I have to admit that I’m usually a little dubious of the tendancy with models to load tanks down with all manner of stowage with no thought to the way it would stay on or how it would effect the intakes etc on the engine decks. But I do like this set as it does seem to be thought through it does seem to look right. It suits the StuG and fits in with photos I’ve seen of StuGs in Russia loaded with men and/or equipment.
This resin kit from the Korean manufacturer Legend Productions includes photo-etched parts to make the stowage frames frequently mounted on the StuG III as well as enough resin parts to give it a well loaded up look.
Amongst the main stowage items are twelve individual jerry cans which come with separate handles and filler caps, a fuel drum, boxes, rolled tarps, loose tarps, lengths of timber and wooden planks that look like part of a fence. You also get small items like MG34 ammo cans, helmets, a bucket, food containers, a milk churn, bottles, and a lantern.
Moulded in a light creamy coloured resin the mouldings are very good with excellent levels of detail. Clean-up is limited to removing the large pour plugs but that is usually normal for any resin moulded parts. There is some very minor flashing to remove from some of the more delicate parts but nothing that isn’t easily dealt with. On this particular kit three of the fingers on the jerry can handle had broken off and one of the filler caps had come away from the mould sprue but they were all in the bag and would be very easily fixed.
One thing I like about this kit in particular is that it isn’t just one big mould that limits you to the one kit, especially the jerry cans which in these sorts of sets often come as a single mould of six or so cans together. This is a great looking set that would not only dress up your StuG handsomely but is also generic enough that it could work on any truck or halftrack as well. Well worth the purchase price.
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