Cyber-hobby 1/35 Stug III (Fl)

The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was Germany's most produced armoured fighting vehicle during World War II. It was built on the chassis of the proven Panzer III tank. Initially intended as a mobile, armoured light gun for infantry support, the StuG was continually modified and was widely employed as a tank destroyer.

In 1943, 10 StuG IIIs were converted to StuG III (Flamm) configuration by replacing the main gun with a Schwade flamethrower. These chassis were all refurbished at the depot level and were a variety of pre-Ausf. F models. There are no reports to indicate any of these were used in combat and all were returned to Ausf. G standard at depot level by 1944.

Trust in Cyber-hobby to hunt up those vehicles that were built either in small numbers or only as prototypes and get enough detail to make a kit from that information. This is one of your typical Smart Kits with individual track links and some photo etch to add to the detail. It looks very much like a rather standard StuG III with additional pieces added to it to make the flame thrower version. The most noticeable is that of the 'gun' which has no breech and instead the flame throwing apparatus. It also has a photo etch front shield in place of the usual mantlet.

One thing I did see in the kit were two tanks to hold the liquid used for the flame thrower. This version also has two 'pods' on the side of the main gun structure that hold radios. It is a nicely done kit that has a ton of features as noted below:

Newly produced Sturmgeschütz III (Fl)
Fighting compartment hatches can be open/closed
Radio set w/new housing cover
Air-intake covers w/mounts are accurately reproduced
The engine deck cover is realistically presented
Air deflector accurately represented
Photo-etched mesh is included
Cooling air-intakes are slide-molded
Photo-etched air-intake grills
Newly produced 7.5cm StuK 40 L/48 w/travel lock
Photo-etched turret cover newly produced
Details are molded on fender's surfaces
Fender support reproduced
Lower hull sides come w/full detail
Pattern of bottom hull is presented w/details
One-piece slide-molded lower hull
Injection-molded OVM w/clasps
Driver vision port w/clear plastic part
One-piece driver vision port armor w/nut details
Multi-directional slide-molded superstructure w/bolt detail
Easy assembled multi-piece upper hull for maximum details
Slide-molded engine deck
Steering brake inspection hatch can be modeled open/closed
Delicate Magic Tracks
Idler wheels w/photo-etched parts
Detailed track tension adjuster
Road wheels w/accurate details
Final drive housing covers are separate parts for maximum detail
Accurate sprocket wheels

As there were so few built and none were apparently used in combat, all of these are simply overall panzer tan with insignia. Instructions show where each of the 750 parts are to be placed and the painting guide uses the normal Gunze  paint references.

For those who like the less than usual, this is a kit you should very much consider. It will make into a great looking model and should be popular with those who like to do whiffers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stug_III

June 2012

Thanks to www.dragonmodelsusa.com for the preview kit. This should be available now at your local retailer.

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

Back to the Main Page

Back to the Review Index Page

Back to the Previews Index Page