In Box Review of Trumpeter 1/35th Scale
German 12.8cm Kanone 43, bzw. Pak 44 (Rh)
Kit no. 02312
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2010
Was $54.95 in 2011
Available at Kit Linx for $38.96 and at 5 locations overseas on the net.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2010
Was $54.95 in 2011
Available at Kit Linx for $38.96 and at 5 locations overseas on the net.
HISTORY:
The 12.8 cm Pak 44 L/55 (Pak, (Ger.) Panzerabwehrkanone) was a German heavy anti-tank gun used during World War II. It was designed as a result of experiences on the Eastern front in 1943.
The German army came upon the Russian 122mm guns and issued a requirement for a similar weapon. Development initially concentrated on a field gun known as the Kanone K 44.
However, once heavier Russian armour, such as the IS-2, started to appear the design requirements were altered to include an anti-armour role.
The Pak 44 had short to medium-range performance similar to the 8.8 cm Pak 43, but the 12.8 cm Pak 44 better maintained its anti-tank performance over long to extreme-long ranges (1800–2700+ metres) while also doubling as an effective field gun when firing HE.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type Heavy Anti-Tank Gun
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1944—1945
Used by: Nazi Germany
Wars: World War II
Designer: Krupp
Designed: 1943
Manufacturer: Krupp
Produced: 1944
No. built: 51
Variants: 12.8 cm Kanone 44, Pak 44. 12.8 cm Kanone 81/1, 12.8 cm Kanone 81/2, 12.8 cm Kanone 81/3, 12.8 cm Pak 80
Mass: 10,160 kg (22,400 lb) 12.8 cm Pak 44, 7,000 kg (15,000 lb) 12.8 cm Pak 80
Barrel length: 7.02 m (23 ft 0 in) bore (55 calibres)
Shell: Semi-fixed 128x869mm .R
Shell weight: 28 kg (62 lb) (HE), 28.3 kg (62 lb) (AP)
Caliber: 128 millimetres (5.0 in)
Breech: semi-automatic horizontal sliding-block
Recoil: Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage: cruciform (some were split trail)
Elevation: -7° 51' to +45° 27'
Traverse: 360° (some were about 90°, or less)
Muzzle velocity: 950 m/s (3,100 ft/s)
Maximum firing range: 24,410 m (26,700 yd) 12.8 cm Pak 44, 12,200 m (13,300 yd) 12.8 cm Pak 80
Sights: Winkel Zielfernrohr 2/1 12.8 cm Pak 80
The 12.8 cm Pak 44 L/55 (Pak, (Ger.) Panzerabwehrkanone) was a German heavy anti-tank gun used during World War II. It was designed as a result of experiences on the Eastern front in 1943.
The German army came upon the Russian 122mm guns and issued a requirement for a similar weapon. Development initially concentrated on a field gun known as the Kanone K 44.
However, once heavier Russian armour, such as the IS-2, started to appear the design requirements were altered to include an anti-armour role.
The Pak 44 had short to medium-range performance similar to the 8.8 cm Pak 43, but the 12.8 cm Pak 44 better maintained its anti-tank performance over long to extreme-long ranges (1800–2700+ metres) while also doubling as an effective field gun when firing HE.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type Heavy Anti-Tank Gun
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1944—1945
Used by: Nazi Germany
Wars: World War II
Designer: Krupp
Designed: 1943
Manufacturer: Krupp
Produced: 1944
No. built: 51
Variants: 12.8 cm Kanone 44, Pak 44. 12.8 cm Kanone 81/1, 12.8 cm Kanone 81/2, 12.8 cm Kanone 81/3, 12.8 cm Pak 80
Mass: 10,160 kg (22,400 lb) 12.8 cm Pak 44, 7,000 kg (15,000 lb) 12.8 cm Pak 80
Barrel length: 7.02 m (23 ft 0 in) bore (55 calibres)
Shell: Semi-fixed 128x869mm .R
Shell weight: 28 kg (62 lb) (HE), 28.3 kg (62 lb) (AP)
Caliber: 128 millimetres (5.0 in)
Breech: semi-automatic horizontal sliding-block
Recoil: Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage: cruciform (some were split trail)
Elevation: -7° 51' to +45° 27'
Traverse: 360° (some were about 90°, or less)
Muzzle velocity: 950 m/s (3,100 ft/s)
Maximum firing range: 24,410 m (26,700 yd) 12.8 cm Pak 44, 12,200 m (13,300 yd) 12.8 cm Pak 80
Sights: Winkel Zielfernrohr 2/1 12.8 cm Pak 80
THE KIT:
Trumpeter is an old prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of the Kanone in front of a woods, with a 8 man crew. The men are all dressed in field-grey uniforms with steel helmets. There is a cloud of white smoke around the gun and 3 grey wood boxes on the ground by it. The gun is overall sand.
