Kit, Tristar 35022, German Panzer Kpfw.38(t) Ausf.G/Panzerbefehlswagen Pz.Bf.Wg.38(t) Ausf

MRC/ TRISTAR


Product Specifications.

35022, German Panzer Kpfw.38(t) Ausf.G/Panzerbefehlswagen Pz.Bf.Wg.38(t) Ausf.G. 1/35th-scale styrene/multimedia kit containing 522 styrene parts (including 228 individual-link tracks and eight clear parts), one photo-etched brass fret, six water-slide decal marking schemes and 10 pages of instructions in nine steps.


Introduction.

Long a popular modeling subject, the Czech-designed LT vz.38 light tank has not been particularly well-served in kit form until very recently (although the Alan/Maquette kits were certainly worthy efforts). Tristar has followed-up their original (and excellent) Pz.Kpfw.38(t) Ausf.E/F with a revised kit that can be used to depict either an Ausf.G gun tank or a Panzerbefehlswagen (command tank).


Tracks.

These are quite wonderful; the individual links click together and then remain delicately flexible. Furthermore, they have no visible ejector-pin marks whatsoever. What the kit’s designers have done is make the ejector pins the same shape as the surface they are to “punch” completely eliminating any tedious clean-up. The links each attach to the sprue gates at two parallel points; using a fresh blade “guillotine” style will, with care, remove them leaving little or no clean up. Then simply click them together; I recommend that the modeler apply liquid cement to the joints between each link just prior to attaching the completed run to each side of the model. Otherwise, these tracks will come apart very easily (mine did!). The instructions say to use 93 links per side, but I found 91 to be more than enough to provide an acceptable sag.


Suspension System.

The suspension system is engineered much like all others we modelers have become familiar with. This means that the bogie spring units can articulate with careful use of the glue. The road-wheels have separate tire rims, separate hub caps (with detailed internal hub) and are completely detailed on their rear faces with bearing bolts and rim bolts. In a departure, the small return rollers also feature separate rubber rims (as well as separate mounts). This feature, if properly anticipated by the modeler, will ease the painting of the rubber tire as they can be done separately and then added later, after the main color of the vehicle is applied. The drive sprockets are the type with eight holes around the rim while the idler wheels are the proper style; both feature separate hub caps, while the axle for the idler is separate and can be adjusted to provide proper track sag. Don’t glue it in place until you are satisfied with the track’s appearance. Likewise, I recommend that the modeler fix the suspension units in the selected positions (depending upon the way the finished model is intended to be displayed), and then cements the track runs to the road wheels at every contact point.


Hull.

Because of the type of detail that must be present (lots of bolts and rivets), the hull is broken down into separate belly, side, rear and front sections. Tristar’s designers have forgone the less-desirable angled butt-joint seen on their Pz.Kpfw.IV kits, and have, instead, used squared-off channels. These can easily be cleaned and “trued” on a flat sanding surface; afterwards, the parts went together like a fine watch, with only the front plate, part C-6 needing a small bit of extra trimming of its sides. The fenders are then attached in a very positive way by having several holes to plug in to as well as a raised rib. The rear plate also fit perfectly; it has separate small details including the round access plate that if left off, will reveal the tiny holes that it was bolted on to. The fenders carry all of the tools, the vehicle jack and block, the Notek black-out driving head-lamp and the unique perforated ice cleat stowage box. Note that the Ausf.G repositioned the Notek head-lamp to the glacis plate, from the fender, so if using the fenders without the new stowage lockers, don’t forget to remove the small mounting pip for it, as shown in the instructions. The tools have etched brass parts to provide partial clasp detail, straps to secure some items and brackets for the vehicle jack. No tow cable parts are provided.


This kit also provides two different pairs of stowage lockers as seen on some Pz.Kpfw.38(t)s; these are exquisitely-detailed multi-part items that can be depicted opened or closed. To accommodate these, two new fender sections are provided. Since these have no tool or accessory attachment points molded in place, they can also be used to depict a variety of crew-improvised stowage arrangements often seen in photographs.


