Dragon 1/35 German Sd.Kfz.234/4 Panzerspahwagen # 6772

Germany created a number of successful schwerer Panzerspahwagen (“heavy armored reconnaissance vehicles”).

An important family of vehicles in this class was the Sd.Kfz.234. Design work commenced in August 1940 and the Sd.Kfz.234 had four distinct variants, the last of which was the Sd.Kfz.234/4.

It is this 8-wheeled vehicle that is the subject of Dragon’s newest 1/35 scale plastic kit.

Reflecting the state of the war by that stage, this 6m-long vehicle was more of a tank hunter than a reconnaissance vehicle.

It boasted a complete 7.5cm PaK 40 L/46 anti-tank gun installed in the open-topped fighting compartment, though the gun’s traverse was limited to 12 either side.

Only 89 vehicles were produced by Bussing-NAG between December 1944 and March 1945, but they were employed on both the Eastern and Western Fronts.

Some time ago, Dragon released a 1/35 scale kit of the Sd.Kfz.234/4 (Item No.DRG6221), but it has now received the royal Premium Edition treatment.

Upgrades include the addition of driveshafts and tie rods that allow all the wheels to be steered/angled, just like on the original vehicle.

It also has two different kinds of road wheels for selection.

This kit accurately replicates the unique shape of this hard-hitting German 8x8 armored vehicle, and the Premium Edition version makes it even more appealing and up to date.

Features:

- Exhaust pipe can be optionally assembled on either left or right
- Newly designed Sd.Kfz. 234/4
- Authentically recreated suspension and steering assembly
- Wheels made from multiple parts for maximum details
- Wheels hubs are finely detailed
- Wheels can be adjusted to different positions
- One-piece upper hull complete with weld seams and bolt pattern
- 3-directional slide-molded hull bottom provides superb detail
- Slide-molded side fenders for Sd.Kfz. 234/4
- One-piece chassis frame is slide molded to give finer detail
- Detailed spare tire mount
- Engine deck ventilation louvers with open/closed option
- Both front and rear steering controls superbly reproduced
- Detailed breech can be assembled open/closed
- Interior details of PaK 40
- Working gun travel lock
- Driver's vision ports can be assembled open/closed
- Detailed instrument panels and radio face
- Delicate PaK 40 mount reproduced
- Interior details on escape hatches are accurately modeled
- Storage boxes molded on fender
- Double-layer ultra-thin gun shield w/rivets
- Finely detailed front engine compartment cover
- Transparent parts for driver's vision port contribute to great interior detail
- Detailed transmission cover
- Authentic multi-part muffler
- Ammo boxes can be assembled open/closed
- Optional loaded/unloaded ammo rack inside
- Extendable jack made up of separate parts
- 3 kinds of slide-molded muzzle brakes
- 2 types of plastic ammunition shell casting, ammo tubes (open/closed) and metal cases
- Cleaning rods and on-vehicle tools reproduced
- Additional on-vehicle tools w/o clasps