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DRAGON MODELS LIMITED
Product Specifications.
6314, Sd.Kfz.164 Nashorn “Premium Edition”. 1/35th-scale styrene/multimedia kit containing 476 styrene parts (including three clear), two bags of “Magic Tracks”, one photo-etched brass fret, one turned aluminum gun tube, eight water-slide decal marking schemes and eight pages of instructions in 25 steps.
Introduction.
Way back in the beginning, DML released kits of the Nashorn and its mate, the Hummel, both of which were welcomed by modelers. Upon closer scrutiny, it was determined that these kits left much to be desired in the realm of detail and accuracy. In 2002, DML re-tooled these kits and presented modelers with products that were much more detailed and were very accurate. Four years later, DML has again decided to re-vamp the Nashorn and market it as a “Premium Edition” kit.
However, modelers should not be complacent as this kit has so much that is new within the box (aside from extensive etched brass parts, “Magic Tracks” and a turned aluminum gun tube), that a comparison to the 2002 kit must be made so that we know what an improvement this latest release truly represents. From the previous kit, 6165, are the following sprues:
• “A”, drive sprockets, final drive housings and some detail parts.
• “B”, hull and superstructure parts, along with some parts for the fighting compartment.
• “C”, fighting compartment floor, engine compartment roof and ammo lockers.
• “D”, 8.8cm PaK and mount.
• “E”, road-wheels and bogie units.
• “F”, idler wheels.
• “Q”, return rollers and road-wheel hub caps.
• Hull/belly pan.
The tracks have been replaced with two bags of “handed” newly-tooled pre-cleaned individual-link “Magic Tracks”, while brand-new sprues contain the following:
• “f”, scissors telescope.
• “L”, rear hull plate and details.
• “M”, new styrene gun tube with later style travel lock, shield configuration and detail parts.
• “MA”, large etched brass fret.
• “MB”, turned aluminum forward gun tube section.
• “N”, completely new multi-part ammunition lockers, that can be modeled opened or closed, including seven stowed rounds. These can be further enhanced with the included etched brass parts.
• “S”, clear styrene periscope heads.
• “TF”, slide-molded muzzle brake with internal detail.
• “WB”, two identical sprues of Gen2 weapons that include a pair of MP40s for stowage in the fighting compartment racks.
So, in the opinion of this reviewer, this Premium Edition is essentially a new kit.
Tracks.
These “Magic Track” individual links are all-new; they represent the so-called “Einheitsketten” (standardized track link) with smooth cleats and opened guide horns. They require no clean-up of mold sprue attachment pips and fit together using friction (but will not stay together with any handling). They will need to be glued together when their position has been determined. Each has two very subtle knock-out pin marks on their inner faces, which will need the modeler’s attention. The links are “handed”, so be sure to work from one bag at a time and check the instructions carefully in order to identify the proper links for each side.
Suspension System.
This includes both styles of drive sprocket as seen on these vehicles. Note that the use of either type does not determine if this is an early or late production variation. The first Nashorns had the late sprocket, while the early type was seen “intermittently” according to the Panzer Tracts book cited in the references section below. The road-wheels have been re-tooled to show the manufacturer’s logo, as have the rubber-rimmed return rollers. The idler wheels have a separate axle that will aid in getting the proper sit of the track links; don’t fix the idlers to their mounts until satisfied that all is correct with the tracks. The bogie units are the older single-piece style; while they are “nothing fancy”, they are certainly well-detailed and look the part. Separate final drives and mounting plates are added to the front end and trick pin retention plates are mounted at the rear.
Hull.
The hull is detailed on both sides with various rivets and mounting flanges. Bump stops as well as the return roller mounts are also molded in place. The belly plate has the mounts and covers for the suspension bogies molded in place as well as various access panels and drain plates, plus fine rivet detail. This is all made possible by the use of a slide mold. There are several extremely subtle knock-out pin marks on the side plates that must be smoothed over, but this will take just a few minutes with a sanding device.
A separate access plate for the engine’s “Fuchs-Gerät” pre-heating system is given for the port-side of the hull; large tow hooks are also provided for each rear corner. New exhaust pipes, with slide-molded openings, and separate mounts are placed on either side of the hull. The rear plate features two spare road wheels and their mounts as well as a step and tow pintle mount, while the bow plate has a rack for spare track links.
Superstructure.
From front-to-rear the superstructure is composed of the following: a separate driver’s compartment roof with separate hatch lids, driver’s front visor (with internal detail), side visor flaps, detail parts for the tow cable brackets (but no wound metal wire cable or styrene end-loops), and the second type of remotely-operated gun travel lock. The fenders mount a multi-part jack and its block, one Bosch head-lamp (two are provided) and an antenna base (no rod antenna is provided…again!).
The multi-part front, side and rear superstructure plates are molded quite thin and are devoid of knock-out pin marks. The rear superstructure double doors have nice latch and hinge detail and are also devoid of knock-out pin marks; they can be depicted opened or closed. Gun tube bore swab staffs are given in their rack and there are etched brass flanges to liven-up the area where the superstructure rear attaches to the hull rear plate. The engine cooling air louvers are crisply-rendered and can be cut away to be replaced by the included multi-part etched brass assemblies.
