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3.7cm KPUV vz.37/3.7cm PAK 37(t) Special Armour 1:35 History The Skoda works in Pilsen had been a traditional gun manufacturer and supplier since the times of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and after the independent Czechoslovak Republic was established in 1918, the company continued in this tradition and became one of the major armament sor the new Czechoslovak army. They also exported large numbers of weapons world wide. In the 1930’s the Skoda development department came up with a design for a modern 37mm A3 anti-tank gun, which was later accepted by the Army and used under the designation 3/7cm KPUV vz.34. However, the design team did not rest on their laurels and developed a modernised type known as the A4, which gained excellent results whilst it was being tested and surpassed the results of the original 3.7cm gun. However the new gun used a new type of ammunition and therefore its breech had to be redesigned to be capable of using the earlier ammunition as well. The gun was readily accepted into the Army and designated it the 3.7cm vz.37. At the time this gun was the best in the world in its category. The production guns were supplied in several variants, such as the Type P with spoked wheels, Type J for Cavalry units, fitted with pneumatic tyres and standard wheels, and Type M which could have been transported behind motorised vehicles. The A4 guns wee also exported to Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Hungary, as well as other smaller countries. Nearly a 1000 Type P’s were produced, along with 300 Type M. The gun was capable of shooting through the armour of any Wehrmacht tank of the period, but it was in fact the Germans that first used the gun in action, having realised that it was superior to German ones, and put them into service as the 3.7cm PAK 37. The Model This is the second gun kit to be received from Special Armour at BM London offices, and it follows a similar format as that of the 75mm canon reviewed HERE. The end opening box is smartly decorated on the top with an artists impression of the gun, whilst on the rear the three paint schemes are shown, along with colour callouts. Inside the box there are two sprues of medium grey styrene and a very small decal sheet. As is normal for short run kits, there are no guide pins, just butt joints, so take care when gluing. That said the detail on the parts is very nicely moulded, but unlike the 75mm kit, the styrene here is very shiney, as if the mould release agent hasn’t be cleaned off at all. In fact I can see it clearly on the gun shield, so ensure you give all the parts a good wash in warm soapy water before beginning the build. There is no sign of flash of other imperfections on the parts and only a few moulding pips to clean up. The build begins with the two tails being fitted with their spades, grab handles, trail end handles and hinge locks. As an alternative, Special Armour have also included a second pair of trails, but in their folded, transport state. These have the same parts fitted along with the additional towing eye and trail lock. The mounting beam is fitted to the gun end of the trails, as well as the gun traversing mount. The single piece barrel, is moulded together with its recuperator, to this the three piece breech block is attached, as well as the breech operating handle, trunnion mounts, elevation wheel and two piece sight. The traversing wheel is then attached to the left hand trunnion mount, whilst the suspension arm is fitted to the fron of the gun mounting beam. The firing handle and shield mounting parts are now fitted, followed by the two spoked wheels and the gun shield. That, as they say, is it. The gun can be painted in three schemes, two of them are variations of the same, using dark earth, bright green and sand, whilst the third scheme is good old panzer grey overall. Only the German panzer grey gun has a decal, with the name Berta on the inside of the gun shield, on the left hand side. The painting guide within the instructions shows the guns were from:- 3.7cm KPUV vz.37 Type P of the Czechoslovakian Army form 1938 3.7cm PAK 37(t) of an unknown unit of the Wehrmacht, used on the attack against Poland, September 1939. 3.7cm PAK 37(t), Berta, also of an unknown unit of the Wehrmacht, used in the Eger area, in the spring of 1939 Conclusion Although quite a well known weapon in the German forces of WWII, its provenance is that well publicised. The kit is very nicely done and should make a nice, fairly easy weekend build. The option of building it in transport mode gives it more value to those modellers who like to make dioramas, for which this kit would suit very well. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of