Sd.Kfz.7/1 2cm Flakvierling 38 auf Selbstfahrlafette
1:35 kit comparison
kit #6525 - 
kit #01523by Terry Ashley
Due to the kit contents being covered in the individual reviews, I will keep the text to a minimum here with brief comment on the detail but leave the images to do most of the talking so you can make up your own minds without being told what to think.
As with previously reviews, I will simply present the facts and relevant information here and it's up to the individual to take or leave this depending on their preferences when building this or any other kit.
The standard of moulding on the Cyberhobby/Dragon kit is extremely good with clean crisp parts that did not have any flash apparent with just a few pin marks and the usual small moulding lines and many small plastic knock out nodes on the parts which requires a bit of care to remove on some of the smaller parts but results in overall cleaner parts free of blemishes.
The fit of the parts overall was very good without any trimming required on all but a very few parts making for basically trouble free assembly.
The standard of moulding on the Trumpeter kit sees a minimum of pins marks evident and those present are in areas that are unavoidable and fairly easy to deal with.
There is also some fine flash on the parts especially the smaller and more intricate parts and a bit of work will be needed to clean this up. There are also some prominent mould seam lines to be removed from many parts and this again requires a bit of effort and care is needed not to compromise the detail in the process.
Added to this there are numerous small fit issues to contend with that sees many small adjustments required to get parts to fit and quite a few of the mating surfaces also need to be smoothed out for a more precise fit.
Overall the moulding quality and fit of the parts is superior on the Cyberhobby/Dragon kit over that on the Trumpeter kit with the build factor also helped by items such as the main chassis components and main gun shields being moulded as large single parts in the Cyberhobby/Dragon kit as opposed to the multiple parts in the Trumpeter kit requiring additional assembly for basically the same result.
One issue has come to light while doing the comparison which I missed with the initial reviews as you really needed to fully assemble the suspensions for it to become apparent. But the overall lengths of the chassis. running gear and rear bed differ by 3mm between the two kits.
Available references have conflicting information on the actual length but this will be covered in more depth in part 2 of the review which has been broken up into sections as below for easier access.
Part 1 and 2 will be followed shorty by the remaining parts along with the conclusion to complete the comparison review.
|
Multimedia parts
Close new window to return to review
| Halbketten Zugkraftwagen 8t Sd.Kfz.7/1/2 AFV Super Detail Photo Vol.9 Published by Model Art Co.Ltd.  |
Sd.Kfz.7 in detail Special Museum Line No.36 Wings & Wheels Publications ISBN 80-86416-60-7  |
Flak Auf Sd.Kfz.7 Part 1 Kagero Photosniper No.9 ISBN: 83-914824-3-X  |
| Flak Selbstfahrlafetten and Flakpanzer Panzer Tracts No.12 Doyle/Jentz  |
Allied & Axis
No.21 Ampersand Publishing Sd.Kfz.7, 8-ton KM m 11 halftrack  |
Flak
at War Trojca Publications Waldemar Trojca, Karlheinz Münch ISBN: 83-60041-15-6  |
| Halftrack Vehicles of the German Army 1395-1945 Schiffer Military History ISBN: 0-88740-758-7  |
German Anti-Aircraft Combat Vehicles Revised Edition Ground Power Special Feb '08  |
Ground Power Magazine #66 - 11/1999 GALILEO Publishing Co.,Ltd. Japan  |
