What's Warlord up to?

[Rubicon Models]

And their Hetzer Zug is on pre-order.
And it has Italeri on the box.

It is an Italeri kit that enables you to build a late variant, or a Flammpanzer, or a Flakpanzer (which is nice).  Italeri finally has to make this a THREE sprue kit just like us.  Here is the link if anyone is interested: http://www.italeri.com/scheda.asp?idProdotto=2697&idCategoria=3&idSottocategoria=59

 

[Tracks]

And their Hetzer Zug is on pre-order.
And it has Italeri on the box.

It is an Italeri kit that enables you to build a late variant, or a Flammpanzer, or a Flakpanzer (which is nice).  Italeri finally has to make this a THREE sprue kit just like us.  Here is the link if anyone is interested: http://www.italeri.com/scheda.asp?idProdotto=2697&idCategoria=3&idSottocategoria=59

 

We already have a very good Jadgpanzer 38(t)  "Hetzer" kit from you (Rubicon Models), so it makes me ask the question. Does Italeri know of your Jadgpanzer 38(t) "Hetzer" kit?

Only if model companies would cooperated with with each other better, then maybe we could have seen something different from Italeri instead of another Jadgpanzer 38(t) "Hetzer" kit. Yes, the Italeri kit is different, and it can be assembled as the flakpanzer version with the 2cm FlaK 38 gun, but it would have been nicer to see something different and more useful from them like a Panzer II or M3 Medium tank instead of another "Hetzer" kit.

That being said, at least there is the 2cm FlaK 38 gun. Maybe it can be useful for some and their conversion project.

[ultravanillasmurf]

I like that they state it is a 100% new kit, differentiating it from the Panzer 38(t) and Marder kit.

There was a even worse situation with the British model railway manufacturers - all three major companies had the same locomotive on their release schedule. At £100-200 a shot retail, you can imagine the development costs.

[elias.tibbs]

Maybe my google-fu skills aren’t the best, but what variant of flakpanzer 38t have they made? I can’t find anything that looks like it.

[ultravanillasmurf]

This one I think.
http://www.militarymodelling.com/news/article/bergepanzer-38t-hetzer-mit-2cm-flak-38-in-1-35/24529

I think this is the one Ripley was talking about.

[ultravanillasmurf]

There does appear to be some confusion on the web over whether it is a converted Bergepanzer or the APC (Vollkettenaufklarer).

I suspect the former.

[ultravanillasmurf]

I did find a photograph on here: https://modelingmadness.com/scott/misc/military/previews/dragon/63/6399.htm

I am mildly suspicious as the junk on the side shouts Bergepanzer.

[elias.tibbs]

So in short, it’s not a flakpanzer 38(t), it’s a bergepanzer 38(t) with a field modification that they only made 2 of.

At least they’ve not called it a flakpanzer. They’ve just called it a Hetzer with 2cm
Flak.

http://www.materielsterrestres39-45.fr/fr/index.php/chars-de-l-axe-allemagne/227-les-bricolages/1164-bergepanzer-38-t-hetzer-mit-2cm-flak-38

This hybrid tank is designed by fitting a 20mm anti-air gun into a casemate of a Hetzer for trouble shooting.

In April 1944, mass production of the Hetzer was launched in the BMM plant in Prague. This tank destroyer named Sturmgeschütz Neuer Art with 7,5cm Pak 39 L / 48 on Fahrgestell Panzer 38 (t) takes over the modified chassis of the Czech light tank. A welded casing and slightly shielded is grafted on the platform. To compensate for the thinness of the shielding, the plates are strongly inclined in order to favor the ricochet of the projectiles. The machine gives satisfaction in tank hunter version despite the cramped space of the compartment. The manufacture of a version equipped with a 120mm mortar is envisaged, but no follow-up is given to this project. The frame is also used for the realization of a recovery tank equipped with a winch and an anchoring spade.

