Russian Heavy Tank KV-2

This is the Tamiya 35 375 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian Heavy Tank KV-2’.

Russian Heavy Tank KV-2

History

In December 1939 the KV-1 was officially adopted by the Soviet military; it was followed by the KV-2, a heavier design based upon the KV-1 chassis, but upgunned to a 152mm howitzer with the intention of breaking enemy strongholds.

In order to accommodate the larger gun, the KV-2 was given a remarkably tall turret. Around two hundred were produced, and supply to the military began in July 1940.

The following June, Nazi Germany invaded and the KV-2 – while suffering a number of breakdowns – took part in Soviet resistance against the invaders, their 152mm guns and impressive survivability enabling some amazing feats, helping stem the tide.

Source: Tamiya website

Manufacturer

American Tank Destroyer M18 Hellcat

This is the Tamiya 35 376 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘American Tank Destroyer M18 Hellcat’.

American Tank Destroyer M18 Hellcat

History

The M18 Hellcat was an American tank destroyer developed to counter the German Army tanks, and it featured an open top design turret and powerful 76mm gun, plus a main gun breech rotated 45 degrees around the gun barrel to save space in the turret interior.

It had a compact, lightweight hull, automatic transmission and the first torsion bar suspension seen on U.S. armor. Its radial 9-cylinder engine at the hull rear was capable of 80 km/h maximum speed which was the highest speed among tracked vehicles during WWII.

The production started in July, 1943 and the Hellcat was in service for the first time at the Italian Front in 1944. After that, this tank destroyer was deployed in the North-Western European and Pacific War theaters, notably besting the German Army tanks with super performance and firepower based on hit-and-run tactics. The Hellcat contributed to U.S. victory as a pioneer of tank destroyers.

Source: Tamiya website

Manufacturer

German Heavy Self-Propelled Howitzer Hummel (Late production) (Tamiya)

This is the Tamiya 35 367 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Heavy Self-Propelled Howitzer Hummel (Late production)’.

German Heavy Self-Propelled Howitzer Hummel (Late production)

History

The Hummel was developed by German designers in short time, intended to provide a quick boost for troops that had begun to struggle in the aftermath of their invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

The chassis was a hybrid using parts from the Pz.Kpfw.III and IV, and the gun was the powerful sFH18/1 15cm piece that fired 43.5kg howitzer rounds distances up to and over 13 kilometers.

Hummels joined the fray from 1943 in the showdown Battle of Kursk, and served through the second half of WWII.

Source: Tamiya website

Manufacturer

German Brummbär (Late production) (Tamiya)

This is the Tamiya 35 353 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Brummbär (Late production)’.

German Brummbär (Late production)

History

Developed for infantry support during WWII, the Assault Tank IV married the trusty Pz.Kpfw.IV chassis with a simple fighting compartment featuring 100mm of front and 50mm of side armor, plus a high-powered 15cm gun that could defeat 160mm of 30-degree armor from 5km.

Its variants can largely be grouped into early, mid and late production types, the latter of which was most numerous with 160 examples manufactured between May 1944 and March 1945. Feedback from crews of earlier Brummbärs had led to new a fighting compartment design and cupola, plus partial use of steel road wheels.

Brummbärs were assigned to their own dedicated Assault Tank Battalions and fought on the Eastern Front and in Italy as the war drew to its conclusion.

Source: Tamiya website

Manufacturer

German Panzerkampfwagen IV, Ausf. F (Tamiya)

This is the Tamiya 35 374 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Panzerkampfwagen IV, Ausf. F’.

German Panzerkampfwagen IV, Ausf. F

History

In service throughout WWII, the Pz.Kpfw.IV was a durable servant to the German Army.

The Ausf. F was the last variant to utilize a short-barreled gun: the L/24 7.5cm KwK37, and was also equipped with wider tracks to cope with the increasing thicknesses of armor.

470 Ausf. F Pz.Kpfw.IVs were manufactured between May 1941 and February 1942, mainly seeing action on the Eastern Front and in North Africa and taking on enemy armor such as the Soviet KV tanks and the British Matilda.

