Dragon Military 1/35 StuG III F/8 Early Tank Italy 1943 Kit

The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG.III) has the distinction of being Germany’s most widely produced AFV of WWII, with 10,619 eventually manufactured. Based on the chassis of the Panzer III, it was cheaper and faster to build since it did not have a rotating turret. Once German troops began encountering heavily armored Russian tanks, the StuG III Ausf.F was fitted with a longer 7.5cm gun. This marked its first true emergence as a tank destroyer rather than as an infantry support vehicle. The further modified Ausf.F/8 was produced from September-December 1942, with 250 vehicles built. It was based on an improved hull from the Panzer III J/L, and so it had thicker rear armor. It featured a 7.5cm StuK L/48 main gun. The ‘8’ designation came about because it was the eighth update to the Panzer III hull.

To go nicely along with a previously released Late-Production model of the StuG.III Ausf.F/8, Dragon has now launched a new 1/35 scale kit of an Early-Production variant. It has all the appropriate features of an early type. For example, it has new parts representing the 30mm-thick armor that was welded on (rather than the bolted-on armor of the Late-Production vehicle). Similarly, the extra glacis plate armor is welded rather than bolted. Another change is the new road wheel rack fitted on both sides of the StuG.III F/8 tank destroyer. It’s made from photo-etched metal. To reproduce the irregular shape of the roof, it’s assembled from several well-fitting parts. In fact, all the parts fit well thanks to Dragon’s famous engineering quality and accuracy.

Features:

• Newly tooled spare wheel rack
• Newly tooled fighting-compartment roof w/weld seam detail
• Newly tooled multi-directional slide-molded superstructure w/bolt detail
• Newly tooled slide-molded engine deck
• Newly tooled multi-piece upper hull for maximum detail
• Newly tooled muzzle brake for optional assembled
• Newly tooled fenders w/details on the top and bottom surfaces
• Radio set w/new housing cover
• New fender support is produced
• New pattern of bottom hull is presented w/details
• One-piece side-molded lower hull w/new drain hatch details
• StuG.III F.8 rendered w/excellent detail
• Gun sight protective guard has both plastic and photo-etched options
• Photo-etched guard is pre-formed for easy assembly
• Delicate front hull w/bolt details
• Driver's vision port w/crystal part
• Driver's vision port armor w/delicate weld seams for Early Production
• Upper hull is easily assembled
• Gun sight and hand wheels are included
• Complete gun mount is represented
• Gun breech and recoil guard are fully reproduced
• Recoil and recuperator cylinders are accurately represented
• Slide-molded mantlet w/realistic welds seams and internal surface detail
• Chamfer in lower part of manlet
• Lower-hull sides come w/full details
• Fully detailed hull-bottom weld seams
• MP40 w/photo etched straps available for enhancing fighting-compartment interior details
• Delicate interior details including the hooks on 2 sides of the compartment
• Air-intake covers w/mounts are accurately reproduced
• The engine deck cover is realistically presented
• Fighting-compartment hatches can be assembled open/closed
• Air deflector accurately represented
• Photo-etched mesh is included
• Cooling-air intakes are slide molded
• Photo-etched air-intake grills
• Road wheels w/accurate details
• Final-drive housing covers are separate parts for maximum detail \
• Accurate sprocket wheels
• Idler wheel w/multi photo-etched parts
• Detailed track tension adjuster
• Injection-molded OVM w/clasps
• One piece DS tracks w/defined detail