Superstructure.

The glacis plate is then fitted, followed by the new Ausf.G style straight front superstructure plate. The glacis features a separate transmission access hatch lid, while the superstructure front plate features moving MG37(t) with a slide-molded pre-opened bore and interior detail; or the new blanking plate can be fitted if modeling a Befehlspanzer (command tank). The two view-ports have separate lids and have clear parts to represent their internal glass blocks; the same goes for the driver’s starboard side view-port. The roof plate has a separate radio antenna mount and base (but the modeler will have to provide the rod for it) and separate access hatch lids for the radio operator, which include very nicely executed head-pad detail; if left open, the nearly completely bare interior will be visible.


Further back there are separate access hatch lids for the engine compartment (that include etched brass screens for their undersides, and have the proper bolt pattern for an Ausf.G), which get fitted to a separate roof plate. A separate grill for the engine deck is provided; it has been molded in such a way as to have he correct angles inside the ribs. The grill is topped by an etched brass screen of the proper configuration. Behind this goes the exhaust muffler, also a product of a slide mold. A new Rahmenantenne (frame antenna) can be fitted over the engine deck using new styrene and etched brass parts, if modeling the Befehlspanzer option. Finally a multi-part Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung (rack to deploy smoke candles) is fitted to the rear plate.


Turret.

This assembly features a commander’s cupola with a multitude of separate parts so that all of the rivets and bolts can be properly rendered; there are also clear inserts to represent the armored glass blocks inside the vision ports. The separate hatch lid has nicely-done head-pad details, while the rotating periscope has excellent detail due to the use of a slide mold. The 3.7cm KwK main gun, like the semi-coaxial MG37(t), is manufactured using a slide mold and is therefore pre-bored. There is some internal detail for the main gun including breech and spent shell collector bag, shoulder pad, hand wheel, sight and visor detail; the MG also has a sight, grips and mount detail, while two “bicycle” type seats and their mounting posts are provided for the turret crew. The turret itself consists of six main parts all of which must be carefully cleaned prior to assembly; one of these is a new front plate in the proper configuration for an Ausf.G. Fit was nearly flawless, with the only work that was required being to clean the area around the “bayonet” mount of the turret ring so it would rotate relatively freely.


Molding, Fit and Engineering.

While molding and fit was indeed excellent overall, there are some places where some improvement is needed, mostly in the area of engineering. In one instance, due to the “inconvenient” placement of the pips that connect a part to the sprue, a problem arose; be very careful when removing part B-1, turret roof plate, which needs to be straight in order to properly fit its neighbors. No sink marks were present and any ejector pins that were present would not normally be visible unless the items were shown opened-up. This applies to the two engine deck access hatch lids as well as the transmission access hatch lid.


Accuracy.

Although I am not normally a “rivet-counter”, this kit actually must be approached in that manner because some of the rivet patterns were peculiar to a specific Ausführung (model). In the case of the Ausf.G, one reference (“Praga LT vz.38/ Pz.Kpfw.38(t)”) shows that the two rows of rivets on the engine deck access hatch lids should not be present; the kit’s designers picked up on that detail and the pattern is indeed correct. Using the scale plans in the above-cited reference, most major items check out as accurate; this included overall length, width and wheel sizes. However, the turret is appreciably smaller (front-to-rear; the height matches) than the drawings suggest, while the transmission access hatch and lid are also quite a bit smaller than the drawings show. However, I also checked the turret drawings in “Stände mit Pz.Kpfw. Türmen”, Panzer Tracts No. 21-1 and the access hatch and lid drawings in “Panzerjäger”, Panzer Tracts No. 7-2; in the case of these books they matched perfectly. Where other items were repeated throughout the drawing sets, all of them agreed on such things as wheel sizes, etc. One must also take into account that Panzer Tracts’ own Tom Jentz had a hand in developing this kit and so he presumably worked from drawings and measurements seen in his books, created by Hilary Doyle. But, how does a modeler know who is correct when secondary sources differ?


Instructions.

