Germany fielded a wide range of halftracks during WWII. The Sd.Kfz.10, one of the lighter types, was conceived as a prime mover for small, towed anti-tank or antiaircraft guns. Measuring 4.5m long and weighing 4.9 tonnes, this Demag-designed vehicle had a 1-ton payload capacity. Around 14,000 Sd.Kfz.10 halftracks were built from 1938-45. Several specialist vehicles were based on this design, with a rather unique conversion appearing in 1941. This saw a 5cm PaK 38 L/60 gun being mounted on the rear of an Sd.Kfz.10 to create a light anti-tank platform. The wheels were removed from the PaK 38 but it retained its armored shield and the weapon could traverse. In addition, armor plate was added to the engine compartment and driver’s cab. It’s thought these unique vehicles were mostly issued to Waffen-SS units. 

THE KIT

Here is another of Dragon's offerings on the Sdkfz.10 chassis. This time it is sort of an SPG with the 50mm PaK 38 gun on it. To allow it some survivability at the front lines, the engine compartment and windscreen have been armored. This is the biggest visual difference between this kit and the standard version. in the back, the seats are gone, replaced with a newly tooled mount for the gun and its equipment. The blurb states that the tracks for this kit, which are separate link, have been improved over the first run or two. Each link has a separate pad, but due to the shortness of the run, it should not be a major deal. Etched metal is used for some small stuff like wheel hubs, fighting compartment braces, rear mud flaps and the like. A full listing of features from the Dragon PR folks is listed below:

- Newly tooled armored cover on engine hood produced in multiple parts 
- Unique version of Zugkraftwagen 1t w/full detail 
- Photo-etched straps for ammunition boxes 
- Realistic-looking folded soft-top roof w/photo-etched detail 
- Armored louvers on vehicle front 
- Intricately detailed internal mechanical components-engine gear box, fuel tank, compressed air tank suspension and exhaust 
- Wing mirror and spotlight w/crisp details 
- Authentic driver's cab w/photo-etched details 
- On-vehicle tools w/clasp detail 
- Breech replicates the original PaK 38 
- Gun shield is true to scale 
- Muzzle brake with fine detail 
- Slide-molded suspension arms and springs w/delicate detail 
- One-piece slide-molded lower hull 
- Intricate engine housing 
- Realistic engine hood formed from multiple parts w/open louver detail 
- Engine represented by multiple parts 
- 2 types of battery boxes available as options 
- Delicate fuel tank included 
- Delicate gearbox included 
- Injection-molded fenders made to thinnest possible dimensions 
- Intricate components for rear compartment represented by multiple parts 
- Fully detailed steering components 
- Suspension system as per real vehicle 
- Rear chassis w/realistic towing pintle exactly as on original 
- Gun mount installed in fighting compartment 
- Road wheels w/precise details 
- Drive sprocket w/multi-part assembly to achieve the highest levels of detail and accuracy 
- Detailed Magic Tracks reproduced 

The decal sheet is basically generic stuff to allow you to make your own licenses along with dash instruments and some data plates. The instructions show two color options. One being assigned to Panzer Grenadier Division 'LAH' at Kharkov in 1943. This is painted in panzer tan with large green and brown splotches. The other is the box art vehicle from an unknown unit in the Eastern Front with a winter whitewash over Panzer Grey.

This is now, by my count, the third vehicle done on the Sdkfz 10 chassis and I would not doubt that there are more to come as Dragon likes to cover all the variants when it spends the loot to tool a kit.

Dragon web site

August 2013 

Thanks to www.dragonmodelsusa.com for the preview kit. You can get yours at your local hobby shop or on-line retailer.

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