Monday, June 3

New art & CADs of MiniArt's 35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/4 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen full interior kit.

A big gun to ambush & a fast reverse speed make this Schwerer Panzerspähwagen 7.5cm a deadly adversary, but also a great modelling subject. We look at MiniArt's new kit in 35th scale in CADs & art in our preview...



New art & CADs of MiniArt's 35th scale Sd.Kfz. 234/4 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen full interior kit.

Sd.Kfz. 234/4 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen 7.5cm full interior kit
From MiniArt
1/35th scale
Kit No#35427
Full interior included.
Four marking choices are included.
The Subject: The Sd.Kfz. 234/4 "Puma" Schwerer Panzerspähwagen 
The s.Pz.Sp.Wg. (7,5 cm) Sd.Kfz.234/4 (full name: Schwerer Panzerspähwagen 7.5 cm Sonderkraftfahrzeug 234/4 Panzerabwehrkanonenwagen) was a relatively improvised variant on the Sd.Kfz.234 chassis. An eight wheeled armoured car with a 7.5 PaK – Panzerabwehrkanone or anti-tank gun. Schwerer Panzerspähwagen is German for heavy armoured scout car. 
These Sd.Kfz.234 special purpose vehicles came in four variants:
- 234/1 – 2 cm Autocannon
- 234/2 – 5 cm gun and 1 MG42 nicknamed Puma
- 234/3 – 7,5 cm gun
- 234/4 – 7,5 PaK (Panzerabwehrkanone or Anti Tank Gun).

This 7.5cm gun version was created in late 1944 to partially prevent the guns like the PaK 40s from falling behind during the constant retreat of the Germans on all fronts. By removing the superstructure of the Sd.Kfz.234 and installing a PaK 40 mount with a small cut in the bottom half of the shield, the gun could roll into position, take shots, and drive at full speed in reverse.

A Schwerer Panzerspähwagen 7.5 cm Sonderkraftfahrzeug 234/4 Panzerabwehrkanonenwagen captured by Russian soldiers
The 234/4, 7.5cm PaK was characterized by a high standard of construction quality that offered mobility (the 234 could reach a maximum speed of 85 km/h on the road), limited protection, and offensive capability in the hard hitting 7.5cm gun. 
The powerful 75 mm gun KwK 40 was capable of penetrating much of the armour of opposing enemy vehicles. It was installed in a fixed position in the centre of the “open air” combat chamber. The protection of the crew was afforded by a shield, like that of the Pak 40 used by the infantry. 

Sd.Kfz. 234/4 Pakwagen, Munster Panzermuseum, Germany
However, with the weight of this gun, the 234 chassis was stretched to its limits. This variant was manufactured from the end of 1944, right until the end of hostilities in 1945.

Sd.Kfz. 234/4 surrendered to the U.S. at the IV Panzer Corps in Czechoslovakia. Now the U.S. Army Armor & Cavalry.

The kit:
This is a highly detailed model kit of the Sd.Kfz. 234/4 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen with a 7.5 cm gun mounted on its chassis. The kit includes a full interior, with all of the detailed parts you will need to recreate the insides of this kit. There are photo-etched parts also, but these are to represent the thinner and harder to mould, or easier to break, fine parts of the kit. There will be four decal options to customize your model.

The CADs showing the model in detail with variations marked as well as photo-etch...
The options of the kit - opened or closed as are here - are marked in blue
The PaK 40 is seen with three different muzzles and a canvas covered version for a vehicle in transit or storage.
The vehicle with the complete upper hull removed showing you all of the internal parts supplied with this kit...
The full engine as supplied kits in this series have the 14,825 cc (905 in3) Tatra 103 V12 diesel with 157 kW (211 hp) - it is a big engine, and with a lot of ignition and wiring harnesses, you can see that MiniArt has supplied all of this inside the box.
As with any recon and light fighting vehicle, the radio and RT gear is all included. Photo-eth covers the extra fuel tanks to provide scale thickness to these straps.
The eight independent suspension wheels all turn in that oddly non-uniform manner...

This kit from MiniArt will soon be available - Until then, keep an eye on the MiniArt's website or just look in here for more info on MiniArt’s new stuff.