Well, I received my copy of Panzer Tracts 2-1 and after a thorough study, I am forced to say that while initially tickled pink to get a true early war vehicle, I am now disappointed in the Rubicon offering.
The A, B and C versions all had a rounded front hull. The armor upgrade that gave it the angular look was authorized in February 1940. It included the extra armor on the turret and the glacis plate, as well as the two plates that formed the angular front that covered the rounded hull.
Which means, none of the vehicles shown by Rubicon could have served in Poland. And likely not Norway either. Many armor upgrades were done in time for France 1940, but many round-hull tanks served there too.
So Poland is excluded (again).
There is no point in having the angular front without also having the added armor. There were no angle-fronted Pz II that didn't also have the added armor. And by Poland, all Ausf A, B and C had bullet splash guards added to the superstructure top around the turret ring. So not sure there is any point in a superstructure that doesn't have that splash guard.
So the Ausf A and Ausf B should have bullet splash guards (and it is not there). The Ausf B was the transition model from the vision ports as shown - (with two bolts above and one bolt below the slot) to the improved vision ports (that had two bolts on the vision port itself, and two more bolts above and below for a total of 6). So the Ausf B is fine as shown (other than the rounded hull).
The Ausf C had all improved vision ports (the 6-bolt pattern). But of course, the rounded front hull.
So we have valid Pz IIs for France 1940 onward that can serve in Europe. But none of these can serve in Africa, because all Pz II's sent to Africa were first given a hot climate make-over, and that means the louvers on the radio hatch were enlarged, and also added to the area on the left rear (where there is currently a hatch). In fact, the Ausf F shown has louvers there, but the wrong louvers for the radio hatch.
As I said, now I am a bit disappointed. Nothing for Poland, and nothing for Africa. These are all February 1940 onward.
The Cupola became a back-fit authorized in October 1940 (along with the addition of the Notek blackout light). So at least these can serve in Barbarossa and elsewhere.
I think if the kit had a rounded front hull and no extra armor, and an angular front hull with extra armor, and a rear deck for europe and a rear deck for Africa, this would have been a much more usable kit. Could have served in any campaign from September 1939 onward.
BTW - There were 250 Ausf a, b and c built, 210 Ausf As built, 384 Ausf Bs built, and 364 Ausf Cs built for a total of 1208. Heer records indicate there were 1223 available as of Sep 1st 1939 so somewhere along the line another 15 were manufactured.
All that said, I am still happy to see a plastic Pz II, and I will get me some. And I know, I know, most folks will not know that when I paint them up to serve in Poland, that the angled front is wrong. But ... I will know.