Source: Tamiya website

Manufacturer

German Marder I (Tamiya)

This is the Tamiya 35 370 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Tank Destroyer Marder I’.

German Tank Destroyer Marder I

History

With the fall of France in June 1940 Nazi Germany came into not only new territory, but also a large amount of captured materiel.

Many of the French armored vehicles were pressed into German service, including the Marder I. It was based upon a late-1930s Lorraine tractor vehicle, paired with the German 7.5cm anti-tank gun and based in a new fighting compartment installed on top.

The Marder I fought on numerous fronts in WWII and its offensive potential made it a foe for Allied forces to fear.

Source: Tamiya website

Manufacturer

Russian Heavy Tank KV-1 Model 1941 (Early production) (Tamiya)

This is the Tamiya 35 372 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian Heavy Tank KV-1 Model 1941 (Early production)’.

Russian Heavy Tank KV-1 Model 1941 (Early production)

History

The Soviet KV-1 was officially adopted in 1939 and went through a number of variants. Model 1941 KV-1s employed the 76.2mm ZIS-5 gun, which could tear through the armor on contemporary German tanks.

The early production variants had a welded turret with armor up to 75mm thick, and hung tough in fierce fighting with German armor following the Nazi German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, contributing to the Soviet resistance that would eventually turn the tables and push back the German advance.

Source: Tamiya website

Manufacturer

German VK 4501 (P) (Italeri)

This is the Italeri 6565 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German VK 4501 (P).

German VK 4501 (P)

History

The German Army, during the Second World War, expressed the specific need to have available a heavy tank, characterized by an high protective armor and armed with a high velocity gun able to defeat every kind of enemy tank.

Ferdinand Porsche, to meet the request, developed the heavy tank VK 4501 (P) prototype. The tank introduced several innovative solutions for the time but not enough reliable. In fact, during the testing, the tank highlighted some weaknesses in the driving system and in the engine that didn’t permit to go ahead with the mass production.

The German Army preferred the Henschel prototype, the VK 4501 (H), which became the development base for the famous and lethal Tiger I. However, from the first production batch of the VK 4501 (P) Porsche released other versions as the new heavy Jagdpanzer “Ferdinand“ that mounted the longer 88mm. gun.

Source: Italeri website

Manufacturer

Wheel, German (Friulmodel)

Aside

Friulmodel

Aftermarket metal wheels for my German vehicles, in 1/35 scale.

Please verify the vendor’s website, before using the information below

Panser III

             
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.A              
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.B              
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.E AW-01/A AW-06          
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.F AW-01/A AW-06          
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.G AW-01/A AW-06          
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.H AW-01/A AW-01/B AW-02        
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.J, Initial AW-01/A AW-01/B AW-02        
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.J AW-01/A AW-01/B AW-02        
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.K AW-01/A AW-01/B AW-02        
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.L AW-01/A AW-01/B AW-02        
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.M AW-01/A AW-01/B AW-02        
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.N              
               

Panzer IV

             
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.A AW-03            
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.B AW-03            
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.C AW-03            
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.D AW-03            
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.E AW-04            
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.F AW-04            
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.F2 AW-04            
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.G AW-04 AW-05          
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.H AW-05            
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.J AW-05            
               
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Bergepanzer AW-04            
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Brückenleger AW-03            
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Möbelwagen AW-04            
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ostwind AW-04            
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Wirbelwind AW-04 AW-05          
               

Heavy

             
Tiger I, Initial              
Tiger I, Early              
Tiger I, Middle              
Tiger I, Late              
               

Destroyer

             
Elefant              
Nashorn AW-01/A AW-01/B AW-02        
               

Assault

             
StuG III, Ausf.A AW-01/A AW-06          
StuG III, Ausf.B AW-01/A AW-01/B AW-02        
StuG III, Ausf.C/D AW-01/B AW-02          
StuG III, Ausf.D AW-01/B AW-02          
StuG III, Ausf.E AW-01/B AW-02          
StuG III, Ausf.F AW-02            
StuG III, Ausf.F/8 AW-02            
StuG III, Ausf.G AW-02            
StuG III, Ausf.G – L/48 AW-02            
               
StuG IV AW-05            
StuG IV, Sd.Kfz.167 AW-05            
StuG IV – L/48 AW-05            
StuG IV, Sd.Kfz.1 AW-05            
               
Sturmtiger              
               

Artillery

             
Hummel AW-01/A AW-01/B AW-02        
               

Half-track

             
Sd.Kfz.7 AW-18            
Sd.Kfz.8              
Sd.Kfz.9, Famo              

Source: Friulmodel

Track, German (Friulmodel)

Aside

Friulmodel

Aftermarket working metal track links for my German vehicles, in 1/35 scale.

