In Box Review of Tristar 1/35th Scale
German 7.5cm Pak 40 Fgst.Pz. Kpfw/Marder III, Ausf. H
Kit no. 35030
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2007
I got this kit given to me from by Benolkin, the head-editor of Cybermodeler site, when I was on the staff there in 2007.
Out of production.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2007
I got this kit given to me from by Benolkin, the head-editor of Cybermodeler site, when I was on the staff there in 2007.
Out of production.
HISTORY:
The Marder III was the name for a series of World War II German tank destroyers. They mounted either the modified ex-Soviet 76.2 mm F-22 Model 1936 divisional field gun, or the German 7.5 cm PaK 40, in an open-topped fighting compartment on top of the chassis of the Czechoslovakian Panzer 38(t). They offered little protection to the crew, but added significant firepower compared to contemporary German tanks.
They were in production from 1942 to 1944, and served on all fronts until the end of the war, along with the similar Marder II. The German word Marder means "marten" in English.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Marder III Ausf. M
Type:Tank destroyer
Place of origin: Nazi Germany, German-occupied Czechoslovakia
In service: 1942–1945
Used by: Nazi Germany
Wars: World War II
Designed: 1942
Manufacturer: BMM (ČKD)
Produced: 1942–1944
No. built: 1736 produced and converted Sd. Kfz. 139: 344 produced, Sd.Kfz. 138, Ausf. H: 275 produced, 175 converted, Sd.Kfz. 138, Ausf. M: 942 produced.
Mass: 10,670 kg (23,520 lb)
Length: 4.65 m (15 ft 3 in)
Width: 2.35 m (7 ft 9 in)
Height: 2.48 m (8 ft 2 in)
Crew: 4
Armor: 10–50 mm
Main armament: 7.62 cm PaK 36(r) or 7.5 cm PaK 40
Secondary armament: 7.92 mm MG 37(t), MG 34 or MG 42
Engine: Praga Typ TNHPS/II water-cooled, 6-cylinder gasoline, 7.75 l of 125–150 PS (123–148 hp; 92–110 kW)
Power/weight: 14.1 PS (10.4 kW) / tonne
Suspension: leaf spring
Ground clearance: 40 cm (1 ft 4 in)
Operational range: 190–210 km (120–130 mi)
Maximum speed: 35–42 km/h (22–26 mph)
The Marder III was the name for a series of World War II German tank destroyers. They mounted either the modified ex-Soviet 76.2 mm F-22 Model 1936 divisional field gun, or the German 7.5 cm PaK 40, in an open-topped fighting compartment on top of the chassis of the Czechoslovakian Panzer 38(t). They offered little protection to the crew, but added significant firepower compared to contemporary German tanks.
They were in production from 1942 to 1944, and served on all fronts until the end of the war, along with the similar Marder II. The German word Marder means "marten" in English.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Marder III Ausf. M
Type:Tank destroyer
Place of origin: Nazi Germany, German-occupied Czechoslovakia
In service: 1942–1945
Used by: Nazi Germany
Wars: World War II
Designed: 1942
Manufacturer: BMM (ČKD)
Produced: 1942–1944
No. built: 1736 produced and converted Sd. Kfz. 139: 344 produced, Sd.Kfz. 138, Ausf. H: 275 produced, 175 converted, Sd.Kfz. 138, Ausf. M: 942 produced.
Mass: 10,670 kg (23,520 lb)
Length: 4.65 m (15 ft 3 in)
Width: 2.35 m (7 ft 9 in)
Height: 2.48 m (8 ft 2 in)
Crew: 4
Armor: 10–50 mm
Main armament: 7.62 cm PaK 36(r) or 7.5 cm PaK 40
Secondary armament: 7.92 mm MG 37(t), MG 34 or MG 42
Engine: Praga Typ TNHPS/II water-cooled, 6-cylinder gasoline, 7.75 l of 125–150 PS (123–148 hp; 92–110 kW)
Power/weight: 14.1 PS (10.4 kW) / tonne
Suspension: leaf spring
Ground clearance: 40 cm (1 ft 4 in)
Operational range: 190–210 km (120–130 mi)
Maximum speed: 35–42 km/h (22–26 mph)
THE KIT:
Tristar is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of 2 Marder III’s moving down a dirt road in a forest.
The one in the lead is in a camouflage of a base of earth-yellow with a light green wave pattern. It has a black and white German cross on it’s sides. Two crew-members are looking out the top of it. They wear field-grey uniforms and steel helmets.
