SdKfz 251/1 Ausf D - Project CLOSED!

[Pinky]

Pinky: Will double check before release! 

Cool.  Does the kit come with the spare wheel that was in the design drawings?  And MG42's?

[Rubicon Models]

Cool.  Does the kit come with the spare wheel that was in the design drawings?  And MG42's?

YES!

[Laffe]

Cool.  Does the kit come with the spare wheel that was in the design drawings?  And MG42's?

YES!

BRILLIANT!

[Rubicon Models]

I'm not sure the nomenclature is right.  The engineer version depicted by your kit is the SdKfz 215/7, rather than the SdKfz 251/5.  I think the SdKfz 251/5 had the assault bridges mounted internally, but in any case the SdKfz 251/5 was discontinued before the Ausf D began production.  Also, I don't think there was technically a 'command' version of the SdKfz 251/7 Ausf D, although some Ausf C's at least were fitted with the Pak 36.  It'd be worth double-checking this before you finalise the packaging for the kit.

Pinky: You are correct, the SdKfz 251/5 was designed to carry combat engineers and their equipment.  It carried only eight men and the room thus made available was used for special equipment.  This version was later supplanted by the SdKfz 251/7. 

The naming was correct on our initial project documents, and it is even correct on our website product description; but somehow it was changed from 251/7 to 251/5 during the digital drawing phase, and we have not check it again until you brought this up.  Will amend documentation as needed.  Thanks again!

[airborne]

Thank you for including the Panther in your photos it`s really good to get size perspective  as well as seeing a good product.
Cheers.

[Pinky]

The naming was correct on our initial project documents, and it is even correct on our website product description; but somehow it was changed from 251/7 to 251/5 during the digital drawing phase, and we have not check it again until you brought this up.  Will amend documentation as needed.  Thanks again!

I'm glad you caught that - it looks like a fantastic kit, so it would've been a shame if the description had been off.  I'm looking forward to seeing the box art too.

[Rubicon Models]

Finally get all the SdKfz 251D product range painted for display before the Chinese New Year holiday!
Here is the SdKfz 251/8 Ausf D Ambulance...





Here is the image of the complete range of our current THREE product codes:

[robbie039]

Could you also put a radio and antenna on one of the sprue's.

[Rubicon Models]

Could you also put a radio and antenna on one of the sprue's.

That will be on the next SdKfz 251D expansion sprue! 
No release date yet!

[Pinky]

I like the ambulance.  Hurry up and release the kit! 

[Rubicon Models]

There are still life with our Hanomag project!

Even though we will not produce ALL the 251 variants, we have intentions to do the most common and useful ones.  No release date yet, but we are drawing these variants a little at a time... not obstructing progress of other projects!



Other possible variants include:

SdKfz 251/2 - 81 mm Mortar Carrier
SdKfz 251/4 - Gun Towing Tractor
SdKfz 251/9 - with a 7.5 cm L/24 low velocity gun "Stummel"
SdKfz 251/16 - Flame Thrower
SdKfz 251/17 - with a 2 cm KwK38 AA Gun
SdKfz 251/21 - with MG151 Auto-cannon "Drilling"
SdKfz 251/23 - Reconnaissance with 2 cm KwK38 Auto-cannon

Special Note: Don't think we will release all of these, it will greatly depends on the number of sprues needed -AND- changes needed to make to our standard SdKfz 251/1D kit.  We will continue to work on these... stay tuned!

[Pinky]

Great news!  The 'Stummel' is my favourite variant of the SdKfz 251, and your Ausf D kit is a really nice one, so it'll be a good excuse to buy more.

The SdKfz 251/3 seems like a good addition; I like the idea of a command half-track.  While the frame antenna is very iconic, it disappeared from command SPWs from about 1942. 

The SdKfz 251/22 would be a nice late war variant.  I'd also suggest that a mortar carrier would be useful.  Dunno about the others - the 'Drilling' certainly looked good.

[Rubicon Models]

The SdKfz 251/3 seems like a good addition; I like the idea of a command half-track.  While the frame antenna is very iconic, it disappeared from command SPWs from about 1942.

The "star-shaped" antenna is called a "stern antenna".

The "frame" antenna is actually called a "NVIS antenna".  NVIS stands for "Near-Vertical Incidence Skywave".  It is a high-frequency (HF) antenna, commonly referred to as a "frame" or "cage" antenna. There were multiple variations depending on the vehicle, it was used throughout the war for both ground to ground and ground to air communications.

I am not crazy about radios, but here are some additional information on WW2 German radios:

FuG1 was a listening set normally put in command vehicles.
FuG2 27200-33300 Kc/s with 1.4m rod was the standard listening only equipment for subordinate armored vehicles.
FuG4 was an artillery command set with a 2m star aerial.
FuG5 10w transmitter operating at 27200 to 33300 Kc/s with a 2m rod aerial giving range of 4km morse and 2km voice--standard tank set
FuG6 20w with same antenna and operating Kc/s but 8km morse and 6km voice--early command vehicles
FuG7 20w with same antenna, operating on 42100 to 47800 Kc/s with a morse and voice range of 50km--this was the ground to air set normally found in the SdKfz-250/3, 251/3 and command tanks equipped for air to ground.
FuG8 30w operating in the 1130-3000Kc/s (version a) or 580-3000 (version b) and 835-3000 (version c). Early and mid war had the big frame antenna but late war used a 8m winch mast antenna. 40km morse and 10km voice with the frame antenna. 50km and 10km with the 8m mast. This was the main division set.
FuG10 is a 30w set operating in the 950-1670Kc/s (version a) or 100-6970 (version b) and another version using 1120-3000Kc/s using a frame antenna. Range is 40km morse and 10km voice and was used in recon vehicles.
FuG11 100w operating in the 200-1200 or 100-6970 with early versions using a frame antenna and later versions a 9m mast. Used as command link to recon units and notably the SdKfz232(Fu). Range was 50km morse and 10km voice for the early frame antenna. The 9m mast gave a range of 200km morse and 70km voice!
FuG12 is 80w operating in the 1120-3000 and receiver in 835-3000 using 2m rod giving range or 200km and 70km used by late war recon vehicles
FuG13 was for 20w same as FuG6 but with 2 receivers and used in lower level command vehicles
FuG15 operated in the 23000-24950 Kc/s and used by assault gun units. range of 8km and 6km.


We will continue to work on additional variants when we have the free time.  No definite release dates though...

[Pinky]

The "star-shaped" antenna is called a "stern antenna".

The "frame" antenna is actually called a "NVIS antenna".  NVIS stands for "Near-Vertical Incidence Skywave".  It is a high-frequency (HF) antenna, commonly referred to as a "frame" or "cage" antenna. There were multiple variations depending on the vehicle, it was used throughout the war for both ground to ground and ground to air communications.

It's true you still see the frame antenna on a few post-1942 vehicles, but it was too conspicuous and generally replaced with a rod antenna. As your own notes on various radio types mention.  Maybe something to save up for your intended Ausf C kit?

[Rubicon Models]

Maybe something to save up for your intended Ausf C kit?

It is supposed to be a top secret project...