a color illustration of a UE-Swg beside a damaged wine factory and a knocked out Allied tank.
The UE is overall earth-yellow with no markings shown. The 2 wood crates mounted on each side are bright metal.
One side panel of the box shows features of the kit: Model suitable for ages 6 to adult. Contains decals and instructions for assembly. Paints and plastic adhesive not included. In Polish, English and German with each language labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
There is a CAUTION that the kit is not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts. Mirage’s street address in Warsaw, Poland is provided and the kit was made there.
This is followed by a small color repeat of the box art.
Mirage is an old prolific model company based in Warsaw, Poland. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
The kit is packaged in a very blousey end opening type box. It is 3 ½” too long and 2” too wide.
I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps of the box to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The background, on the cover art of this box, is a line map of Poland. Atop it is a color illustration of a UE-Swg beside a damaged wine factory and a knocked out Allied tank.
The UE is overall earth-yellow with no markings shown. The 2 wood crates mounted on each side are bright metal.
One side panel of the box shows features of the kit: Model suitable for ages 6 to adult. Contains decals and instructions for assembly. Paints and plastic adhesive not included. In Polish, English and German with each language labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
There is a CAUTION that the kit is not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts. Mirage’s street address in Warsaw, Poland is provided and the kit was made there.
This is followed by a small color repeat of the box art.
The other side-panel of the box just gives the kit’s name and another small color repeat of the box art.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 8 trees of light gray parts, a small decal sheet, and the instructions. The parts trees are in two sealed clear cello bags, with four trees per bag.
Trees are alphabetized.
There are two identical part-trees letter "A". They contain: link and length type tracks, bogies, road wheels, road wheel frames, return rollers, idler wheels, drive sprockets, tow hooks, fenders, and the unique domes that opened like a clam shell and protected the crew's heads.(56 parts per tree)
The kit contains 8 trees of light gray parts, a small decal sheet, and the instructions. The parts trees are in two sealed clear cello bags, with four trees per bag.
Trees are alphabetized.
There are two identical part-trees letter "A". They contain: link and length type tracks, bogies, road wheels, road wheel frames, return rollers, idler wheels, drive sprockets, tow hooks, fenders, and the unique domes that opened like a clam shell and protected the crew's heads.(56 parts per tree)
Tree letter "B" holds the vehicle's body parts consisting of the sides, top, bottom, rear and the pieces of the rear stowage box. There is also a storage box, tow hook, and louvered muffler shield, tools etc. (30 parts here)
By the way, the rear stowage box worked like a dump truck and could be tilted and unloaded by rotating a chain driven wheel inside the vehicle. I know this by seeing the real thing.
A friend of mine who lived in the next town here, was quite a collector of military gear. He went to Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland to an auction and bought a UE, which he transported home.
By the way, the rear stowage box worked like a dump truck and could be tilted and unloaded by rotating a chain driven wheel inside the vehicle. I know this by seeing the real thing.
A friend of mine who lived in the next town here, was quite a collector of military gear. He went to Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland to an auction and bought a UE, which he transported home.
There are two identical letter "C" trees of parts. These trees contain rocket halves and packing crate parts. (41 parts per tree)
There are also two identical letter "D" trees. These trees contain more rocket halves, pieces of the rocket launcher frame and mounting plates. (14 parts per tree).
The final parts-tree is letter "E". It is just a small tree that contains a MG34 machine gun with its tripod and ammo drum (2 parts), but I cannot see anywhere on the instructions that they want you to use it to complete this kit. So, it is excess and not needed to complete the model.
The instructions is an unbound booklet of six pages in 9 3/4" x 6 7/8" format.
Page one begins with a black and white repeat of the box art followed by the vehicle's history in Polish only.
Page 2 begins with international assembly symbol explanations, but - unfortunately for us English speakers - only in Polish.
The rest of page 2, through to page 6, contains the balance of 15 assembly steps. Steps 1 through 8 devote themselves to the basic UE assembly and the rest show the rocket, shipping crates, and support frame assemblies.
As mentioned earlier, we have to go to the box rear for the painting and marking drawings.
Two schemes are shown there. If I am interpreting what I think the Polish captions are saying these are both for 1944.
One scheme is overall panzer gray. The wood launch boxes on its sides are light tan and hold bright metal rockets.No markings are shown. It was a vehicle used in France. To its left is a color illustration of a rocket. It is dark green with a black end pipe on its nose is white lettering that says: 32cm WK F1.
The second scheme shows a vehicle in an earth yellow with red-brown wave pattern camouflage. Also with light tan rocket launcher boxes holding bright metal rockets.
To its left is a color illustration of a rocket that is overall Pazner-gray with the same white lettering on its nose as the one shown with the above profile. It was used at the Atlantic Wall.
Page one begins with a black and white repeat of the box art followed by the vehicle's history in Polish only.
Page 2 begins with international assembly symbol explanations, but - unfortunately for us English speakers - only in Polish.
The rest of page 2, through to page 6, contains the balance of 15 assembly steps. Steps 1 through 8 devote themselves to the basic UE assembly and the rest show the rocket, shipping crates, and support frame assemblies.
As mentioned earlier, we have to go to the box rear for the painting and marking drawings.
Two schemes are shown there. If I am interpreting what I think the Polish captions are saying these are both for 1944.
One scheme is overall panzer gray. The wood launch boxes on its sides are light tan and hold bright metal rockets.No markings are shown. It was a vehicle used in France. To its left is a color illustration of a rocket. It is dark green with a black end pipe on its nose is white lettering that says: 32cm WK F1.
The second scheme shows a vehicle in an earth yellow with red-brown wave pattern camouflage. Also with light tan rocket launcher boxes holding bright metal rockets.
To its left is a color illustration of a rocket that is overall Pazner-gray with the same white lettering on its nose as the one shown with the above profile. It was used at the Atlantic Wall.
Decals give us stencils for the wood shipping crates and for the rockets, as well as a white outline German national cross and the numeral "1". No tactical or division markings are provided.
There are no figures in the kit or clear parts.
Technical information on Renault UE's was hard to find. I was only able to find the bare bones about data on them.
Highly recommended.
Technical information on Renault UE's was hard to find. I was only able to find the bare bones about data on them.
Highly recommended.