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Kanonejagdpanzer 90, 1:35


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Kanonejagdpanzer 90

Revell 1:35

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By 1960, the M47 Patton old 90 mm was still a potent weapon. Pending replacement in the Bundeswehr, it was decided to reuse it in German-made tank-hunters. General design tended to be close to the very successful ww2 era Jagdpanzer IV. Specifications were made and transmitted to three manufacturers, the German Hanomag and Henschel and Swiss MOWAG which produced prototypes. After trials, only Hanomag and Henschel were retained for pre-production.

 

the KnJgPz-90 was indeed closely based on the wartime tank-hunter, which was derived from the Panzer IV. However, this was only superficially as the sloped armour was mostly copied from it. Everything else, from the chassis, suspensions, engine and transmission, armament and targeting devices, fire control, etc. were genuine. The hull was longer, but narrower and lighter than the original vehicle. The frontal armor was not 80 but 50 mm in thickness (still around a 80 mm equivalent) also on the sides, and 10 mm on the bottom and roof, engine deck and rear plating. The mantlet allowed a 15° traverse and -8° to +15° elevation/depression. The hull upper armour was stepped on the rear engine compartment. The driver sat on the right, with a hatch above him, and there was a secondary periscope at the left of the gun. There was a secondary hatch behind the driver, and a commander cupola to the rear, left of the fighting compartment. The drive train consisted of five doubled-road wheels independently sprung on torsion arms, with three return rollers, rear drive sprocket and front idler.

 

One machine-gun was coaxial in the mantlet, the other was externally mounted on the second hatch ring. The main gun carried 51 rounds 4000 were stored for both 7.62 mm machine-guns. The KnJgPz-90 was protected NBC and fitted with infrared vision and targeting system. The vehicle was considered a success, due to its low profile and superior mobility, compared with the high profile of the M47/48 Patton series. However, by the time USSR unveiled its T-64 and later T-72, the KnJgPz-90 was considered obsolete. The manufacturers proposed it was up-gunned with the latest 105 mm, but in 1983 it was decided to convert 163 of these as Raketenjagdpanzer Jaguar 2 anti-tank guided missile carriers, firing TOW wire-guided missiles, which was far more effective.

 

These vehicles also received extra modifications like spaced and perforated armour. A few others were derived as Beobachtungspanzer (without the main gun) to guide mortar units. The regular vehicles were gradually phased and put in reserve. The last were in active commission with the Heimatschutztruppe by 1990.

 

The Model

While the kit was originally released in 2008, it feels like it is much older than that in my befuddled memory. That said it is a typical Revell product that is packaged in their flimsy end opening box. The mouldings are good, with no signs of flash or other imperfections on any of the parts. Inside the box are nice sprues of grey styrene four lengths of rubber tracks a length of fine wire and the decal sheet. Detail is average to slightly above average, and if the modeller wanted they could add quite a bit more, but replacing the kit barrel with a metal one is all the modeller would really need to do. The build looks nice and straight forward with nothing really to catch anyone out. There are two variants that cvan be built from the one kit, the Panzerjagdpanzer, (PaJaKa), or Beobachtungpanzer, (BeobPz).

 

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The build begins with the assembly of the ten road wheels, each pair of which is attached to their respective axle and finished off with the outer hub. For those that like working tracks the wheels are made so that they can rotate. The same goes for the six return rollers, two idlers and two sprocket wheels. The tracks lengths are then joined together by passing the pins through the holes and melting the pins with a hot screwdriver or your preferred device. The wheel assemblies are then glued to the lower hull and the tracks fitted. Naturally, you can leave the tracks off until after painting.

 

The two upper hull sections are joined together, followed by the upper hull sides all of whom require holes to be drilled out before the assembly is glued to the lower hull and the front mudguards attached. The upper hull is then festooned with detail parts, such as headlights, towing eyes, brackets, spare track links in their holders, and ID plates. There are also a pair of Jerry cans and their holders attached to the rear bulkhead, as is a five piece box, which looks like it could be an NBCD filter. The rear bulkhead is also fitted with a two piece stowage basket, light clusters, clamps, brackets and some pioneer tools. The engine deck is fitted with a pair of grilles, exhaust, more pioneers tools, vents, smoke launcher mountings. The bank of eight smoke dischargers are then fitted to the mountings, while on the fighting compartment roof is fitted with a pair of aerial bases, and aerials made from the thin wire provided in the kit.  The commanders cupola is made up from two parts, as is the gunners. The drivers position has three vision blocks and the hatch hinge glued into place.

 

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The modeller then has the option of fitting the three piece MG 3 for the PaJaPa of a two piece optical sight for the BeobPz version. The main armament is then assembled. This begins with the IR light box that sits on top of the main gun, followed by the two piece mantle and two piece barrel, which could be replaced with an RB metal one should you desire. The barrel is glued into the mantel, along with two machine gun muzzles, with the IR box sitting on top via to mounting brackets.  The whole assembly is then glued to the front of the glacis plate. If you’re building the observation vehicle, leave the barrel and IR light off and fit the blank into the mantle hole instead. The model is finished off with the fitting of the last detail part that include the option of two types of rear-view mirrors, two more light fixtures, light guards, towing eyes, and more pioneer tools.

 

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Decals

There are three decal options for the PaKaJa and one for the BeobPa, the decals are quite nicely printed with good opacity and in register. The options are:-

 

  • Kanonenjagdpanzer of Panzerjaegerkompanie 160 based at Schwarzenbek, North East Germany, 1980/81.
  • Kanonenjagdpanzer 5 of Panzergrenadierbatallion 353, based in Hammelburg, Bavaria, 1984.
  • Kanonenjagdpanzer 2 of Panzergrenadierbatallion 44, based in Gottingen, Lower Saxony, 1980.
  • Beobachtungpanzer 6, of Panzergrenadierbatallion 152, based in Schwarzenborn, Hesse.

 

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Conclusion

It’s nice to see this kit re-released although I really thought it was much older than it really is. It certainly will be a nice, relatively simple build that would make for a great first kit or for a quick weekend mojo rejuvenating build.

 

 

 

Revell model kits are available from all good toy and model retailers. For further information visit

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