REVIEW TAKEN FROM THE DRAGON MODELS WEBSITE

DML 6533: Sd. Kfz. 7/1 2cm Flakvierling 38 w/Armor Cab

1/35 injection plastic kit with decals, and photo etch

The Sd.Kfz 7/1 has longs been popular with modelers and this new release from Dragon is their first 1/35 version of a mid to late production version. Armed with the Flakvierling 38 which delivered rapid fire from its four 2cm barrels, the Sd.Kfz 7/1 was an effective self-propelled anti-aircraft gun. The mid to late war version had an armored cab and several other changes.

This is a new Smart Kit release which includes careful use of photo etch and Magic Tracks. It offers the choice of wire mesh or wooden drop sides and has an armored cab with side made from bent armor plate. It also offers you the choice of depicting the gun shield in transit or open for combat.

It is based on tooling from Dragon’s other recent Sd.Kfz 7 series releases and other flakpanzer, and hence from experience should be rewarding to assemble. This also means it offers crisp and accurate modern tooling which fits together well.

Photo etch is provided for the mesh on the side frames (double etched to replicated the woven effect), gun sight, cab vision slots, flange on the sprocket wheels, anti-skid tread-plate between the fenders, and the mounting for the Notek light.

The gatefold instructions have 17 steps of line drawings. As the kit includes options it would pay to plan your project before you reach for your knife and glue. The instructions do not call out which platform goes with which side frames (part L2 is for mesh and L3 for wooden frames). The instructions for kit 6542 Sd.Kfz 7/2 detail both options and can be found on the web.

FLAK 38 & CHOICE OF FIGHTING PLATFORM

The Flak 38 is an enjoyable kit to make in its own right. The mid to late war Sd.Kfz 7/1 secured the Flak using its standard ground mount via ratchets and supports to the fighting platform. This is captured by nicely including having the three circular support pads which reinforce the kits attention to detail.

This kit has two sets of shields giving you the option of the shield being folded inwards for travel or outwards for combat. Both sets of injection plastic gun shields have a thin in scale appearance and are free of injection pin marks. Both sides of the shields have considerable integrated detail such as angled plates, brackets and nut heads and are far more impressive than what I have seen on older kits or aftermarket PE sets.

As a quad mounting, the Flakvierling had three crew seats (gunner plus two loaders) and these are realistically detailed as are other features such as the gun cradle, hand wheels, gun sight and ammunition clips and feeders.

The 20mm barrels are single piece slide-moldings with hollow muzzle opening that have the flash suppressors on the side are represented by indentations. While I expect that some modelers will replace these with aftermarket metal ones, the kit barrels are crisper than several one-piece metal flak barrels that I’ve seen.

As expected the gun can traverse 360 degrees and offers a choice of elevations.

Two flat platforms are provided both with the WWII German diamond pattern anti-skid. One is for use with the wooden fold down sides (part L3) and the other for use with the mesh screen sides (part L2); the difference being where the hinges for the sides were connected. Both types can be built raised or lowered. The mesh screens are made from single piece plastic frames and single piece PE mesh which are double etched to give the woven effect on both sides (a feature absent on some aftermarket PE for similar subjects). The wooden frames are single pieces with fine detail for the wood panels, metal U brackets, and reinforcing strip.

The locking mechanisms and two step ladders are attached to both types of side frames. The step ladders can be modeled folded flat for travel, or unfolded when the side screens are down for combat.

CHASSIS & CAB

The kit has a cab made with bent armor plate and the option of fitting an armor plate in front of the radiator (part L5). The rear fenders are the later type with a more squared of appearance to reduce production costs which is typical of Sd.Kfz 7 series with armored cabs. The cab is built on a slide molded frame with integrated fenders and supports for the engine.

The armored cab is based on the from bent armored plate option in the Sd.Kfz 7/2 (kit 6542) and some references associated this cab with wooden side frames (which is the default option in the instructions). The cabs doors are integrated into the side parts (i..e. cast shut) and the cab has separate roof hatches and PE vision slit covers. The forward cabin interior is detailed with a multi-part dash (paint the dials), steering wheel, hand levers, and a seat with creases on the fabric. This kit does not include the option of a cab made from overhang plates.

Other exterior detail includes the PE antiskid between the fenders (different for wartime and museum versions), a Notek light with PE mount, and front headlamps with clear plastic lenses. The spade and crank handle on the bonnet have cast on clasps.

The chassis is built around a single-piece slide-molded ladder-frame with considerable small detail such as bolt heads and ribbing cast on. Slide molding is used for the sub-frame of the muffler/exhaust-pipe assembly with numerous structural elements such as the lightening holes and angled plates. Other features include the transmission shaft, drive, steering mechanism, fuel tank, compressed-air tank and gearbox. The winch system includes the spool (with sharp detail for the ribbing and bolt-heads), connecting rods, and the tow hook.

The engine bay includes the Maybach 6-cylinder engine with separate parts for the sump, fan, fan belt, manifold, gasket heads, bonnet support etc and will look impressive displayed open. The radiator cover has the manufacturer’s name (Krauss-Maffeti) and a separate filler cap.

The front tires are made from Dragon Styrene to capture the tread pattern and ribbing on the sidewalls. A spare tyre is stowed under the fighting platform.

The detailed rear suspension includes a PE flange around the drive sprockets (I would fit these in step 5) which like the road wheels are detailed on both faces. The suspension arms and springs are separate, which combined with the Magic Tracks gives the option of displaying the kit on an uneven diorama basis. The Magic Tracks come loose and have one part for the rubber pad and another for the cast metal shoe. As expected the detail, such as the reinforcing ribs, is crisp and the tracks can be assembled quickly without cleanup. Another large sliding molding is used for rear fenders above the tracks.

DECALS

The instruction sheet has 3 view profiles for six vehicles and there are colour side profiles on the box.

The half-track in the box art is an unidentified unit on the Eastern Front in 1943. It has a dark yellow base with thin green and red-brown stripes. Also from unidentified units on the Eastern Front are another gun with a three colour scheme, one gun in solid dark yellow, and one with white wash over yellow.

From 2 Panzer Division in France 1944 is a gun with yellow base, green clouds and red-brown strips plus a tactical insignia. Another Sd.Kfz 7/1 is from Normandy and has green clouds on a yellow base.

The profiled vehicles have relatively few markings, mainly registration plates and basic markings such as shipping stencils. The Cartograf decal sheet includes the arc shaped elevation markings for the Flak, a stenciled shipping template, tyre pressure level, three pairs of unit/tactical insignia, and a set of generic registration marking to build your own number plate with prefixes for the Luftwaffe (WL) and Waffen SS (two part runes).

RECOMMENDATION

This kit rounds out Dragon’s range of self-propelled anti-aircraft guns mounted on the Sd.Kfz. 7 chassis. With the open fighting compartment and detailed engine it offers plenty of potential for dioramas and vignettes. The tooling is crisp, and the inclusion of PE and Magic Tracks allows for an impressive model to be built out of the box. Well recommended.

- Neville Lord

Unless stated as included, any reference to paints, glues and accessories is the suggestion of the manufacturer, and these are available from our shop at normal prices