Ace Model 1/72 3.7cm PaK 35/36 auf Sd.Kfz 10
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Overview
The Sd.Kfz 10 was one of the most common half-tracks in the Wehrmacht, with well over ten thousand produced. Its widespread usage resulted in many modifications, including the addition of anti-tank weaponry in the passenger bed. This latest from Ace Model provides one of those anti-tank modifications, placing the 3.7cm PaK 35/36 on the Sd.Kfz 10.
The Kit
Ace Model has a good number of Sd.Kfz 10 variants in their product line, and with a 3.7cm PaK 35/36 gun already in their catalog, it made sense for this release combining the two. The kit comes in the usual Ace Model light gray plastic, with vinyl tracks and a couple frets of photoetch for details. The quality is decent overall, although there will need to be some cleanup work due to the limited run quality of the sprues. The very small decal sheet provides options for three vehicles.
Starting with the Sd.Kfz 10 construction first, this is fairly straightforward. The main chassis and bodywork is molded as one piece, with lots of details added to it. The entire interior, both cab and passenger area, is separate, including two seats, instrument cluster, steering wheel, and floor. The rear passenger area is built up from quite a few pieces, starting with a basic frame that then gets additional side walls, containers, etc. The hood is separate, and has photoetch louver detailing. The front radiator is also separate, as is the windshield. No clear parts are provided for the latter, although a printed template is provided in the instructions for the modeler to use in cutting out clear sheet.
The running gear does a good job of capturing the complex multi-wheel arrangement. The wheels fit onto a separate suspension piece that fits onto the main chassis, so there could be some potential for misalignment here. I would recommend doing some dry fitting here to make sure everything lines up properly. The front wheels are separate and fit onto a solid front axle. For those who would like to position these wheels to one side, a bit of slicing will be required, but it shouldn't be too tough to do.
Moving on to the gun, this is a fairly simple piece, with a one piece barrel forming the starting point. Onto this fit all the various details, such as control wheels and elevation gears. The rear gun arms are provided for the regular version (the up-armored variant did not have these fitted). A photoetch gun shield is also provided for the regular version, while the larger shield for the up-armored version is provided in plastic. While talking about that up-armored version, there is a separate front armor piece as well, with slits for the lights and louvers for the radiator.
With everything fitted together, the next step is the painting. The three options included in this boxing are quite simple, all being overall Panzer Gray. The first standard one is from the Guderian Army in Russia, 1941, while the second is from an unidentified Wehrmacht unit in Russia, 1941. The up-armored option is from the Kleist Army in the Ukraine, 1941. Markings are pretty much the same across the board, with the main differences being in the form of license plates. The up-armored one, though, does have three white rings around the gun barrel, for a bit of variation.
Conclusion
While the limited edition quality of the plastic will require a bit more work than most other kits, a very nice replica can be made from this kit. My thanks to Scale Model Kits for the review sample.