Dragon 1/35 Marder III Ausf.M Initial Production # 6464

The Marder III Ausf.M Initial Production was a German tank destroyer that was developed during World War II.

It was based on the chassis of the Panzer 38(t) tank and was designed to provide mobile anti-tank support for German armoured units.

The Marder III Ausf.M was armed with a powerful 75mm gun that was capable of penetrating the armour of most Allied tanks.

It had a maximum speed of around 42 km/h and was operated by a crew of four.

The tank destroyer's open-topped design made it vulnerable to enemy fire, but it's thick armour and high mobility made it an effective weapon in the hands of skilled operators.

The Marder III Ausf.M was introduced in 1943 and saw service on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II.

The tank destroyer was used primarily in a defensive role, providing anti-tank support to German units and helping to hold off Allied advances.

However, it was also used in offensive operations and was effective at taking out enemy tanks and armoured vehicles.

Despite its many strengths, the Marder III Ausf.M was not without its weaknesses. Its open-topped design made it vulnerable to enemy fire, and its high silhouette made it easy to spot on the battlefield.

In addition, its limited ammunition capacity and relatively slow rate of fire made it less effective in prolonged engagements.

Overall, however, the Marder III Ausf.M Initial Production was a valuable asset to the German military during World War II.

It's powerful gun and high mobility made it an effective tank destroyer and its compact size made it easy to transport and deploy.

Despite its limitations, it played an important role in the defence of German positions and was a formidable opponent on the battlefield.

Almost as soon as WWII began, Germany began to realize it had a weakness in the penetration power of its tank guns.

This truth was forcefully rammed home when panzers began facing well-armoured Russian tanks like the T-34 and KV-1.

There was an urgent need for mobile antitank weapons, and one solution was the Marder III Ausf.M based on the chassis of the Czech-designed Panzer 38(t).

(Note, the “M” in Ausf.M stands for Mittelmotor, referring to the mid-engine layout).

This tank destroyer mounted a 75mm PaK 40/3 L/46 antitank gun set well back on the hull.

The Marder III Ausf.M was the most widely produced Marder variant, with 975 vehicles built from April 1943 to May 1944.

Marders fought in all theatres, and some 350 Ausf.M were still in service in February 1945.

Dragon will release a fine 1/35 scale rendition of a Marder III Ausf.M Initial Production vehicle.

No detail has been spared on this kit, and it is bulging and rippling with fine detail.

The open-topped fighting compartment is crammed with components such as ammo racks and rounds that will allow modellers to really go to town.

Using Dragon’s proprietary “Ultra Slim” moulding technique, the edges of the armour plates in this fighting compartment are produced to an extremely realistic thickness.

This attractive vehicle makes widespread use of slide-moulded plastic parts (e.g. a one-piece lower hull) to squeeze every last drop of detail from the available technology.

There is also a liberal supply of photo-etched elements (e.g. exhaust shield, mudguards) to give that extra degree of finesse that modellers crave.

Based on intensive research, this kit is carefully configured as an Initial Production vehicle and offers many convenient elements such as Magic Tracks and the option of showing the engine compartment open or closed.

As a Smart Kit, this new item will give great pleasure to model connoisseurs!

Fighting Compartment:
- Injection armour plates in "Ultra Slim" thickness
- The roof of the fighting compartment comes with different bolt details
- Full interior detail for fighting compartment Shell racks finely made
- Option of showing ammunition rounds in the rack
- Periscope made from clear parts
- Handrail accurately reproduced
- Detailed radio unit
- Weather tarp support with the fine detail reproduced

Gun:
- Workable breach
- Gun travel lock reproduced with crisp detail
- New gun shield and recoil guards for PaK40 that traverses and elevates
- The gun shield is produced by 3-directional slide moulds

Upper Hull:
- Delicate detailed lower mount for PaK 40/3
- Perforated storage box finely made from individual parts
- Upper hull rendered with delicate detail
- Engine deck cover can be assembled open/closed

Lower Hull, Suspension & Wheels:
- New mud flap represented by photo-etched parts
- Slide-molded one-piece chassis with delicate details
- The mud flap and rear panel can be assembled as optional
- New external exhaust pipe w/photo-etched exhaust cover
- Engine compartment rear panel is sharply detailed
- Lower-hull frontal armour has crisp detail
- Engine exhibits delicate details thanks to separate parts
- Two optional types of sprocket
- Sprocket and idler wheels accurately tooled
- Road wheels and suspension with crisp detail

Others:
- Bonus perforated storage box made from photo-etched parts
- Two types of plastic ammunition shell cases, ammo
- bes and cases with decal marking
- Magic tracks with casting-number details embossed on every link
- New Cartograf decal