Fighting Compartment.
The fighting compartment has had much attention paid to it in this new release. The original closed one-piece ammunition lockers are given, as are new multi-part opened lockers, complete with 8.8cm rounds and with a choice of etched brass internal rack details and optional etched brass doors and hinges. These will look great on the finished model and will add quite a bit of interest to this area.
New clear styrene periscopes and etched brass mounts are given for various points on the superstructure upper edges as are three mounts for a self-defense MG34 (not included). A new scissors periscope is also provided along with a working hinged etched brass mounting bracket. New Gen2 MP40s are provided for the pre-existing styrene racks (extra StG44, Gew43 and MP40s, two each, can grace the spares box).
Other stowage boxes and various details add some interest to the fighting compartment. These include lift hooks, spare antenna (this is nice, but especially frustrating since there is none for the actual “in-use” item!), styrene or etched brass stowage rack; grab handles; etched brass command vehicle radio rack and weather shield. Finally, various internal stiffening ribs complete the area. Note that the early style travel lock for the gun, as seen in the fighting compartment, is not given since it is inappropriate for this version.
Gun and Mount.
The PaK43 can be made to traverse and elevate in its mount, while the gun tube will recoil in the slide. The gun tube consists of a new styrene front section or a turned aluminum and styrene front section; either is attached to the main rear segment that includes a breech that can be shown opened or closed. The curved shields have an etched brass part to represent where the original sight aperture was covered over; this gun is equipped with the periscope-style Sfl.Z.F.1a gun-sight. Various hand-wheels, seats, reinforcement brackets and rods, as well as counter-balance spring housings finish the assembly.
Molding, Fit and Engineering.
I noted no fit problems worth mentioning. There are no sink marks or knock-out pin marks visible except where noted, and they are easily dealt with.
Accuracy.
This kit very accurately represents the later version Nashorn produced around May or June of 1943. The main components match extremely well with Mr. Doyle’s scale drawings in the cited Panzer Tracts book. The only issues (and minor ones at that) I would raise with this kit is in the area of omissions. The kit lacks the rod antenna for the basic Funkgerät “f” radio, as well as the Fu 8 radio set (an etched brass rack is provided) and its associated antenna and accessories, seen in the fighting compartment of command vehicles. Also, since there are three separate mounts for an MG34 provided around the fighting compartment upper edge, the weapon itself, with ammunition belts and boxes, would have been nice to have in the kit. Finally, braided metal wire and styrene end-loops would have been nice to have to wrap around the tow cable brackets. All of these parts are easily available in the DML parts system.
Instructions.
These are the in the often-maligned photographic style. I found them extremely easy to “read” and those who currently bemoan the complexity of some of DML’s instruction sheets should give these a second look. I noted some English-language text interspersed among the steps where it was appropriate, something I welcome. Colors are, as usual, coded to match Gunze and Testors paints.
Decals and Markings Information.
The water-slide decals are from Cartograf and are crisp and well-saturated. Registration of the multi-colored designs is excellent; carrier film is thin and cropped close to their edges. A total of eight vehicles can be marked with what’s provided by DML; their painting guides are each composed of full-color multi-view drawings. They are:
References that I have access to, confirm every scheme given except Black 214; I have no reason to think that it too is not accurate. There are a couple of details of note, which I think bear mention. According to photos, Black 131 mounts the so-called “early” drive sprocket with the eight circular perforations around the rim; the instructions do not note this. A photo of Black 231 suggests (but does not confirm!) that it may be the earlier version as it has a hull rear mud-flap (but no fabricated “box” next to it); as I stated before, this kit is for the version produced in May/June of 1943. The color schemes (all based on Dunkelgelb with either Rotbraun and Olivgrün patterns, or winter white-wash patterns) are substantially correct, according to photos.
Conclusion.
The first thing I’d do is NOT discard the older kit, number 6165, since it represents a different version; it can easily be kit-bashed with this new product. On the other hand (and in spite of the omissions I have mentioned), this new iteration can stand completely on its own, without any recourse to after-market additions.
SGFs: rejoice!
Highly recommended.
Frank V. De Sisto
References consulted for this review included, but were not limited to, the following:
• “Panzerjäger (7.5cm PaK40/4 to 8.8cm Waffenträger) Development and Employment 1939 to 1945”, Panzer Tracts No.7-3, by T. Jentz & H. Doyle.
• “Nashorn, 8.8cm PaK43/1 L/71 auf Fgst.Pz.Kpfw.III/IV (Sf) (Sd.Kfz.164)”, Nuts & Bolts No.14, by T. Greenland & D. Terlisten.
• “Panzers at Saumer” No.3, by H. Ichimura.
• “Pulk 4.Pancerny Skorpion”, Pegaz-Bis, by Z. Lalak.
Reviewer’s note: Since May of 2005, I have been working on books for Concord Publications, a sister company to DML. The reader may wish to take this into consideration. For my part, I will attempt to maintain an objective viewpoint when writing these reviews.
DML kits are available from retail and on-line shops; for details visit their web site at: www.dragonmodelsltd.com.
