In Box Review of Tristar 1/35th Scale
German Flak Panzer 1A W/Ammo Trailer
Kit no. 35019
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright of kit is 2006. It is available 2 places on E-bay for $42.00. I paid $21.00 for my kit back then at a local shop that went out of business.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright of kit is 2006. It is available 2 places on E-bay for $42.00. I paid $21.00 for my kit back then at a local shop that went out of business.
HISTORY:
In 1940, German infantry found that the 2cm Flak mounted on a 1-ton half-track (Sd.Kfz. 10/4) was inadequate because it was missing of armor when moving against France in 1940.
So in 1941, German Army instructed two companies "Alkett" and "Daimler-Benz" to modify the superstructure of the Panzer 1A chassis and mount it with the 2cm Flak 38 anti-aircraft gun named Flakpanzer 1A.
However, it was assured by the surviving crews of the Flakpanzer units that conversion was done at "Stoewer". Only 24 Flakpanzer 1A were converted and put into the Flak-Batallion (Motorized) 614, which was raised in May 1941 in Altwarp.
This way the Flakpanzer 1A became the first anti-aircraft tank of the Wehrmacht built in series.
In 1940, German infantry found that the 2cm Flak mounted on a 1-ton half-track (Sd.Kfz. 10/4) was inadequate because it was missing of armor when moving against France in 1940.
So in 1941, German Army instructed two companies "Alkett" and "Daimler-Benz" to modify the superstructure of the Panzer 1A chassis and mount it with the 2cm Flak 38 anti-aircraft gun named Flakpanzer 1A.
However, it was assured by the surviving crews of the Flakpanzer units that conversion was done at "Stoewer". Only 24 Flakpanzer 1A were converted and put into the Flak-Batallion (Motorized) 614, which was raised in May 1941 in Altwarp.
This way the Flakpanzer 1A became the first anti-aircraft tank of the Wehrmacht built in series.
THE KIT:
Tristar is a model company based in Hong Kong, China.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Flakpanzer 1A on a snow covered road in a woods. It is overall Panzer-gray with a heavy coating of winger white-wash. No marks are shown. It says on the box art that PE parts are included.
One side panel has Tristar's street address in Hong Kong, their FAX, E-mail and web address. Followed by a 1 paragraph history of the tank and side view of it in overall Panzer-gray with no winter-white wash or marks shown.
Tristar is a model company based in Hong Kong, China.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Flakpanzer 1A on a snow covered road in a woods. It is overall Panzer-gray with a heavy coating of winger white-wash. No marks are shown. It says on the box art that PE parts are included.
One side panel has Tristar's street address in Hong Kong, their FAX, E-mail and web address. Followed by a 1 paragraph history of the tank and side view of it in overall Panzer-gray with no winter-white wash or marks shown.
The other side panel says the kit is a ready to assemble precision model kit. No paint or cement is included. Modeling skills helpful if under 10 years of age. Model Rectifier Corp. in Edison, New Jersey was the U.S. agent. Kit was made in China. Tristar's address in Hong Kong, China is repeated, over their Japanese office's address, phone and FAX numbers, E-mail and web address.
This is followed by color box arts of a Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D, kit no. 35015 and a Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. C, kit no. 35017 that Tristar also manufactures.
This is followed by color box arts of a Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D, kit no. 35015 and a Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. C, kit no. 35017 that Tristar also manufactures.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 14 light-tan trees in 12 sealed clear cello bags, a brass PE fret and decal sheet in a sealed clear cello bag with a stiff card to keep the PE from bending and a frosted-sheet to protect the face of the decal sheet from scratching, and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds outinto 10 pages in 7" x 10" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over a 1-paragraph history of the tank and READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, in English and Chinese, and Tristar's address etc. in Hong Kong and Japan repeated.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations. Some parts are shaded-out as being excess and not needed to complete the kit.
Page 3 through 9 give a total of 14 assembly steps.
Step 14 is for assembly of the ammo trailer.
Page 10 is the painting and marking instructions. It has two 3-views on it. Both are overall solid Panzer-gray.
The first scheme has a white outlined 2 followed by a white skeletal German cross on the sides of the hull with a smaller solid white 2 and a unit logo before it.
It is a Flakpanzer 1A with Flak Batallion Motorized 614, 3rd Company. It has a small solid white 2 on the left side of the nose.
The second scheme has a small white 211 on the sides of the hull and unit badge there and on the right side of the rear. It also is with Flak Batallion Motorized 614, 2nd Company, 1st Platoon.
Below them is the decal application instructions in English and Chinese and a suggested paint listing of Tamiya and Mr. Color brands of paints.