Please verify the vendor’s website, before using the information below

Panser I

Pz.Kpfw.I ATL-20
Pz.Kpfw.I, Ausf.C (VK 601) ATL-118
Pz.Kpfw.I, Ausf.F ATL-64
Pz.Kpfw.I, s.IG.33 ATL-20

Panser II

Pz.Kpfw.II ATL-30
Pz.Kpfw.II, Ausf.D ATL-52 ATL-53
Pz.Kpfw.II, Ausf.J ATL-64
Pz.Kpfw.II, Ausf.L (Luchs) ATL-36
Pz.Kpfw.II (Flamethrower) ATL-52 ATL-53

Panser III

Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.A ATL-02
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.B ATL-02
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.E ATL-02
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.F ATL-02 ATL-03
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.G ATL-02 ATL-03 ATL-04
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.H ATL-03 ATL-04
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.J, Initial ATL-03 ATL-04 ATL-19
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.J ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-19
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.K ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-19
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.L ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-19
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.M ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-19
Pz.Kpfw.III, Ausf.N ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-19

Panzer IV

Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.A ATL-02
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.B ATL-02
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.C ATL-02
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.D ATL-02
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.E ATL-02 ATL-03 ATL-04 ATL-19
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.F ATL-03 ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-19
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.F2 ATL-03 ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-19 ATL-27 ATL-117
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.G ATL-03 ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-19 ATL-83
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.H ATL-05 ATL-19 ATL-27 ATL-28 ATL-83 ATL-117
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ausf.J ATL-05 ATL-19 ATL-27 ATL-83 ATL-117
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Bergepanzer ATL-04
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Brückenleger ATL-02
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Möbelwagen ATL-05 ATL-27 ATL-117
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Ostwind ATL-04
Pz.Kpfw.IV, Wirbelwind ATL-27 ATL-28 ATL-117

Heavy

Tiger I, Initial ATL-26 ATL-116
Tiger I, Early ATL-25 ATL-26
Tiger I, Middle ATL-06 ATL-26
Tiger I, Late ATL-06 ATL-26

Destroyer

Elefant ATL-23
Nashorn ATL-04 ATL-05

Assault

StuG III, Ausf.A ATL-02 ATL-03
StuG III, Ausf.B ATL-03 ATL-04
StuG III, Ausf.C/D ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-19
StuG III, Ausf.D ATL-03 ATL-04 ATL-19
StuG III, Ausf.E ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-19
StuG III, Ausf.F ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-27 ATL-117
StuG III, Ausf.F/8 ATL-04
StuG III, Ausf.G ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-19 ATL-27 ATL-83 ATL-117
StuG III, Ausf.G – L/48 ATL-04 ATL-19 ATL-27 ATL-117
StuG IV ATL-04 ATL-05
StuG IV, Sd.Kfz.167 ATL-05 ATL-19 ATL-83 ATL-117
StuG IV – L/48 ATL-04 ATL-05 ATL-19
StuG IV, Sd.Kfz.1 ATL-05 ATL-19 ATL-27 ATL-28 ATL-83 ATL-117
Sturmtiger ATL-06 ATL-25 ATL-26
Waffenträger, Krupp 1 ATL-121
Waffenträger, Krupp Steyr ATL-123

Artillery

Bison I/II ATL-122

Half-track

Sd.Kfz.7 ATL-24
Sd.Kfz.8 ATL-169
Sd.Kfz.9, Famo ATL-57 ATL-58
Sd.Kfz.11 ATL-76

Source: Friulmodel