Barcode: 0 89195 86445 1
Case Pack: 36
Box Size: 7.5" x 11.4" x 1.8"
Carton Size: 0.104 cbm
Despite the output of Germany’s massive armaments industry, the thirst for
more weapons throughout WWII proved insatiable. One solution was to employ captured
weapons, and this is exactly what the Wehrmacht did with the French Canon de
75 mode`le 1897 field gun. Hundreds of these cannons manufactured by Schneider
were captured during the Polish and French campaigns in 1939-40, and were pressed
into German service as howitzers.
However, faced with well-armored Soviet tanks in 1941, there was a desperate
need for antitank weapons. Until more 7.5cm PaK 40 cannons could be produced,
an expedient solution was to place gun barrels from the French Canon de 75 mode`le
1897 onto the more modern carriage of a PaK 38. Fitted with a muzzle brake,
the resulting weapon was called the 7.5cm PaK 97/38. This hybrid weapon could
be used in the antitank role because it primarily fired HEAT rounds, which didn’t
rely on velocity. A total of 3700+ PaK 97/38 cannons were produced in 1942-43,
and it soldiered on until late in the war.
Dragon has produced its own 1/35 scale version of this important German antitank
weapon. As a Premium Edition kit, it offers numerous improvements over the previously
released kit of the cannon. The gun itself is better detailed, with a shield
that possesses a true-to-scale thickness, and movable gun trails. Another innovation
is a complete gun crew offered in vivid action poses. They are supported by
various accessories such as realistic-looking aluminum ammo rounds, and Gen2
weapons and personal equipment. This new kit is ready to take on any type of
enemy armor, and constitutes an instant diorama.
