Barcode: 0 89195 87436 8
Case pack: 36 Pieces per carton
Box Size: 7.5" x 11.4" x 1.8"

Features:

• Newly tooled Neubau-Fahrzeug Nr.1
  
• Slide-molded upper hull produced w/intricate details
  
• Slide-molded turret w/MG reproduced
  
• 7.5cm KwK L/24 and 3.7cm KwK L/45 produced w/frame antenna
  
• Side fenders w/pattern detail
  
• Intricately molded on-vehicle tools
  
• Drive sprockets and idler wheels accurately recreated
  
• One-piece suspension system produced for easy assembly
  
• Complicated exhaust system fully represented
  
• Delicate engine deck reproduced
  
• Headlamp on front of hull can be folded up/down
  
• Delicate DS tracks

German’s initial attempt at creating a heavy tank began in the early 1930s. Known as the Neubau-Fahrzeug (“New Construction Vehicle”), it was not a success, however. Slow-moving, boasting multiple turrets and requiring six crewmen, it wasn’t well suited to the type of rapid, mobile warfare that blitzkrieg tactics required. For this reason, only five Neubau-Fahrzeug heavy tanks were built by Rheinmetall-Borsig (Rh-B). The first two 23.41-ton prototypes (numbers 1-2) were manufactured in 1934 out of mild steel so they were not suitable for combat. Instead they were used by the tank training school at Putlos until 1940. The design featured a 3.7cm KwK L/45 cannon, a 7.5cm KwK L/24 main gun and two 7.92mm machine guns.

Dragon has already produced a fine 1/72 scale kit of the Neubau-Fahrzeug tanks that served in Norway in 1940, and now another model is being offered in the same scale in the Armor Pro collection. This kit features the very first prototype that was built in 1934. Although it bears strong similarities with the Nr.3-5 kit, this Neubau-Fahrzeug uses mostly brand new parts. In keeping with the prototype’s construction, it has a brand new main turret and two machine gun turrets. The main Rh-B turret with curved profile is distinguished by having the two main armaments mounted one above the other. These turrets, as well as the detailed upper hull, are all made from slide molds. There are also new hatches and fenders, as well as the frame antenna fitted around the main turret. With the convenience of modelers in mind, the intricate road wheels are assembled as one piece, while the tracks are made of DS. As well as the vehicles that saw combat in Norway, modelers can now depict the original version of this monstrous tank!

Reviews:

Neubau-Fahrzeug Nr.1

Manufacturer: Dragon Models
Scale: 1/72
Material: Styrene
Serial Number: 7436
Price: TBA

Introduction

The Neubau-Fahrzeug was a series of vehicles manufactured by Germany around 1934, in an attempt to produce a heavy Tank. Neubau-Fahrzeug translating into 'New Construction Vehicle'. The tank was multi-turreted, the main turret being armed with a 75mm KwK L/24 main gun, and also a smaller 37mm KwK L/45. Two manufacturers produced examples, Krupp and Rheinmetall, each differing only in the placement of the secondary gun in relation to the main one - Krupp had their 37mm next to the main gun, and Rheinmetall had theirs above the main gun. In total only five vehicles were produced and used mainly for propaganda purposes, although apparently three of them were used in the invasion of Norway. As far as I can discover two of the vehicles were made from mild steel as prototypes, this model representing one of them, manufactured by Rheinmetall.

Kit Contents

These small scale kits from Dragon just keep getting better. Inside the slightly larger than standard box there a small number of grey styrene sprues, a small decal sheet, and two lengths of tracks in Dragon tan-coloured DS100 vinyl.

The instructions are a small four-sided leaflet, in colour, beginning with the usual parts map, and then assembly beginning on page two. Construction begins with upending the one-piece slide-moulded hull and fixing the flat baseplate that represents the floor of the vehicle. The original vehicle was unusually constructed, and this is reflected of course in the model that represents it, with inserts consisting of an entire side of roadwheels that are inserted into recesses on the hull top. It's actually an ideal method of construction for this vehicle, and once in place, it's almost impossible to tell that all the roadwheels are moulded in one part per side. The tiny return rollers, four per side, are also moulded integrally with their mounting brackets, and again they've been done in such a way as to retain the maximum amount of detail, and it will be difficult to discern exactly how they're constructed once the model is finished. The tiny drive sprockets are provided in two parts, and the tracks provided in DS100 vinyl that can be cemented using ordinary styrene cement. In a nod to past complaints that such tracks have been found to be either too long or too short...dependent on which modeller you listen too, Dragon have helpfully included a short instruction on either stretching the tracks to the correct length or shortening them. To be truthful, I find this odd, since I haven't yet had a set of vinyl tracks I have had trouble with fitting. I just assumed it was common sense that the length might have to be adjusted on assembly, and was always slightly amused by complaints from modeller's that they had to adjust them to fit?

Once the tracks are on, the fenders can be fitted, of which two types are supplied, one with a tread pattern and one without, so the other version of this vehicle is probably in the pipeline too. Some of the on-vehicle tools are supplied as separate tiny parts, whilst others are already moulded onto the fenders. I still can't figure out why? Surely it would be better to supply all the tools of either one sort or the other?
The turret shell in the kit is supplied as a one-piece slide-moulded part onto which the floor and various details are fixed, as are the two small secondary turrets, and the circular grab rail around the main turret is also provided as a single, quite delicate part.

Conclusion

It's a tiny vehicle, and simple in its construction. I suspect the main enjoyment from this kit will be found it its painting and finishing! I'm still trying to figure out the turret, in that it's not the same combination that was released in the two 1/35th scale kits of this vehicle. As far as was aware there were only two versions, and this one has a main turret that was in neither? No doubt somebody will know why...but not me!

- Vinnie Branigan