The one behind it is in the same camouflage. One crewman is looking out the top. He is dressed the same as the men in the lead Marder III.
One corner of the box says the figures are not included in the kit. In Chinese and English. Product was supervised by C.K. Pat.
One side-panel of the box begins with the copyright of the kit as 2007. Over Tristar’s street address, FAX, telephone and web numbers in Hong Kong, China. Followed by a one paragraph history of the Marder III in English and a color side-view illustration on a Marder III that is overall earth-yellow with a black and white German cross on its sides.
Tristar is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, based in Hong Kong, China. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of 2 Marder III’s moving down a dirt road in a forest.
The one in the lead is in a camouflage of a base of earth-yellow with a light green wave pattern. It has a black and white German cross on it’s sides. Two crew-members are looking out the top of it. They wear field-grey uniforms and steel helmets.
The one behind it is in the same camouflage. One crewman is looking out the top. He is dressed the same as the men in the lead Marder III.
One corner of the box says the figures are not included in the kit. In Chinese and English. Product was supervised by C.K. Pat.
One side-panel of the box begins with the copyright of the kit as 2007. Over Tristar’s street address, FAX, telephone and web numbers in Hong Kong, China. Followed by a one paragraph history of the Marder III in English and a color side-view illustration on a Marder III that is overall earth-yellow with a black and white German cross on its sides.
The other side-panel of the box says: Ready to assemble precision model kit. Cement and paint not included. Modeling skills helpful if under 10 years of age. In Chinese and English.
The U.S. agent for Tristar is Model Rectifier Corp. in Edison, N.J. Kit manufactured in China. Tristar’s street address in Hong Kong is repeated and their office’s street address, phone number, E-mail, FAX and web address are given.
Followed by 2 color box arts of other armor kits that Tristar makes: Kit no. 35025, a Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. A ohne Aufbau and Kit no. 35028, a German Panzer I Ausf. A Sd,Kfz. 101.
The U.S. agent for Tristar is Model Rectifier Corp. in Edison, N.J. Kit manufactured in China. Tristar’s street address in Hong Kong is repeated and their office’s street address, phone number, E-mail, FAX and web address are given.
Followed by 2 color box arts of other armor kits that Tristar makes: Kit no. 35025, a Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. A ohne Aufbau and Kit no. 35028, a German Panzer I Ausf. A Sd,Kfz. 101.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 10 tan parts trees, 3 jet-black ones, 2 clear trees, a brass PE fret and the decal sheet Only the PE fret and decal sheet are in a cello bag.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet, that accordion-folds out into 10 pages in 6 ¾” x 11 ½” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art. Over a one-paragraph history of the Marder III, PLEASE READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions and all of Tristar’s addresses etc. in English and Chinese.
Page 2 is the parts-trees illustrations.
Page 3 on through to the top of page 9 gives a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 9 and all of page 10 are painting and marking guides.
Page 9 shows a 3-view and a 4-view.
The 3-view is in a camouflage of a base of earth-yellow with green blotch pattern. It has a white number 28 on it’s sides, white tactical marks on the front of each of the fenders and a black and white German cross on the left rear.
It was with Pz.Jg.Abt. 1 LAH, Charkow. Winter 1942/43.
The 4-view is in a camouflage of earth-yellow, red-brown and green spot pattern. It has a black and white German cross on the sides and left front and white tactical markings on the front of the fenders.
It was with 29th Pz.Gr.Div. Italy, Summer 1944.
Page 10 shows 6 more 3-views.
The 1st one is in a camouflage of earth-yellow, green and red-brown, blob pattern. It has a black and white German cross on the sides and a white tactical insignia on the front of the right fender.
It was with Pz.Jg.Abt. 171. 71st Infantry Div.
The 2nd one is also in a camouflage of the same three colors as the 1st one. In a wave pattern. It only has a black and white German cross on the sides.
It was with Pz.Jg.Abt. 171, 17th Infantry Div.,Italy 1943.
The 3rd one is in the same camouflage as the 2nd one. It just has a black and white German cross on the sides.
It was with an unknown Pz.Jg.Abt. Northern Sowjetunion , Spring 1944.
The 4th one is overall dark-yellow. It has a black and white German cross and a white PAULA on the sides and a tactical mark on the right rear fender.
It was with the 23rd Pz.Div. Eastern Front, 1944.
The 5th one is in a camouflage of a base of German-grey, with flat yellow wave pattern. It has a black rectangle with white 1214 on it, on the sides, over a black and white German cross. Cross repeated on the nose.
