Airfix Jagdpanzer 38(T) Hetzer ‘Late Version’ (A1353) 1:35

[Mike]

Jagdpanzer 38(T) Hetzer ‘Late Version’ (A1353)

1:35 Airfix

 

 

The Hetzer, as this tank killer is better known now, was based upon the chassis of a Czechoslovakian design that was taken up by the Germans when they invaded and occupied the country and took over the factories.  After being deemed adequate for service with the Reich, many variants and hulls were created by German industry as was their wont.  The 38(T) was based on a widened chassis, uprated engine, and a low centre of mass, which was achieved by eschewing a traditional turret in favour of a casemate with a limited traverse, putting the onus on the driver to achieve rough targeting, while the gunner fine-tuned his aim using the traverse available to him. 

 

The lack of turret and wide sloping hull gave more crew space, which is always at a premium in battle.   It was mass produced by Skoda using locally designed and built engines, transmission and other drive-train parts.  Further versions were projected, but none of these actually reached service, due to the advancing front lines overtaking the factories.

 

 

The Kit

This is another of Airfix’s collaborative reboxings of Academy kits, while we wait their own new toolings to come on stream.  The kit was originally released in 2012, so of fairly recent heritage, and we already know Academy’s output.  Arriving in the red-themed Airfix box, there are seven sprues in sand-coloured styrene, a small fret of Photo-Etched (PE) brass, decal sheet and the instructions, it has link-and-length tracks and well-detailed parts, although the exterior plates of the hull have no rolling texture, while the sand-cast Saukopf has a restrained stippled detail moulded into it.  The instruction booklet has been Airfixified as much as possible, but it lacks the more modern coloured and shaded build steps.

 

 

 

 

 

As is common with many AFV kits, construction begins with the lower hull, which receives a large number of suspension parts, springs and axles.  The road wheels are lined up four per side and are each a single part, while the drive sprockets have three parts each, with a choice of three styles of idler wheel that sits at the rear of the chassis.  The tracks as previously noted are link-and-length, which for the uninitiated comprise long lengths of track links moulded as one part for straight areas, and individual links that go around the highly curved sections such as the idler and drive sprocket ends.  In this instance we have one major length for the links in contact with the ground, two shorter lengths on top, with individual links on the curves and a short length on the diagonal sections.  The top sections have a little sag moulded-in, which is typical of the Hetzer.  The detail of the links is very good, although some modellers will probably replace them with individual metal links that are available from various aftermarket companies.  A section of the fender is added to the rear of each sponson, and these are joined by the rear bulkhead that has a small section of spare track fitted on brackets at either side.

 

The upper hull is presented as an almost complete shell, needing just the engine deck (with PE grille) at the rear and the various hatches on the top fitted, along with the first of the pioneer tools and formation lights.  Inside the upper hull there are vision blocks and periscopes slotted through their apertures, after which it can be mated to the chassis and the towing cables can be made up using the supplied towing eyelets and a length of cable substitute you’ll have to find yourself with a length of 100mm needed.  The side skirts are glued on with stand-off brackets, and the jack is installed on the right rear fender.  Now it’s time for the main gun, which is moulded as a single part with a hollow muzzle thanks to a sliding mould.  There are three on the sprue, but only two are suitable for this kit, either of which slots into the mantlet (the aforementioned Saukopf), with a larger outer mantlet holding the elevation pivot and mating with the hull’s corresponding hole.  The last part is to put together the MG34 machine gun on the roof, with drum magazine and steeply angled splinter screen on each side of the barrel.  A sextet of grab handles on the engine deck complete the build, leaving just the two crew members to be made up, with a build and painting guide in black and white at the end of the instructions.

 

 

Markings

There are two decal options in the box, with one pinched by Czech rebels after German service, the other in Russian service, presumably after being captured or after the over-running of the factory during their advance.  There are a number of notes to the options at the bottom of their respective pages, which should give you some useful material to make a more accurate rendition of your model.  From the box you can build one of the following:

 

• Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer (Late Version) attached to Jagdpanzer Kompanie 1359, 359. Infanterie-Division, After capture by Czech insurgents, Hronov, Czechoslovakia, May 1945
• Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer (Late Version) attached to the Assault Gun Platoon, First Bulgarian Army, Hungary, Spring 1945

 

 

 

You might notice that the stars on the second option are a little “squiffy”.  This is deliberate, as they were hastily applied, probably by unskilled personnel.  Otherwise, the few small decals are in good shape in both senses of the word.

 

 

Conclusion

It’s nice to see Airfix putting some more breadth of types into their new range, and we look forward to seeing more as time goes on.

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of