DML 1/72 Sd.Kfz.251/1 Ausf.D and 7.5cm PaK 40 Kit First Look

By Cookie Sewell

First Look

DML has now added a complete 7.5 cm PaK 40 to its popular 1/72 scale D model halftrack kit, and while the latter has been well received the new weapon is very impressive.

The PaK 40 is a jewel that consists of some 65 parts, and which looks to be a nicely done pantograph of their developed 1/35 scale PaK 40 family. It comes with three different barrel options (slide molded with hollow bores) and two different types of wheels – either “spoke” or “stamped.” An etched brass insert (MA5) is provided for the gun shield sliding mask which goes above the gun barrel when the shield is installed.

The only part which modelers may wish to modify here is the towing pintle (part B11) as the directions show it being modified by trimming off the pin to permit the lunette of the gun to cement into the pintle. The more determined may wish to drill out the pintle and use fine wire for the connector pin.

The rest of the kit follows the tried and true DML halftrack system. The lower hull is a single piece pan, less the rear area, and the axles are molded on the lower hull. The running gear for each side consists of a rear (inside) wheel section, a center wheel section, three outer road wheels, and drivers. Once installed the connectors between the individual wheels on the inside and the center are not visible, so it helps speed up assembly while making it easier to get things aligned. Tracks are the glueable DS plastic, so you can also get them to settle down on top of the road wheels with some care.

The model comes with simplified but plentiful interior fittings but they are quite tiny as noted and will require a good deal of care. Interior bits include the various control levers, rifles, MP submachine guns, and other items. The hinge mechanisms for the doors are single pieces, but are non-operating types. They cement to the lower rear section, as the upper hull has the rear angular parts of the hull attached to it. The four front viewers are separate parts and can be cemented either open or closed as well, as is the hood assembly with two flaps. No engine or interior is provided for the engine bay.

The fenders are two-piece units, but the stowage bins are only offered as closed parts. The front MG 42 shield is offered as either a single piece of styrene or a three-piece etched brass option. Other RP parts include the “Notek” headlight and mount and the drum magazines for the two MG 42 machine guns. The weapons appear to be very close to scale, something I don’t recall from other manufacturers in the past!

Two finishing options are provided: both are for our old friend “Unidentified Unit 1944” but one is Eastern Front in sand and one is Western Europe with the halftrack in the popular “ambush” tricolor scheme. A small set of generic license plates from Cartograf is provided.

Overall this kit improves on the series and should be very popular with small-scale modelers.

Thanks to DML for the review sample.

Sprue Layout:

• A 27 251 Ausf. D upper hull and details
• B 37 251 common details - road wheels
• C 27 x 2 251 Ausf. D internal details and wheel assemblies
• D 2 DS plastic track runs
• H 30 Pak 40 gun and upper carriage
• I 1 251 Ausf. D lower hull
• J 34 Pak 40 lower carriage and choice of wheels
• MA 5 Etched brass
• MA 1 Etched brass
• MB 1 Length of steel wire