Bronco Models 1/35 SdKfz.221 Leichter Panzerspähwagen w/sPzB.41 Kit First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

The SdKfz.221 was a light reconnaissance armored car that was based upon the Horch chassis and powered by a 90 horsepower engine. The vehicle had four-wheel drive which was okay for western Europe, but its weight versus power gave it serious mobility problems on the Russian Front and in North Africa. The type was replaced by half-tracks like the Sd.Kfz.250 in these theaters.

The Sd.Kfz.221 would accommodate a crew of three and was armed with a 7.92mm Spandau machine gun early in its life. The type was refitted with a larger turret for the 28mm s.Pz.B.41 gun which carried the vehicle through the end of its service. Production of the type continued through 1944 and served though the end of the war.

Bronco Models has released a new-tool SdKfz.221 armored car which I believe is the first kit of this subject in 1/35 scale. This kit, like previous Bronco kits, is nicely detailed and yet a straightforward build. Molded in light gray styrene, this kit is presented on 11 parts trees, plus a single tree of clear parts and one fret of photo-etched details.

So how can a subject this small use 11 trees of parts? Yep, this gem features a completely detailed crew compartment. Oddly enough, even though the engine access hatches are separately molded, the engine compartment is empty. I don't know if this will be changed in a future release as we've seen interiors and engine compartments added in later releases of other subjects.

The only parts you won't use in this build are for the smaller Spandau-armed turret that isn't the subject of this release. Otherwise, most everything you see to the right will go into or onto the hull. Nice!

The kit features a nicely detailed drive train that mounts to a separately molded chassis frame. These all get mounted to the underside of the lower hull and get detailed with suspension and steering details.

As mentioned above, this kit has a very nicely detailed crew compartment and you'll definitely want to pose the access hatches into the crew compartment open to show off all of that nice detail. The kit provides painting instructions along the way of assembly as you won't get a chance to paint ip the tools, weapons, ammunition, etc., once the hull goes together.

The kit does provide two types of road wheels - the standard armored vehicle type and the truck type that were no-doubt adopted later.

Markings are provided for the following four examples:

• Unknown unit, Italian Front, 1942
• SS unknown unit, Russian Front, 1942
• SS unknown unit, Gun Fire Exercise, Germany 1942
• Unknown unit, Eastern Front, 1943

The instructions provide paint colors for Gunze Sangyo, Hobby Color, Humbrol, and Tamiya.

I did a double-take on the decals as there are several number 77s on the decal sheet and an odd quote mark at the top of several license plates. Then I realized that Bronco Models had done the 'politically correct' thing and made the SS markings two-part.

Bronco Models continues to turn out some impressive models and this one is no exception. These kits are definitely an AMS modeler's delight.

This kit is highly recommended!

My sincere thanks to Stevens International for this review sample!