It just says it was for training use.
The 6th one is in a camouflage of dark-yellow and dark-green blotch pattern. It has a red number 233 on it’s sides, over a black and white German cross.
It was with the 2nd Pz.Jg.Abt 39, 21st Pz. Div. Tunisia, 1943.
The bottom of the page gives decal application instructions, in Chinese and English and a list of colors by Tamiya and GSI Creos Mr. Color brands.
Tan letter A tree holds: the hull parts etc. (28 parts)
This kit contains 10 tan parts trees, 3 jet-black ones, 2 clear trees, a brass PE fret and the decal sheet Only the PE fret and decal sheet are in a cello bag.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet, that accordion-folds out into 10 pages in 6 ¾” x 11 ½” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art. Over a one-paragraph history of the Marder III, PLEASE READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions and all of Tristar’s addresses etc. in English and Chinese.
Page 2 is the parts-trees illustrations.
Page 3 on through to the top of page 9 gives a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 9 and all of page 10 are painting and marking guides.
Page 9 shows a 3-view and a 4-view.
The 3-view is in a camouflage of a base of earth-yellow with green blotch pattern. It has a white number 28 on it’s sides, white tactical marks on the front of each of the fenders and a black and white German cross on the left rear.
It was with Pz.Jg.Abt. 1 LAH, Charkow. Winter 1942/43.
The 4-view is in a camouflage of earth-yellow, red-brown and green spot pattern. It has a black and white German cross on the sides and left front and white tactical markings on the front of the fenders.
It was with 29th Pz.Gr.Div. Italy, Summer 1944.
Page 10 shows 6 more 3-views.
The 1st one is in a camouflage of earth-yellow, green and red-brown, blob pattern. It has a black and white German cross on the sides and a white tactical insignia on the front of the right fender.
It was with Pz.Jg.Abt. 171. 71st Infantry Div.
The 2nd one is also in a camouflage of the same three colors as the 1st one. In a wave pattern. It only has a black and white German cross on the sides.
It was with Pz.Jg.Abt. 171, 17th Infantry Div.,Italy 1943.
The 3rd one is in the same camouflage as the 2nd one. It just has a black and white German cross on the sides.
It was with an unknown Pz.Jg.Abt. Northern Sowjetunion , Spring 1944.
The 4th one is overall dark-yellow. It has a black and white German cross and a white PAULA on the sides and a tactical mark on the right rear fender.
It was with the 23rd Pz.Div. Eastern Front, 1944.
The 5th one is in a camouflage of a base of German-grey, with flat yellow wave pattern. It has a black rectangle with white 1214 on it, on the sides, over a black and white German cross. Cross repeated on the nose.
It just says it was for training use.
The 6th one is in a camouflage of dark-yellow and dark-green blotch pattern. It has a red number 233 on it’s sides, over a black and white German cross.
It was with the 2nd Pz.Jg.Abt 39, 21st Pz. Div. Tunisia, 1943.
The bottom of the page gives decal application instructions, in Chinese and English and a list of colors by Tamiya and GSI Creos Mr. Color brands.
Tan letter A tree holds: the hull parts etc. (28 parts)
Lower case tan letter a tree holds gun mount parts and muzzle etc. (52 parts) 3 parts are excess.
Tan letter B tree holds: the fenders, drive shaft, main gun barrel etc. (47 parts)
Lower case tan letter b tree holds ammo rounds (36 parts)
Tan letter C tree holds: fighting compartment walls etc. (31 parts)
Tan letter D tree holds: tools, the jack, etc. (44 parts) 8 parts are greyed-out in the parts-trees illustrations. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
There are 2 identical tan letter E trees. They hold: road wheels, drive sprockets, idler wheels etc. (53 parts ea.) 3 parts ea. are excess.
Tan letter F tree holds ammo rounds etc. (55 parts)
Tan letter F tree holds ammo rounds etc. (55 parts)
There are 2 different small letter G clear trees. They hold windows. (4 parts per tree)
Tan tree letter H holds: engine deck roof, engine parts etc. (72 parts) 1 part is excess.
Lettering jumps to the three identical tan letter T trees that hold individual track links. (72 parts per.)
The brass PE fret is letter PE. It holds the air intake assembly crew floor pan, tool box, hooks , straps, etc. ( over 140 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit's contents.
I have included a 75mm round that my Company produces and I may replace the plastic ones with these aftermarket shells.
There are no crew figures.
The detail is very good.
Recommended.
The detail is very good.
Recommended.