Features:

• Newly designed Pz.Kptw.III(FL)
• New add-on armor molded on the front of hull
• Newly tooled flamethrower barrel w/photo etched parts
• Brake-cooling inlets on glacis plate reproduced
• Optional add-on armor for gun mantlet
• Top plated for spaced armor over mantlet
• Photo-etched parts provided as option for mantlet add-on armor
• Turret made by 3-directional slide molds
• Incorporates toothed ring in turret interior
• Extra armor on fighting-compartment from plate
• Brackets for extra hull-top armorplate
• Slide-molded recuperator housing w/great detail
• Vent covers w/mounts realistically reproduced
• Commander's cupola realistically recreates structural details
• Cupola vision blocks can be assembled open/closed
• One piece slide-molded lower hull w/exquisite detail
• Fully detailed weld seams on hull bottom
• Cupola vision blocks can be assembled open/closed
• Commander's hatch w/interior detail
• Direct sighting post can be made from photo-etched part
• Clears part for vision port glass
• Finely detailed rear turret hooks and stowage bin brackets
• Side hatches w/internal detail can be assembled open/closed
• Air intake accurately tooled on the hull side
• Injection- molded tow cables for engine deck
• Slide -molded engine deck for Pz.Kpfw.III(FL) reproduced
• Two types of both mufflers and exhaust pipes are provided as options
• Slide-molded stowage bin w/fine details can be assembled open/closed
• Accurate weld seams finely represented
• Fenders w/pattern detail on both top and bottom surfaces
• Injection-molded on vehicle tools provided w/clasps
• Jack reproduced in multiple parts
• Slide-molded hydraulic shock absorbers are well detailed
• Detailed suspension swing arms
• Turret side hocks especially designed w/undercut details
• Newly produced 40cm DS tracks
• Idler wheels w/photo-etched parts
• Detailed road wheels and sprockets
• Final-drive housing covers are separate for maximum detail

Review:

Kit Review: cyber-hobby.com 1/35 scale Kit No. 79 (Dragon Models Limited‘39-‘45 Series Kit No. 6616; Sd.Kfz. 141/3 Pz.Kpfw. III (FL); 706 parts (634 in grey styrene, 29 etched brass, 22 “Magic Track” links, 19 clear styrene, 2 DS Plastic track runs); price unknown but estimated at US$50

Advantages: offers another variant on the Ausf. M version of the Panzer III (and one which actually saw service!)

Disadvantages: once again some modelers do not like the DS tracks (you can’t win!)

Rating: Highly Recommended

Recommendation: for all WWII German fans

DML’s boutique affiliate cyber-hobby.com has now released the flamethrower conversion of the Panzer III Ausf. M as their latest kit. It adds a single sprue of eight parts with the flamethrower barrel to replace the parts found in the Ausf. M with wading muffler kit (DML No. 6658).

One hundred Panzer III Ausf. M models were converted for use as flamethrowers for combat in Stalingrad, but by the time the tanks were ready Stalingrad had already fallen. As a result, the tanks only began to be fielded in mid 1943 for the attack on Kursk with both the 11th Panzer Division and “Grossdeutschland” noted as having these vehicles.

The tank mounted a 14mm flamethrower and carried 1,000 liters of fuel for the weapon; as it retained all around traverse of the turret it was more useful than the fixed flamethrower mounted on the StuG III chassis. A reduced crew of three was carried in this version.

As with its parent kit, it is a case of “mix and match” using the later DML Ausf. J/L and Ausf. N kit sprues with some new bits or replacement of some of the older ones. It comes with the split hatch early Pzkw IV style cupola and other earlier production parts.

The hull pan is a later one minus the side hatches and other detail changes such as the three return roller assemblies. It retains the full torsion bar suspension from the other kit and the detailed suspension components and muffler assembly. As with the StuG all hatches are separate with some interior details and can be positioned as the modeler chooses. All engine deck ventilators are spaced and mounted on separate frames to get the correct appearance and “lift” needed to give an accurate representation of the original.

The kit provides options for blackout or clear headlight lenses and the “kugel” mount for the bow machine gun. All viewports and viewers may be positioned open or closed as well.

Once again this kit includes the rudiments of an interior, which accurate as far as they go. This should please the “after market boys” as there is more than enough room for a nice resin interior here and enough ports and hatches to see it.

This kit offers the 40 cm DS Plastic tracks which many modelers prefer if only for the reason that it cuts four to twelve hours of their build time. DML does not indicate the length of the tracks needed as they do with their 1/72 kits so I cannot determine if they will have a loose or tight fit. Note that the tracks are dubbed “L” and “R” in the parts sheet but “Y”
and “Z” in the directions – just note that from head-on the “bar” part of the track link faces down and there is a bolt head on the outside of the track.

Technical consultants on the kit are Thomas Anderson, Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson.

Even with two identified user units, the kit provides only one finishing option: Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front 1943 (sand, no markings). (Note that the photo on Page 69 of the Chamberlain/Ellis/Jentz encyclopedia shows a sand painted FL with crosses on the hull sides and rear, some sort of divisional insignia, and the turret number 107 in what may be red with a white outline.) Cartograf provides a small sheet with red and white turret numbers, crosses, and a good selection of divisional insignia (perhaps the input from the technical consultants got to Cartograf but not the fellows doing the directions!)

Overall this is at least a vehicle which WAS built and saw service and fills in a niche in Panzer III variants.

Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.

-Cookie Sewell-