The Pz.Kpfw. I, or Panzer I, was a tiny thing compared to the tanks we’re used to, being more akin sizewise to the Universal Carrier ( Bren Carrier ) than the Tiger, essentially a tracked carrier with an enclosed turret more so than a tank. The Panzerbefehlswagen was the command version of the Pz.Kpfw. I and dispensed with the revolving turret in favour of a larger casement designed to look like the turret at a distance so as not to identify it too easily to the enemy as a command vehicle.
This kit from Masterbox comes in a small, sturdy, tray and lid style box, and due to the small size of the real Pz.Kpfw I not surprisingly there isn’t a huge ammount of parts, being two light grey sprues for the tank and two black sprues for the individual link tracks. But what you do get is fairly well presented with a just some areas of flash and some mould seams to cleanup detracting from the appearance of the parts. There are also some light knock out marks though they are where-ever possible in locations that won’t be seen. Despite the flashing clean-up is still quick, easy, and painless. The instructions are clear and easy to follow and this kit goes together well.
As far as I can tell from reference material the kit is accurate in detail. It also has some nice touches such as the individual link tracks ( patience and good tweezers are definitely two important requirements for assembling these ) and photo-etch parts for the exhaust covers and engine grille. These are nice features to see in a kit as cheap as this one.
The lower hull and suspension are all made up of separate parts rather than being a single hull tub with simplified suspention. Here is where you will find most of the flashing on this kit as the road wheels will all need to be cleaned up, particularly inside.
The upper hull is very straight forward though for a small kit still manages to include a lot of small parts including separate hatches and vision port covers on the casement, though there is no interior if these were to be modelled open. The engine deck is a single piece and here also there is some flashing to be cleaned out of the engine grilles beofre adding the photo-etched parts. One area where this part could be improved would be with the addition of weld beads.
The turret dispenses with the turret floor and replaces the rotating turret of the standard Pz.Kpfw I with a fake turret fixed to the top of the casement. This has a large separate turret and a single ball mount for an MG13 machine gun which has an adequately detailed barrel. Again the turret could also benefit from the addition of weld beads.
The decals included offer three vehicle options – France 1940 : Poland 1939 : Spain 1936-37 - though no information is given as to what unit or vehicle they are for. The Polish version simply carries the white Balkankreuz of Fall Weiss, and the Panzer Is that were in Spain served with the German Condor legion supporting the Nationalists so I can only assume they are meant to represent that unit. The 1940 version appears to be part of 6. Pnazer Division having the briefly used XX markings. That would make it historically known for being part of the killing of French colonial black soldiers from Africa.
The main downside to this kit is the ammount of flashing that needs to be removed, but other than that, and the fact that the tracks will probably take as long to assemble as the vehicle itself, this is a quick and simple build that makes up into a very nice, not to mention inexpensive, kit that really cries out to be displayed with figures to give viewers the sense of scale really needed to show just how small this vehicle is.
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