At the end of the conflict, a number of tanks are being built in factories. Several unfinalized tank chasers' chassis will be used unarmed by the Czech insurrection. It appears that at least two Berge Hetzer chassis not equipped with the winch and the anchor cover were converted into Flak Panzer by installing in the central compartment a 2cmFlak38. This conversion seems to be more of a makeshift joke realized in the last weeks of the conflict, than the draft of a prototype.

Characteristics

Category: Conversion of a recovery tank into a close defense tank

Shipyard: BMM, Skoda, Praha

Copies produced: NC (at least two copies photographed)

Crew: NC

Morphology

Weight: NC

Length: NC

Width: 2.63 m

Height: 2.17 m

Protection

Shielding superstructure

Front: 60 mm

Lateral: 20 mm

Chassis shield

Front: 60 mm

Lateral: 20 mm

 Mobility

Maximum speed on the road: 42 km / h

Maximum speed in any terrain: 16 km / h

Autonomy

on the road: 177 km

All Terrain: 130 km

Slope: 37 °

Vertical obstacle: 0.65 cm

Trench: 1.31 m

Ford: 0.89 m

armament

Main: 1 anti air gun 2cmFlak38

Ammunition: NC

Engines

Engine: Praga EPA AC / 2

Power: 158 hp at 2,600 rpm

Radio: FuG Spr f

[ultravanillasmurf]

Ripley noted earlier, the gun could not be depressed to engage ground targets.

The factory supplied machine gun version had a makeshift mantlet over the missing main gun mantlet.

[Tracks]

It appears that at least two Berge Hetzer chassis not equipped with the winch and the anchor cover were converted into Flak Panzer by installing in the central compartment a 2cmFlak38. This conversion seems to be more of a makeshift joke realized in the last weeks of the conflict, than the draft of a prototype.

Even more the reason to be disappointed. As mentioned earlier, we already have a very good Jadgpanzer 38(t) "Hetzer" kit from Rubicon Models, and because plastic kit model companies cannot cooperated with with each other, I see this as a problem. Instead of introducing something different and more useful (from Italeri) like a Panzer II or M3 Medium tank we get another "Hetzer" kit (that we don't really need), and because I suspect the sales will not be as good as Italeri will hope for, this will mostly likely influence any future releases!

Sad really.

[ripley]

As a Hetzer kit it's a disappointment as we already have a fantastic plastic kit available . But for the purposes of kit bashing and conversions , I'm thinking this is a winner ( Italeri plastic is much easier to slice & dice ) , you get an open top Berge hull and a 20mm AA gun , with what looks like 4 magazines . The sprue layout on the Italeri site dosn't seem to include much internal pieces , oh well , I've got a few videos saved of Hetzer internals , and  I can fudge the Berge stuff . Anyone find any larger views of the sprues so more details can be seen ?

[Pinky]

Seems like a pointless (and half-arsed) option to include, and I'm sure the kit will be inferior to Rubicon's.  Including a proper Bergpanzer might have made it more attractive.

[ripley]

Just got there news letter and they show a M4 Sherman Crocodile . No idea if its resin or plastic . I would have thought they'ld have gone  with a Churchill Croc  ...oh according to Chamberlain & Ellis ( Brit & US Tanks WW2 ) only 4 made 

[elias.tibbs]

Is it to go alongside their bergepanzer 38(t) with 20mmadded where only one was made?

[ultravanillasmurf]

Just got there news letter and they show a M4 Sherman Crocodile . No idea if its resin or plastic . I would have thought they'ld have gone  with a Churchill Croc  ...oh according to Chamberlain & Ellis ( Brit & US Tanks WW2 ) only 4 made 

I saw that, quite.

The problem is that the production Crocodile uses the Big Churchill (mark VII) hull not the one they have.

So you think it is the base M4 Sherman? The rig looks like an Adder, but that was self contained, no trailer (and I think, based on Sherman V hulls, though there might have been a Sherman III).

I recently read the Osprey New Vanguard on the Crocodile.

I have just noticed the turret hatches are open, would you want that when flaming?