The kit consists of 311 parts in light tan plastic with another 128 individual track links with Sprues A, B, C and D from the initial Panzer IA (kit #35003) and sprues A, B and J from the FlaK38 (kit #35010) and new sprues E, F and G for the Flakpanzer parts.
There is also a six part clear sprue plus a small etched fret and the decal and instruction sheets with the standard of moulding good overall, but a few parts have some excess fine flash and some quite exaggerated mould seams that will need cleaning.
This gives the impression on some parts such as the lower hull parts and inner floor section that the edges are not smooth but clean up okay without much trouble.
There are 2 different light-tan letter A parts trees. Both are common to Tristar's kit no. 35003 of the turreted Pz.Kpfw. 1A.
The first one holds bogies etc. (24 parts) 10 parts are shaded out as being excess in the parts trees illustrations.
This kit contains 14 light-tan trees in 12 sealed clear cello bags, a brass PE fret and decal sheet in a sealed clear cello bag with a stiff card to keep the PE from bending and a frosted-sheet to protect the face of the decal sheet from scratching, and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds outinto 10 pages in 7" x 10" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over a 1-paragraph history of the tank and READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, in English and Chinese, and Tristar's address etc. in Hong Kong and Japan repeated.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations. Some parts are shaded-out as being excess and not needed to complete the kit.
Page 3 through 9 give a total of 14 assembly steps.
Step 14 is for assembly of the ammo trailer.
Page 10 is the painting and marking instructions. It has two 3-views on it. Both are overall solid Panzer-gray.
The first scheme has a white outlined 2 followed by a white skeletal German cross on the sides of the hull with a smaller solid white 2 and a unit logo before it.
It is a Flakpanzer 1A with Flak Batallion Motorized 614, 3rd Company. It has a small solid white 2 on the left side of the nose.
The second scheme has a small white 211 on the sides of the hull and unit badge there and on the right side of the rear. It also is with Flak Batallion Motorized 614, 2nd Company, 1st Platoon.
Below them is the decal application instructions in English and Chinese and a suggested paint listing of Tamiya and Mr. Color brands of paints.
The kit consists of 311 parts in light tan plastic with another 128 individual track links with Sprues A, B, C and D from the initial Panzer IA (kit #35003) and sprues A, B and J from the FlaK38 (kit #35010) and new sprues E, F and G for the Flakpanzer parts.
There is also a six part clear sprue plus a small etched fret and the decal and instruction sheets with the standard of moulding good overall, but a few parts have some excess fine flash and some quite exaggerated mould seams that will need cleaning.
This gives the impression on some parts such as the lower hull parts and inner floor section that the edges are not smooth but clean up okay without much trouble.
There are 2 different light-tan letter A parts trees. Both are common to Tristar's kit no. 35003 of the turreted Pz.Kpfw. 1A.
The first one holds bogies etc. (24 parts) 10 parts are shaded out as being excess in the parts trees illustrations.
The second one holds the 2cm Flak gun parts. This tree is common to Tristar's kit no. 35010 of the 2cm Flak 38 (62 parts) 6 parts are excess.
The second one holds the 2cm Flak gun parts. This tree is common to Tristar's kit no. 35010 of the 2cm Flak 38 (62 parts) 6 parts are excess.
There are 2 different light-tan letter B trees.
The first one holds turret parts etc. (25 parts). Tree is common with kit no. 35003. 13 parts are excess.
The first one holds turret parts etc. (25 parts). Tree is common with kit no. 35003. 13 parts are excess.
The second one holds the parts of the ammo trailer. (41 parts)
Light-tan letter C tree holds: hull nose, muffler, bulkhead, shovel, antenna, etc. (28 parts). It is common to kit no. 35010. 12 parts are excess.
There are 2 identical light-tan letter D trees. They hold: road wheels, drive sprockets, idler wheels, return rollers etc. (29 parts each), It is common to kit no. 35003. 11 parts are excess.
Light-tan letter E tree holds: hull bottom, sides, rear hull wall, engine parts etc. (34 parts) 1 part is excess.
Light-tan letter F tree holds: hull top, fenders, engine deck top, fighting compartment front wall etc. (15 parts)
Light-tan letter G tree holds the fighting compartment walls (6 parts)
There is no letter H or I trees.
There is no letter H or I trees.
Light-tan letter J tree holds the gun shields (7 parts)
Clear Gp tree is window panes (6 parts)
The brass PE fret holds air intake screens etc. (30 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit's contents.
There are no crew figures included.
There are no crew figures included.
Very excellent detail throughout.
Highly recommended.