Looks like Tamiya is continuing the trend of pretty much leaving 1/35 Scale Military behind for others in favour of just re-releasing other manufacturers kits and throwing in a new one of their own once a year ( Jagdtiger, BT-7 ). Coming up is the re-release of the Italeri Panzerwerfer M42 Maultier with the added rumoured announcment in October of two kits from CMK in 2008, a Finnish Army version of their Sturmgeschutz III Ausf.G that Tamiya co-produced with CMK,  and their Pz.Kpfw.35(t).

Now I’m all for Tamiya jumping into bed with CMK if it means the possibility of some of their OOP resin kits like the Henschel Type 33 D1, Schwerer Minenräumer Alkett, Sd.Anh.105 German Field Bakery, and some of their train locomotives being produced in plastic kit form ( but I’m not going to hold my breath ).

.

CMK PZKPFW 35(t), CMK Stug, Sturmgeschutz III Ausf.G Finnish Army, Tamiya panzer 35(t), taniya Stug III G

Now here’s an interesting new look from DML. This appears to be a Smart Kit but includes two figures, presumably the commander and the one highlighted from the line-up. Though the line-up itself suggests that the five figures shown there will be released as a stand-alone figure kit as well.

Click images to enlarge ( opens in new window )

DML Panther A, Dragon Models 6524, Dragon Models Sd.Kfz.171 Panther A Later Production "Black Knight"

BitsKrieg is most likely a new name to most of you, but you’ve probably heard of their parent “Quickwheel”, makers of wheel masks ( a must have if you’re building Pz.Kpfw.IVs in particular, unless you enjoy handpainting all those tyres ).

Their resin accessories range under the BitzKrieg name is available through the Quickwheel website, and so far is a small range focusing on movable suspension for the Pz.Kpfw.IV. Now their latest is a very nice looking selection of wheels for the Sd.Kfz.251/Sd.Kfz.11 range of vehicles which come in four different marking options ( Continnental, DEKA GRIP,  Dunlop, or Fulda ) and are available as either single wheels or sets of three.

bitskrieg, quickwheel, Quickwheel masks, resin Sd.Kfz.251 wheels. Sd.Kfz.11 wheels, Sd.Kfz.251 Wheels

Cyber-Hobby/DML continue to build on their Orange Box Super Value Pack rnge, this time by mating the 15cm Sturm-Infanteriegeschutz 33 auf Pz. III with the DML German Sixth Army (Stalingrad 1942-43) figure set and throwing in a set of magic tracks ( creating kit number 9123 in the process ). This was a pretty good kit to start with so this makes it even better value now.

cyber hobby orange box 9123, DML German Sixth Army, Dragon 15cm Sturm-Infanteriegeschutz 33 auf Pz. III

DML have announced the next in their StuG line-up, an early production Stug.IV with zimmerit ( kit number 6576). It didn’t take much of a crystal ball to see this one coming, though personally I would have prefered a mid-production StuG.III Ausf.G with zimmerit. But a StuG is a StuG and this one is certainly a nice looking one.

dragon 6576, Dragon Models Sd.Kfz.167 StuG.IV Early Production With Zimmerit

DML’s latest figure set continues with the recent Eastern Front theme that they’ve been going with lately. This one ( kit number 6656 ) includes four figures with Gen2 weapons and equipment and appears at first look to be a good looking set.

Click images to enlarge

Dragon Models "Advance To Kharkov", Dragon Models 6656

Now there’s a big surprise, and it answers a recently asked question here. DML are releasing their six figure crew set for the Sd.Kfz.7 Early Production as a stand-alone set of figures ( kit number 6671 ). Some of these figures are multipose and they include optional torsoes, headgear, and weapons so you should be able to come up with enough different figures to fill a vehicle without having to redo them. This is a looooong overdue set that will fill many a need.

.

Dragon Models 6671, Dragon Models German Half-Track Riders (6 Figures Set)

This is the one that I personally find the most welcome as it provides us with an ammo limber for use with German artillery pieces pulled by horses and small vehicles. This kit ( Kit number 35039 ) includes the tractor, the limber, the gun and five figures as well as several boxes with ammo. 584 parts in total including photoetch.

.

miniart 35039, miniart 7.62cm FK 288(r), miniart German Artillery Tractor T-70(r)

Also now available from Miniart is this set of two U.S. Miltary Police with two Motorcycles ( kit number 35085 ) which will go a long way towards replacing the old Tamiya set which up until now has been the only player in the game.

.

miniart 35085, Miniart U.S. Miltary Police

Now available as a Special edition ( kit number 35113 ). This contains 356  parts including Photectched and clear parts.

.

miniart 35113, Miniart T-70M Soviet Light Tank

Click to enlarge

.

Dragon Models s.10cm Kanone 18

Click images to enlarge

Dragon Models Sd.Kfz. 166 Stu.Pz.IV Brummbar Early Production With Zimmerit

Now there’s a more than welcome addition to the DML Sd.Kfz.7 line-up, this time the early version complete with a six man seated crew, something which has been sorely lacking for these types of vehicles.

Dragon Models Sd.Kfz.7 8t Half-Track Early Production w/Crew

A new, and rather interesting, conversion for the kubelwagen has been announced by Leadwarrior, a boutique metal and resin manufacturer in Russia who makes some very interesting conversion kits for WWII axis vehicles. This one is theVW Kubelwagen Typ 155/4c Schneeketten ( halftrack ), a resin kit conversion for the TAMIYA or DRAGON 1/35 Kubelwagen.

Click images to enlarge

VW Kubelwagen Type 82 was a work-horse of German army through all the WWII. It was used on all the theaters in different terrains and climate conditions. Dunes of Africa as well as mug and deep snow of Russia showed the need to improve its off-road capabilities. In 1942, on WV plant in Schtutgart, the works on Type 155 Schneeketten (half-track) Kubelwagen had begun.

There were several quite different variants of suspension developed (possibly consecutively fitted to the same prototype). Some of them utilized parts of agricultural tractors produced by Porsche. Finally, the version 155/4c was developed.

The modifications necessary to the standard Kubelwagen were extensive: the nose-skid was mounted, the brakes reinforced, the differentials changed to otpimize engine performance. In 1944 it was extensively tested along with Sd.Kfz.2 Kettenkrad to compare. Those trials proved that the Type 155 was able to cover the most difficult terrain,
but the resulting vehicle was both very slow and forbiddingly inefficient – top speed – 8 km/h, fuel consumption – 150 liters / 100 km. That was unacceptable.

Type 155 has been never produced in series.

.

No tags

Lion Roar ( aka GreatWall Hobby ) continue to expand upon their SWS kit as a platform with this new version mounting the 2cm Flakvierling 38 ( kit number LR3525 ). This is due out sometime in September.

Click images to enlarge

lion roar 3525, Lion Roar German SWS with 2cm Flakvierling, LR3525