ICM Sd.Kfz.251/6 Ausf.A (35102) - 1:35 ICM via Hannants

[Julien]

Sd.Kfz.251/6 Ausf.A (35102)

1:35 ICM via Hannants

 

 

The Hanomag Sd.Kfz.251/1 was the mainstay of the German armoured Personnel Carrier fleet, but was flexible enough to also take up many other tasks within the Nazi War Machine, from Anti-Aircraft duties to Howitzer carriage and back again to armoured reconnaissance, which led to a lot of variants.  With two steering wheels at the front, the rear was carried on tracks, giving it good clearance and rough ground capabilities that a truck simply could not manage once the going got tough.  It was armoured sufficiently to deflect non-armour piercing rounds from small arms fire, but with an open top it was susceptible to both grenades and aerial bombardment, where the armour would concentrate the blast and reduce the interior to a tangled mess.

 

 The Ausf.A was used at the beginning of WWII alongside the Ausf.B, and was generally fitted with an MG.34 on the front cab wall, operated from inside.  There were more than 20 official variants and more unofficial field modifications, but despite their seemingly ubiquitous nature in German service, not many were preserved after the war, and they are highly sought after now, with many examples being based upon post-war builds from Czech factories that have been made to look as convincing as possible by their restorers.  While the purist may notice the differences in films, they're still a huge improvement on repainted American half-tracks from an authenticity point of view. The command version being identifiable by the large antenna.

 

The Kit

This is a reboxing of kit number 35101 of the same vehicle, but with the addition of a sprue for the command antenna.  We reviewed the original kit here, where you can see all the pictures below, as well as the build process and our thoughts on the model.  This boxing arrives in a similar box, with the additional sprue taking up any spare space within, and on the exterior it has a new painting, which represents the more relaxed theme of the figures, which are either walking with their transport, or standing offering directions.  There are now six grey, a clear sprue (just the headlamps are used), and the flexible tracks and wheels. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Markings

2 markings are supplied in any colour you want as long as its Panzer Grey

 

1. WH 179467 Command Vehicle of General H Guderian, Poland, 1939
2. WH 609084 1941

 

 

Conclusion

We liked it first time around, and like it still, especially with the addition the command version. Highly recommended.

 

Available in the UK from Hannants and other model shops

 

Review sample courtesy of