Dragon 1/35 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.M w/Wading Muffler | 6558 Dragon

Features:

– Slide-molded engine deck for Pz.III Ausf.M
– Water-resistant muffler w/realistic detail
– Two types of exhaust pipe included as options
– Two types of muffler mount provided as options
– Optional add-on armor for gun mantlet
– Top plate for spaced armor over mantlet
– Photo-etched parts provided as option for mantlet add-on armor
– Turret made by 3-direcitonal slide molds
– Commander’s hatch w/interior detail
– Direct sighting post can be made from photo-etched part
– Clear parts for vision port glass
– Gun barrels are slide molded
– Slide-molded recuperator housing w/great detail
– 3-directional slide-molded gun sleeve for greater detail
– 5cm Kw.K L/60 gun w/delicate detail
– Optional brackets for extra armor on hull top
– Optional extra armor on fighting compartment front plate
– Side hatches can be assembled open/closed w/interior details
– Finely detailed rear turret hooks and stowage bin brackets
– Injection-molded tow cables for engine deck
– Incorporates toothed ring in turret interior
– Access panel w/great design
– Delicate brake-cooling inlets produced for frontal plate
– Commander’s cupola realistically recreates structural details
– Cupola vision blocks can be assembled open/closed
– Complete gun assembly w/full detail
– Includes hollowed-out undercut on turret bottom
– Turret side hooks especially designed w/undercut details
– One-piece slide-molded lower hull is superbly detailed
– Lower hull sides come w/full detail
– Finely detailed hull bottom weld seams
– Slide-molded torsion bars included
– Cooling air intake cover included
– Toolbox w/padlock produced by slide mold
– Slide-molded stowage bin w/fine details can be assembled open/closed
– Jack reproduced in multiple parts
– Slide-molded hydraulic shock absorbers extremely well detailed
– Detailed suspension swing arms
– Air intake covers w/mounts realistically reproduced
– Fenders w/pattern detail on both top and bottom surfaces
– Injection-molded on-vehicle tools provided w/clasps
– Final-drive housing covers are separate parts for maximum detail
– Accurate sprocket wheels
– Road wheels w/accurate details
– Idler wheels w/photo-etched parts
– Detailed track tension adjuster
– 40cm Magic Tracks

By now most members of the popular Panzer III family have been created in 1/35 scale as Smart Kits by Dragon. However, there was one glaring gap between the Ausf.E, F, H, J and N that needed to be filled. Now Dragon is very pleased to be able to announce the long-awaited release of the Panzer III Ausf.M! The Ausf.M was successor to the Ausf.L, and it shared the same 5cm KwK39 L/60 main gun. Among its modifications was a deep-wading muffler with a series of associated hatch seals that allowed fording of water obstacles up to a depth of 1.3m. This performance represented a significant fording improvement over earlier Panzer IIIs. The hull-mounted smoke generators were also replaced with three 90mm NbK dischargers mounted either side of the turret. A total of 250 new Ausf.M tanks were produced from October 1942 to February 1943.

Interestingly, a large number of medium Panzer III M tanks were converted into StuG.III or Panzer III Ausf.N vehicles. However, model-makers will certainly not wish to do so with their new kit, because inside the box lie all the necessary and desirable ingredients to create a spectacular Panzer III M with its deep-wading exhaust system. Offered as a Smart Kit, it is extremely well engineered and the parts separation is cleverly handled by the engineering team. In addition to the obviously exhaust system, one of the new components are the tow cables stowed on the engine deck. This 1/35 plastic kit offers a perfect balance of accuracy and ease of assembly – the perfect project for modelers to wade into!