These are well-rendered as conventional line-drawings but are busy; there are many sub-steps. Things get very busy in steps seven and eight, but if the modeler proceeds slowly, he should be OK. But, note that in step 7, the modeler should fit EITHER two parts E-33 or two parts E-34; the instructions show one of each. E-34 is actually the part to use, according to photos in the cited references. Colors are keyed to Tamiya and Gunze paints.


Decals and Markings Information.

Water-slide decals by Cartograf of Italy are provided for seven different tanks. All are seen on the Ostfront, from 1941-44, and are from specific units as well as specific nations’ armies. They are:


• Red/white R01, unidentified unit, place and time.
• White 301, Hungarian (presumably) 1st Armored Division, Hungary 1942.
• White/black 62, 9th Company, Bulgarian Armored Brigade, Sofia, Bulgaria 1944.
• White/black 63, 9th Company, Bulgarian Armored Brigade, Sofia, Bulgaria 1944.
• Red/white/blue shield, Slovak Republic, 1944.
• Red/white 5, Panzer-Regiment 21, 20.Panzer Division, Russia 1943.
• Red/white 43, Panzer-Regiment 25, 7.Panzer Division, Russia 1941.


Using photos spread throughout some of the cited references, I was able to positively confirm several of the given markings schemes; however there are some details the modeler should be aware of, as follows:


• Both Bulgarian tanks need white eyes and nose details added to the “skull-and-crossbones” insignia seen on the turret sides; a bit of white paint applied with a pointed toothpick ought to fix this. In addition, only one had the “9 ponia” inscription on the bow plate, Tac number 62.
• The Slovak tank should have separate, upright, rectangle-shaped registration plates located forward and aft on the starboard side fenders. The plates and the alpha-numeric sequence (V-3000 series) are not provided in the kit. Decalcomaniacs! markets a sheet which has these items.
• The probable Hungarian tank lacks the proper national insignia and registration plates; some also carried tactical symbols as well. Decalcomaniacs! also markets a sheet which has these items.
• I could not confirm any of the markings provided for use on the German Panzer, except to be able to say that the units mentioned did in fact field these vehicles on the Ostfront.


So, although the manufacturer tried valiantly to provide some unusual markings, especially of Axis tanks, they all suffer from a certain degree of poor research. Proper use of references and after-market products will allow the careful modeler to proceed with ease if the Axis tanks are to be modeled.


Conclusion.

This second iteration of Tristar’s “new-generation” Pz.Kpfw.38(t) is very well done and very much worth acquiring. In fact, it has more options than the previous Ausf.E/F kit, even without the two figures included in that release. As was the case with its predecessor, it may or may not have a couple of significant accuracy issues; regardless, it certainly looks the part, goes together extremely well and is exquisitely detailed.


Highly recommended.


Frank V. De Sisto


References consulted for this review included, but were not limited to:

• “Czechoslovak Armoured Fighting Vehicles 1918-1945”, Bellona, by H. Doyle & C. Kliment.
• “Czechoslovak Armored Fighting Vehicles 1918-1948”, Schiffer Publications, by V. Francev & C. Kliment.
• “Praga LT vz.38/ Pz.Kpfw.38(t)”, MBI, by V. Francev & C. Kliment.
• “Pz.Kpfw.38(t)”, Squadron Armor In Action No.19, H. Doyle & C. Kliment.
• “Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) & 35(t), AFV Profile No.22, by J. Milsom.
• “Stände mit Pz.Kpfw. Türmen”, Panzer Tracts No.21-1, by T. Jentz & H. Doyle.
• “Panzerjäger”, Panzer Tracts No.7-2, by T. Jentz & H. Doyle.
• “Panzertruppen 1”, Schiffer, by T. Jentz.
• “The Eastern Front, Armor Camouflage and Markings, 1941 to 1945”, Squadron No.6102, by S. Zaloga & J. Grandsen.


Model Rectifier Corp. is the North American distributor of Tristar kits. For details see the Tristar web site at: www.tristarmodel.com. Available from retail and mail order shops.


Delete bytemebyteme from email.