Sd.Kfz. 186 Jagdtiger
Henschel Production Type
Dragon/DML, 1/35 scale
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S
u m m a r y
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Stock Number,
Media, Contents and Price: |
Dragon Models Limited 1/35 Scale
‘39-‘45 Series Kit No. 6285; Sd.Kfz. 186 Jagdtiger Henschel Production
Type; 652 parts (346 in grey styrene, 244 "Magic Track" links, 42 etched
metal, 8 in clear stryene, 4 cast white metal, 4 turned aluminum pins, 2
turned brass, 1 turned aluminum gun barrel, 1 length of twisted steel
wire); price estimated at US $34 |
Scale: |
1/35 |
Review Type: |
First Look |
Advantages: |
Kit appears to be upgraded and
revised with new parts from recent Tiger II kits added in |
Disadvantages: |
Market for this vehicle not as
extensive as others |
Recommendation: |
Highly Recommended for all German
armor fans |
Reviewed by
Cookie Sewell
Dragon's 1/35 scale Henschel Jagdtiger will
be available online from Squadron.com
It's amazing that for a vehicle that only had a production run of 77 vehicles
(67 with Henschel suspension and 10 with Porsche bogie units) this particular
tank destroyer remains popular with modelers. Its combat career (at over 70
short tons it was very limited as to where it could go, especially as its length
hobbled it in enclosed spaces) was not all that spectacular; it was a vehicle
designed to kill Soviet heavy tanks at combat ranges, and instead wound up
mostly being used against American forces on the Western front. Still, it did
put fear into many American commanders, and the T26E4 Pershing with the
hyper-velocity 90mm gun was sent over from the US in case the 3rd Armored
Division ran into one.
DML has now released an updated version of its recent Jagdtiger kit with some
new sprues added to it. The kit now includes the improved Henschel steel wheels
found in the recent Tiger II kits as well as their modeler-friendly "Magic
Track" – pre-trimmed snap-together links that only have to be snapped together,
installed and then touched with cement to set them.
Also provided are a new turned aluminum gun barrel and a turned brass "projo"
and casing for the big 12.8 cm gun. It includes the choice of turned wire cables
and white metal tow clevises and pins as well. Tools are replaced with the new
"standard German OVM" sprues now provided with each new DML German kit. More
clear styrene periscopes also are provided.
I have heard some complaints that the original DML kit was too short, making too
much use of their early Tiger II chassis pan and hull. I can't confirm this one
is correct – but I measured the upper hull and it came out to right around 203
mm in length (7.1 meters) which matched with the plans I had.
The kit does provide the AA machine gun and mount, which go on the rear deck of
the vehicle. There is no "Zimmerit" finish, which is fine, as these vehicles
were only provided with that surface treatment for less than two months of their
production run (July-September 1944.) Even then, I always recall the Jagdtiger
as its application is screwy – it cuts off about halfway up the casemate sides
(I guess somebody figured it would take a very tall Soviet to get a sticky bomb
or magnetic mine that high!)
Six finishing options are suggested, but the kit comes with a complete "number
jungle" sheet to do all of the vehicles in the two battalions it equipped,
sPzJgAbt. 512 and sPzJgAbt. 653, as well as one unknown "stray". Specific
information is provided for: 1 – "X7" from the 512th; 2 – "115" from 1/653rd; 3
– "301" from 3/653rd; 4 – Unknown (which may be a mistake – these markings are
apparently factory production codes and markings, not used on finished vehicles;
one photograph that clearly shows these markings is of the production line at
Niebelungewerke); 5 – "211"from 2/512th, and 6 – 1/653rd. "X7" is probably the
best known as it was captured after it got stuck in a small town.
Overall this is a nice upgrade to a good kit, and one that should still remain
popular with modelers. I guess most of them are just fascinated with BIG!
Highly Recommended.
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.
Review Text Copyright © 2005 by Cookie
Sewell
Page Created 03 September, 2005
Last updated 03 September, 2005
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