Dragon 1/72 Sd.Kfz.251 Ausf.C w/3.7cm PaK 35/36 (Towing Mode) | 7352 Dragon

One of the iconic German armored vehicles of WWII was the Sd.Kfz.251 series of halftracks, with “Sd.Kfz.” standing for Sonderkraftfahrzeug. Dragon has produced a number of highly successful 1/72 scale halftrack kits thus far, and another one has just joined the family. The latest addition is an Sd.Kfz.251/1 Ausf.C which depicts the welded hull rather than the earlier riveted hull.

The Ausf.C was the first large series-production run of the Sd.Kfz.251 halftrack, although the design with its many angled plates was complex to build. What makes this delightful kit more unusual is that this standard personnel carrier version comes with a towed 3.7cm PaK 35/36 antitank gun. While some versions of the Sd.Kfz.251 were originally designed to mount this diminutive antitank cannon directly onto the halftrack’s hull, this kit is towing the gun on its standard two-wheeled carriage. As the war progressed, the penetration power of the PaK 35/36 rapidly proved inadequate in the face of heavier armor on enemy tanks. This led to its users labeling it with the nickname “Door Knocker” The and model makers will appreciate the usefulness of 3.7cm PaK 35/36 cannon produced finely in 1/72 scale. The small gun barrel has a hollow muzzle thanks to the employment of slide molds. The various engine hatches and troop compartment doors can be displayed open or closed as the modeler chooses. With the halftrack and antitank gun combination, modelers have a choice of producing an Eastern or Western Front diorama, or if they prefer, simply an attractive model display.