Barcode: 0 89195 86773 5
Case Pack: 20 pieces per master carton
Box Size: 9.6" x 15" x 3.1"

Features:

• Newly designed Pz.Kpfw.III(5cm)(T) Ausf.G
• Finely produced smoke grenades w/photo-etched chains
• Armor plate realistically represented w/weld seams
• Fine details w/photo-etched parts
• Hatches on engine deck can be assembled open/closed
• Fenders w/pattern detail on both top and bottom surfaces
• 5cm Kw.K38 L/42 gun w/astonishing details
• Hatches on glacis plate can be assembled open/closed
• 3-directional slide-molded turret is assembled from separate parts
• Slide-molded torsion bars included
• One-piece lower hull w/exquisite detail
• Full detail on lower-hull sides
• Fully detailed weld seams on hull bottom
• 5-directional slide-molded commander's cupola authentically recreates structural details
• Cupola hatches can be assembled open/closed
• Complete gun assembly reproduced w/full detail
• Gun barrel and mantlet are slide-molded
• 3-directional slide-molded gun sleeve for greater detail
  Starter crank port cover can be assembled open/closed
• Delicate exhaust pipes
• Injection-molded OVM w/clasps
• Hollowed-out undercut on turret bottom included
• Slide-molded hydraulic shock absorbers are fully detailed
• Detailed suspension swing arms
• Detailed idler wheels and track tension adjusters
• Final-drive housing covers are seprate parts for maximum detail
• Accurate sprocket wheels
• Road wheels w/accurate detail
• Realistic cover molded on hull rear
• Injection-molded tow cables for engine deck w/brackets included

After German forces had swept across Western Europe as undisputed champion in 1940, the lone resistance came from the British Isles. It was planned that Germany would conduct an amphibious invasion of Great Britain under the codename Operation Sea Lion, and to this end a number of Panzer IIIs were especially converted into diving tanks. These were known as the Tauchpanzer III, and they had the ability to drive along the seafloor totally submerged thanks to a breathing apparatus. During the planned invasion, they would have been lowered from ships onto the seafloor near the coast and they could then drive onto the shore. In the end these tanks were not used to cross the English Channel as it was decided to bring Britain to its knees via the Luftwaffe instead.

Dragon’s newest 1/35 kit portrays a Tauchpanzer III Ausf.G, which was the most common version of this customized tank. It carries a 5cm gun. It’s based on Dragon’s previously released Panzer III G kit, as well as parts from the earlier Ausf.F Tauchpanzer kit. The box contains all the necessary parts to make the diving tank, including waterproofing parts for the gun shield and turret ring. This is an absolutely fascinating kit and modelers have long been waiting for a model of this particular variant. Even though the Tauchpanzer wasn’t used in earnest in the English Channel, they were used during the massive invasion of the Soviet Union so this opens up modeling opportunities. This excellent Tauchpanzer ‘diving tank’ kit will have modelers ‘diving’ into model shops to obtain it.

-Reviews-

Pz.Kpfw.III (5cm) (T) Ausf.G
Manufacturer: Dragon Models
Scale: 1/35
Material: Styrene, Etched Brass, Vinyl
Serial Number: 6773
Price: TBA

Dragon:
After German forces had swept across Western Europe as undisputed champions in 1940, the lone resistance came from the British Isles. It was planned that Germany would conduct an amphibious invasion of Great Britain under the codename Operation Sea Lion, and to this end a number of Panzer III's were especially converted into diving tanks. These were known as the Tauchpanzer III, and they had the ability to drive along the seafloor totally submerged thanks to a breathing apparatus. During the planned invasion, they would have been lowered from ships onto the seafloor near the coast and they could then drive onto the shore. In the end these tanks were not used to cross the English Channel as it was decided to bring Britain to its knees via the Luftwaffe instead.

Kit Contents
Anybody that buys all these latest release from Dragon must have an absolutely huge box of spare parts by now. Well...it's about to get some more. Loads of grey sprues in this one, with a lot of parts marked as 'not for use'. In addition we're given a pair of vinyl tracks...which will probably end up in the spares box (if they're lucky), a couple of etched frets and a decal sheet. The instructions run to six sides, and begin with the construction of the running gear onto the slide-moulded lower hull. The suspension is of the working torsion bar type, each road axle being connected to a torsion bar that is slotted through an opening in the hull sidewall and fixes onto the inside of the opposite hull wall. All the various shock absorbers, bump stops etc., are provided as separate parts, and there are separate final drive housings.


The drive sprockets and idler wheels are both provided as two halves, and there are etched brass rings to detail the idler wheel. The crew escape hatches in the lower hull behind the drive gear are also provided as separate parts. The roadwheels will be familiar to anybody who has built any of the Dragon Pz.III or IV models or their derivatives before. Each wheel has 'Continentau' moulded into the sidewall. The tracks. These are supplied as one-piece vinyl ones which are best just discarded.They're covered in fine flash, which is notoriously difficult to remove from this material. It cannot be removed with a scalpel blade, although styrene cement may improve their appearance.


Each of the two fenders is supplied as a separate part, with treadplate pattern on both upper and lower surfaces. These vehicles characteristically had nearly every square inch of their fenders stowed up with various tools etc., and this one is no different. To aid in this each of the fenders is absolutely chock full of small locating holes. Which is not good. What is good is that they're not all the way through. Meaning that if you choose to replace all the tools so as to be able to use etched toolclamps, then you won't be left with a series of holes that need filling. The rear mudflaps are provided as separate parts too, although oddly, the front ones are moulded in place.For the back of the vehicle there is a smoke grenade rack with etched chains, although you might want to swap them out for real fine chain.


The engine deck is separate, with separate access panels, and the large vents either side are provided separately with covers. The stowed tow cable is provided as an injection moulded part, although provision has been made should you wish to display the model with the tow cable removed, in the form of an empty set of clamps. These will need replacing or altering should you wish to use an aftermarket cable though.

There are separate crew hatches on the front of the vehicle, both of which have detail on their internal surfaces, although simplified, and the vents for the final dive brakes are separate too.


Moving to the turret, the commander's cupola is provided with transparent periscopes, plus the periscope ring can be modelled opened or closed. Each half of the hatch is separate with internal detail too. The barrel for the main 5cm Kw.K38 L/42 gun is a slide-moulded, one-piece part with breech detail...simplified, but enough to be seen through open turret hatches, and including a spent shell basket. There are transparent parts provided for displaying the various vision ports in the turret open, although it would be difficult to see any of this on a finished model. The stowed inflatable ring around the base of the turret is supplied as a separate part, and all crew hatches can be modelled open or closed.


There are three marking schemes illustrated on the instructions, all of which, as to be expected are in panzer grey. See below for full details.

Conclusion
Great model. Not too many differences from a standard Pz.Kpfw.III, given that it's a Tauchpanzer. Great engineering and moulding as expected, but useless tracks. For God's sake bring back individual links. Please.

Vinnie Branigan