TopColors #36 is for the armor fan and specifically for the Panzer III and variants. This set includes a total of 16 different vehicles. Like others in the series it is tough to categorize, but since it has decals in it, that is where I place it.

Each of the 16 vehicles has a page devoted to it with a full page color profile and often with either detail images, a photo of the real vehicle or both included. Each one of these has a small history of the vehicles depicted in both English and Polish. I swiped the sheet image from Kagero's web site as my attempts at scanning it resulted in an image that, no matter how I tried to manipulate it, did not show the white bits.

Here is what is included:

- Pz.Kpfw. III (Funk) Ausf. J named “Strolch II” from Versuchskommando (F.L.) Tropen, North Africa, September 1942,

- Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. F/8 coded “A” and named “Henni” from an unidentified unit, late 1942,

- Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. J coded “100” from 1./Pz.Abt.18, Vielikiye Luki area, winter of 1942-1943,

- Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. G coded “02” from Pz.Komp. (Fkl.) 314, Battle of Kursk, Russia, July 1943,

- Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. N coded “R14” from staff of Pz.Rgt.25 from 7th Panzer Division, Battle of Kursk, Russia, July 1943,

- Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. M coded “24” from staff of Pz.Rgt. Groβdeutschland, Eastern Front, summer 1943,

- Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. F/8 coded “35” from III./Pz.Rgt. HG of Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1. Hermann Göring, Sicily, July-August 1943,

- Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. J/L coded “234” from 2./Pz.Rgt.33 Prinz Eugen of 9th Panzer Division, Bryansk area, August 1943,

- Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. G coded “943” from 9./Pz.Rgt.24, northern Italy, September 1943,

- Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. G coded “10” from Stug.Abt.237 attached to the 18th Panzergrenadier Division, vehicle of the 1. Battery CO, Hptm. Bodo Spranz, Yelnya, Russia, October 1943,

- Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. N coded “301” of the CO of Panzer-Sicherungs-Kompanie 3, Oblt. Karl-Friedrich Bohn; Slovenia-Croatia, October-November 1943,

- Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. G from StuG.Abt.270 attached to Ski.Jag.Brig.1, Germany, winter of 1943-44,

- Panzerbeobachtungswagen III Ausf. F/G coded “2701” from an unidentified unit, Eastern Front, 1944,

- Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. N coded “211” from Pz.Abt.208, northern Italy, August 1944,

- Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. F/8 coded “001” from Pz.Jg.Abt.61, 11th Panzer Division, France, September 1944,

- Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. G coded “223” and named “Elsa/Nelly” from Pz.Jg.Abt.346, 346th Infantry Division, Holland, May 1945.

 Typical of the series, Kagero offers you decals for each one depicted. In this case, the markings are in 1/72, 1/48, and 1/35. They are superbly printed and I detected no issues with registration.  As armor is generally minimally marked, the dedicated panzer III modeler, if using all three scales, could complete a whopping 48 models with this sheet.

When you consider that the average cost of a decal sheet or a book alone, this one is a real bargain.

July 2013

Review book courtesy of the fine folks at Kagero. You can get yours at the link. 

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.