Over the top edge of the box art it says the model makes up to be 319.6mm long (12 ½”) and 83.25mm (3 ¼”) high and the kit holds 322 parts.
Another corner on the box art says: Kit is a detailed scale kit for adult collectors to assemble. Actual model may vary from image on the box. WARNING! Not for children under 3 years due to small parts.
The box art calls the kit a Kanone 43. However, Wikipedia site says that there was never a 43 designation of the Kanone. It is a 44.
One side panel has a one-paragraph history of the Kanone, followed by illustrations of the 2 brass PE frets, the slide molded and perforated muzzle brake and shields.
Trumpeter is an old prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of the Kanone in front of a woods, with a 8 man crew. The men are all dressed in field-grey uniforms with steel helmets. There is a cloud of white smoke around the gun and 3 grey wood boxes on the ground by it. The gun is overall sand.
Over the top edge of the box art it says the model makes up to be 319.6mm long (12 ½”) and 83.25mm (3 ¼”) high and the kit holds 322 parts.
Another corner on the box art says: Kit is a detailed scale kit for adult collectors to assemble. Actual model may vary from image on the box. WARNING! Not for children under 3 years due to small parts.
The box art calls the kit a Kanone 43. However, Wikipedia site says that there was never a 43 designation of the Kanone. It is a 44.
One side panel has a one-paragraph history of the Kanone, followed by illustrations of the 2 brass PE frets, the slide molded and perforated muzzle brake and shields.
Copyright for the kit is given as 2010 and Trumpeter’s office address in Macau, China and their web address is provided.
The other side panel shows color illustrations of the Kanone in the travel and travel modes. It says the kit is not a toy. It is suitable for ages over 14 only, in multiple languages, including English.
The other side panel shows color illustrations of the Kanone in the travel and travel modes. It says the kit is not a toy. It is suitable for ages over 14 only, in multiple languages, including English.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 10 tan trees, 2 brass PE frets and a decal sheet in sealed clear cello bags and the instructions and a color painting guide sheet.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 16 pages in 7 ½” x 10 ½” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white side view of the Kanone, over READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, international assembly symbol explanations and decal application instructions, in Chinese and English.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations.
Page 3 through to page 16 gives a grand total of 18 assembly steps.
The painting guide is printed in color on both sides on slick coated paper in the same size as the main instruction’s pages.
One side has a 5-view in color of the Kanone in the travel mode. It is overall tan.
The kit holds 10 tan trees, 2 brass PE frets and a decal sheet in sealed clear cello bags and the instructions and a color painting guide sheet.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 16 pages in 7 ½” x 10 ½” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white side view of the Kanone, over READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, international assembly symbol explanations and decal application instructions, in Chinese and English.
Page 2 is the parts trees illustrations.
Page 3 through to page 16 gives a grand total of 18 assembly steps.
The painting guide is printed in color on both sides on slick coated paper in the same size as the main instruction’s pages.
One side has a 5-view in color of the Kanone in the travel mode. It is overall tan.
The other side has another 5-view in color of the Kanone in the firing mode, again in overall tan.
One corner on each side suggests Mr.Hobby, Vallejo, Model Master, Tamiya and Humbrol brands of hobby paints to use.
One corner on each side suggests Mr.Hobby, Vallejo, Model Master, Tamiya and Humbrol brands of hobby paints to use.
Trees are alphabetized.
There are 4 identical tan letter A trees. They hold tires etc. (25 part each)
There are 4 identical tan letter A trees. They hold tires etc. (25 part each)
Another tan letter A tree holds the gun’s base part (1 part)
There are 2 identical tan letter B trees. They hold wheel rims etc. (34 parts each)
Another tan letter B Frame holds a part I cannot name (1 part)
Tan letter C tree holds: another base part, shields, trail arms etc. (23 parts)
Tan letter D tree holds: the gun barrel, more shield parts etc. (15 parts)
Tan letter E tree holds: tools, tow bar, gun mechanisms etc. (49 parts)
Tan letter F tree holds many small fittings such as the muzzle and gun controls.
Letter A brass PE fret holds shield parts (26 parts)
Letter B brass PE fret holds small fitting that include the gun shield as well as fittings for the gun carriage. (68 parts)
Letter B brass PE fret holds small fitting that include the gun shield as well as fittings for the gun carriage. (68 parts)
There are no crew figures or decals in the kit. I don’t think these guns actually ever were marked in any way.
Detail is excellent.
Highly recommend to modelers that have assembled models in the past with hundreds of small parts.
This kit is not for the beginner or novice modeler and is not a weekend project.
Highly recommended.
Detail is excellent.
Highly recommend to modelers that have assembled models in the past with hundreds of small parts.
This kit is not for the beginner or novice modeler and is not a weekend project.
Highly recommended.