Tristar 1/35 Sdkfz 222 box art

Item no: 35043
Name: 1/35 Leichte Panzerspähwagen (2cm) Sd.Kfz. 222 middle version
 
Kit includes:
  • 2pcs of Photo etch in two different thicknesses
  • 1pc of decal by Cartograf
  • 8pcs of suspension metal springs
  • 4pcs of hollow rubber tire
Background history

From the 1930s, Germany developed a series of Leichte Panzerspähwagen --Light Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicles. They were four-wheel drive, armoured and light. It used the standard sPkw I Horch 801 common chassis, which gave it agility and manoeuvrability, with a lightly-armoured body, a light weapon and radio equipment

The Sd.Kfz.221 was the first of the new series of Light Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicles and was developed in 1934 to replaced the obsolete Kfz.13/14. The Sd.Kfz 222 was as the successor of the Sd. Kfz.221 based upon experience gained from the Sd.Kfz 221’s service. It used the Sd.Kfz.221-- sPkw I chassis in succession. The hull was redesigned to house a new larger 2cm KwK automatic cannon turret instead of the less powerful MG 13/MG34 Machine Gun. Production was started in 1936 and would be divided into two versions of chassis. Early version chassis were powered by the Horch 3.5l V-8 petroleum engine, while the later version chassis changed to more a larger Horch 3.8l V-8 petroleum engine and had a modified suspension system with a new hydraulic brake system.  

Usually, the Sd.Kfz.222 was issued to the Aufklärungs-Abteilung (reconnaissance battalions) and it served in all theatres, on the Western Front, Eastern Front and in North Africa. Due to the demands of protection, agility and firepower under the intensity of war, the Sd.Kfz. 222 family was gradually replaced by the eight-wheeled, half-tracked and tracked armoured vehicles but remained in service until the end of the war.

Details of model kit

The up-to-date standard 1/35 Sd.Kfz. 222 is one of the missing links of WW II German armoured vehicle in injection-moulded plastic kits. Three years ago, we had the opportunity to obtain an original maintenance manual of the s. PKW (images 1-3). Subsequently, we started to gather other information and designed an updated Sd.Kfz. 222 in 1/35 as an injection-moulded plastic kit.
  • Image 1: Front cover of manual and scanned page of manual 
  • Image 2: scanned pages of manual 
  • Image 3: scanned pages of manual
After lengthy study, we have identified two versions of chassis with different frames in the Sd.Kfz. 222 family (Image 4) 
  • Image 4: Comparison of early and late version chassis
  • Image 8 & 9: scanned pages of manual
The remaining images in the album all show elements of the new Tristar kit.
 
Thanks to the importers, Model Wholesale UK Ltd for the news. 

For more details of the Tristar range, see their website