Tag Archives: italeri

German VK 4501 (P) (Italeri)

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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

German Panzerkampfwagen VI, Tiger Ausf. E (Italeri)

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This is the Italeri 6471 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Panzerkampfwagen VI, Tiger Ausf. E’.

German Panzerkampfwagen VI, Tiger Ausf. E

History

Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank developed in 1942 and used in World War II. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger.

It was an answer to the unexpectedly impressive Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union, particularly the T-34 and the KV-1. The Tiger I gave the Wehrmacht its first tank mounting the 88mm gun, in its first armoured fighting vehicle-dedicated version, the (KwK 36).

During the course of the war, the Tiger I saw combat on all German battlefronts. It was usually deployed in independent tank battalions, which proved to be quite formidable.

Source: Wikipedia

Manufacturer

German Panzerkampfwagen VI, Tiger Ausf. E (Italeri)

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This is the Italeri 0286 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Panzerkampfwagen VI, Tiger Ausf. E’.

German Panzerkampfwagen VI, Tiger Ausf. E

History

The Tiger was certainly the most famous armored vehicle of World War II. Its fire power and protective armor made it the dominating factor on all battle fields during the years 1943-44. It did, however, present considerable problems, due to its complex mechanical construction.

The Tiger crews were continuously engaged in maintenance work, which was aggravated through extreme conditions in the African desert and the Russian Plains.

Source: Trumpeter website

Manufacturer

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German JagdPanzer IV, Ausf. F (Italeri)

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This is the Italeri 6488 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German JagdPanzer IV, Ausf. F’.

German JagdPanzer IV, Ausf. F

History

The JagdPanzer Mark IV self-propelled tank-killer was built on the chassis of the Pz.Kpw.IV, one of the most efficient and widely used German tanks of the Second World War.

Characterised by a low profile, the Mark IVs were produced in their hundreds, steadily being improved and fitted with better weaponry such as the long-barrelled 7.5 cm gun that made it a match for any Allied tank.

Source: Italeri website

Manufacturer

German Sturmmörser Tiger mit 38 cm RW 61 (Italeri)

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This is the Italeri 0299 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Sturmmörser Tiger mit 38 cm RW 61’.

German Sturmmörser Tiger mit 38 cm RW 61

History

During World War II the German Army had to combat frequently fortified positions or urban defense centers. Due to tactical reason – the troops were at short distance to the enemy lines – artillery and air support could not be engaged.This led to the development of the “Sturm” version of the “Tiger” heavy tank. Onto the heavy-duty chassis the efficient and unique 38 cm mortar was mounted, which had a short range but enormous fire power.

Only few units of the Sturmtiger were built and were mainly used in 1994 at the Eastern front.

Source: Italeri website

Manufacturer

German Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. F1/F2 (Early version) (Italeri)

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This is the Italeri 6514 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. F1/F2, early version’.

German Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. F1/F2, early version

History

The Panzer IV was the most extensively used German tank during the Second World War. It represented the “backbone” of the German Panzer Divisions on all operational theaters.The production of Panzer IV Ausf. F, started in 1941, marked a decisive boost in the evolution of the tank. It featured an improved armor on the turret and hull.

The first version of Panzer IV F, featuring the traditional 7.5 cm. KwK 37 short-barreled cannon, were not able to fight successfully against the Soviet T-34 and KV-1 heavy armoured tank.The adoption of the anti-tank design KwK 40 long-barreled cannon, on the Ausf. F2 version, has decisively increased the Panzer IV effectiveness against enemy tanks.

Thanks to its new high velocity and high penetration gun, the Panzer IV became, once again, “lethal” on the battlefields.

Source: Italeri website

Manufacturer

German Panzerkampfwagen VI, Tiger I – Hybrid (Italeri)

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This is the Italeri 6487 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Panzerkampfwagen VI, Tiger I – Hybrid’.

German Panzerkampfwagen VI, Tiger I - Hybrid

History

During the last years of the war, the Germans, to make up for their scarce production output, reconditioned vehicles that were worn-out by the war use.

Period photos show that at the moment of Germany’s defeat, many vehicles had been collected in factories, and were ready to be put back in operation by replacing worn-out or combat-damaged parts. Reliable sources confirm that the last Tigers to come out of assembly lines were reconstructed with salvaged materials: 54 hulls and 32 turrets of the first series, possibly from tanks used in training units.Their wheels were replaced by the latest, full-metal ones, and on some tanks the anti-magnetic “Zimmerit” paste was applied directly in the factory. These tanks were assigned to training schools to form new crews.

In the last weeks of war, they took part in the last engagements of the various Kampfgruppe (combat groups formed with units coming from different detachments) that were trying to stop the Allied units swarming over Germany from East and West.

Source: Italeri website

Manufacturer

German Panzerjäger Elefant (Italeri)

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This is the Italeri 0211 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Panzerjäger Elefant’.

German Panzerjäger Elefant

History

The Elefant tank hunter was probably the biggest armored vehicle built during World War II.Officially designed as Jagdpanzer Tiger (P) Elefant, a considerable number of them were built. After the famous tank battle at Kursk, on the Russian front, they were moved to Italy where they operated until 1944.

Source: Italeri website

Manufacturer

Russian BM-13, Katyusha (Italeri)

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This is the Italieri 6264 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian BM-13, Katyusha’.

Russian BM-13, Katyusha

History

Katyusha multiple rocket launchers are a type of rocket artillery first built and fielded by the Soviet Union in World War II. Multiple rocket launchers such as these deliver a devastating amount of explosives to a target area more quickly than conventional artillery, but with lower accuracy and requiring a longer time to reload.

They are fragile compared to artillery guns, but are inexpensive and easy to produce.Katyushas of World War II, the first self-propelled artillery mass-produced by the Soviet Union, were usually mounted on trucks. This mobility gave the Katyusha (and other self-propelled artillery) another advantage: being able to deliver a large blow all at once, and then move before being located and attacked with counter-battery fire.

Source: Wikipedia

Manufacturer

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Russian Medium Tank, T-55 (Italeri)

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This is the Italieri 6427 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian Medium Tank, T-55’.

Russian Medium Tank, T-55

History

The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just as the Second World War ended.

The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of the Warsaw Pact countries, and others. T-54s and T-55s were involved in many of the world’s armed conflicts during the late 20th and early 21st century.

Source: Wikipedia

Manufacturer

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German Panzerkampfwagen IV, Ausf. F1/F2 (Italeri)

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This is the Italeri 6217 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Panzerkampfwagen IV, Ausf. F1/F2’.

German Panzerkampfwagen IV, Ausf. F1/F2

History

The Panzer IV was developed during the opening months of World War Two to equip German armoured divisions with a tank having a 7.5 cm cannon.

Given the shortcomings of the previous Panzer III, equipped with a 5 cm gun (often in difficulty against the Soviet T34 with its 5 cm gun and highly effective armour), it also featured enhanced protection.

The Mark IV was used extensively by the German Army on all fronts during the Second World War: numerous variants were produced to counter the constant improvements made to enemy tanks.

Source: Italeri website

Manufacturer

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