_GOTOBOTTOM
Armor/AFV
For discussions on tanks, artillery, jeeps, etc.
Hosted by Darren Baker, Mario Matijasic
REVIEW
Dragon Sd.Kfz.7 Initial Production
c5flies
Visit this Community
California, United States
Joined: October 21, 2007
KitMaker: 3,684 posts
Armorama: 2,938 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 17, 2010 - 11:02 AM UTC
Bill Cross reviews Dragon Model's long-awaited Sd.Kfz.7 Initial Production Prime Mover.

Link to Item



If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
Jmarles
Visit this Community
British Columbia, Canada
Joined: November 02, 2008
KitMaker: 1,138 posts
Armorama: 953 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 17, 2010 - 01:58 PM UTC
The "SS" license plate decals are on the sheet, they are in two pieces to avoid breaking European Hate Laws. Of course, it's a pain to mate them up, more often than not there's a few spares in the ol' stash to replace them with...
tayc
Visit this Community
Queensland, Australia
Joined: October 22, 2005
KitMaker: 139 posts
Armorama: 33 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 17, 2010 - 08:49 PM UTC

Quoted Text

The "SS" license plate decals are on the sheet, they are in two pieces to avoid breaking European Hate Laws. Of course, it's a pain to mate them up, more often than not there's a few spares in the ol' stash to replace them with...


I can understand the issue of European Hate Laws and restrictions on the reproduction of SS and other Nazi symbols. I have just completed Dragon's Ferdinand Fahrgestell No. 150100 final production and finished it with the supplied decals of factory worker graffiti and nationalist slogans. These decals included scribbled chalk references to the Porche and Siemens companies but required the "P" and "S" respectively to be applied separately (similar to the need to construct the SS runes using two decals in the Sd.Kfz.7 kit). The box art also shows these marks "smudged" coincidentally in the same location. Does anyone know if this is a commercial licensing issue, sensitivity to a past association with the Nazi regime or something else?
H_Ackermans
Visit this Community
Gelderland, Netherlands
Joined: July 11, 2006
KitMaker: 2,229 posts
Armorama: 2,221 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 17, 2010 - 11:35 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

The "SS" license plate decals are on the sheet, they are in two pieces to avoid breaking European Hate Laws. Of course, it's a pain to mate them up, more often than not there's a few spares in the ol' stash to replace them with...


I can understand the issue of European Hate Laws and restrictions on the reproduction of SS and other Nazi symbols. I have just completed Dragon's Ferdinand Fahrgestell No. 150100 final production and finished it with the supplied decals of factory worker graffiti and nationalist slogans. These decals included scribbled chalk references to the Porche and Siemens companies but required the "P" and "S" respectively to be applied separately (similar to the need to construct the SS runes using two decals in the Sd.Kfz.7 kit). The box art also shows these marks "smudged" coincidentally in the same location. Does anyone know if this is a commercial licensing issue, sensitivity to a past association with the Nazi regime or something else?


Any references and uses of Nazi-symbols in commercial or other means is strictly forbidden in Germany.

No Swastika, no propaganda, no SS-runes, nothing of that kind may be in any form be included in any commercial product.

So that is the reason.
bill_c
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
Visit this Community
New Jersey, United States
Joined: January 09, 2008
KitMaker: 10,553 posts
Armorama: 8,109 posts
Posted: Monday, January 18, 2010 - 03:34 AM UTC
Thanks, Gents, for the detailed replies. I will amend the review accordingly.
jlpicard
Visit this Community
Ticino, Switzerland
Joined: September 21, 2005
KitMaker: 23 posts
Armorama: 20 posts
Posted: Monday, January 25, 2010 - 03:10 PM UTC
Oh Bill, why, why, why?

I was about to write a comparison review about the major differences concerning Tamiya, Dragon and Trumpeter versions of Sd.Kfz.7 half-tracked vehicles.

You beat me on the finish line.

Well, it is my own fault, I should have acted, instead of pondering and studying about it...

What I just need is to go back and re-read your review once again...

You're a fast one, you are...

My compliments
milvehfan
Visit this Community
North Carolina, United States
Joined: June 26, 2007
KitMaker: 2,116 posts
Armorama: 1,080 posts
Posted: Monday, January 25, 2010 - 04:00 PM UTC
Bill. Thanks for the review I enjoyed it. I will probably be picking one up soon. milvehfan

mmeier
Visit this Community
Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Joined: October 22, 2008
KitMaker: 1,280 posts
Armorama: 1,015 posts
Posted: Monday, January 25, 2010 - 10:57 PM UTC
With the Porsche and Siemens signs it's likely a commercial issue similar to Tamiya calling it's "Opel Blitz" an "Lkw 3to 4x2" and not suppling the proper hood symbol.

With the rest it's german law (Paragraph 86 StGB - Criminal Law) that only allows the display for very restricted purposes(1). Austria also has laws against it's display. Enforcement can be too strict, even antifaschist symbols using smashed/broken Swastika are illegal

(1)Historical education, "high quality" movies like "Schindlers Liste" etc.
metooshelah
#011
Visit this Community
Jerusalem, Israel
Joined: February 06, 2009
KitMaker: 1,507 posts
Armorama: 1,304 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 - 12:13 AM UTC
Thanks for the review Bill, enjoyed reading. I really want to grab myself a half track, but I fear that it'll end up just like my poor stryker - unfinished, hiding somewhere on the shelf. somehow I get discouraged when I build un-tank models
bill_c
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
Visit this Community
New Jersey, United States
Joined: January 09, 2008
KitMaker: 10,553 posts
Armorama: 8,109 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 - 01:53 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Oh Bill, why, why, why?

I was about to write a comparison review about the major differences concerning Tamiya, Dragon and Trumpeter versions of Sd.Kfz.7 half-tracked vehicles.

You beat me on the finish line.

Patrick, I would like nothing better than to see just such a review. Armorama encourages multiple reviews of the same kit(s). Your expansive knowledge on things German in WW II would be a great help to readers, and would supplement what I have provided. By all means.

Milvefan, no Giants in the Super Bowl this year, but thanks for the nod!

MBR thanks for the clarification. Given what the two countries went through, it's not surprising they err on the side of caution.

Matan, this one builds up nicely OOB. No need for any PE, and it looks fabulous (at least if the Sd.Kfz.7/1 on the work bench is any indication.

mmeier
Visit this Community
Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Joined: October 22, 2008
KitMaker: 1,280 posts
Armorama: 1,015 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 - 04:29 AM UTC
That's a bad review. Until I read it I was dead set to get the Trumpeter variant. Now I have to reconsider

Yokes aside: Thanks for the reviews on both variants and your build of the two SdKft 7/1 variants. It's work like yours that help other modelers decide what to buy/build.
bill_c
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
Visit this Community
New Jersey, United States
Joined: January 09, 2008
KitMaker: 10,553 posts
Armorama: 8,109 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 - 05:03 AM UTC

Quoted Text

That's a bad review. Until I read it I was dead set to get the Trumpeter variant. Now I have to reconsider

Both kits build into excellent models. I don't think you'll be disappointed either way.

Quoted Text

Yokes aside: Thanks for the reviews on both variants and your build of the two SdKft 7/1 variants. It's work like yours that help other modelers decide what to buy/build.

Gosh, I'm blushing. Thanks for the nice words.
 _GOTOTOP