Kimmo Happonen provides a super-detailed full build review of Dragon’s recently released 1/35 StuG.III Ausf.G Late Production Dec.1944 (kit 6593).


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Thanks!

nice work Kimmo and a lot of information through out the read, and I cannot agree more about the DS verse MT comment which I believe will come back to haunt Dragon. Matt great work on the edit.

Thank you good sir. And a big thanks to Matt as well. It was an interesting experience and hopefully I'll get to do another one some day.

Kimmo

Sir, that was an outstanding review, now if it were not for the DS track I would say I have to have one. But before I do that I have to find an aftermarket set of tracks and fruils are just to darn expensive.

Kimmo,

Sensational review! Your method of painting tracks and cable - I'll try that. My armor modeling has been in depot since MT and DS tracks came out so I have no experience; regardless this looks like a better StuG than any I have to date.

Great review, very professional.

I would have to use aftermarket tracks for this kit though. I really hate those rubber band tracks

Thanks for the kind words gents. And if you have any more questions on the kit or on my techniques, ask away.

Kimmo

I think I said something in my last feature to the effect: How does the world's biggest plastic model manufacturer get SO close and still bomb on so many details? Some of the things pointed out in this review and build are just horrifying in my opinion..If these were $8.00 kits some of this kind of stuff would be, well, expected, or at least considered reasonable compromises..but these aren't cheap kits are they? This is supposed to be the most high tech model kit manufacturer on earth, with the most advanced design department and prototype to production process ever..and some of their errors are mind boggling to me! As with my M16 halftrack, where I paid something like $45.00 for a kit..and all these things are so wrong with it? Like the height of the armor sides are off so you can't fit the ammo mags where they should go? Or the cast in manufacturer name on the winch housing mis-spelled?? Or just what you go through to fit the body to the chassis in correct position(I've seen no end of photos of halftracks built from Dragon kits with the whole body sitting on the frame wrong)..to me it's just not right. And now there seems to be a move by Dragon to go back to the cheap tracks we all kinda buy Dragon kits to get AWAY from?? Hmmm...Happy this review/build came along so I can avoid this kit.

Oh, and Kimmo...you certainly did a miraculous job in building this! Very impressed with your ability to adapt and overcome, no matter how bad the problem! You certainly have made a silk purse from a sow's ear in this case, very nice model considering what it took to get it together. Outstanding!

Thanks. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was a sow's ear, but it certainly was a bit more disappointing than I had expected. That said, it will build up fine if you pay attention and apply some good old fashioned modeling skills which shouldn't have to be applied.

Kimmo

Do you sometimes get the impression that Dragon has become so overconfident in their 3D modelling and prototyping that they actually don't bother sitting a guy down at a table with a tube of glue to test assemble one of these before they run the production and ship? I am seriously beginning to think so.

Does a bear wear funny hats at birthday parties?

But in all seriousness, I am amazed, and not in a pleasant way, at the number of parts that have fit issues and it's not just with this kit either. The worst seem to be the simplest too. For instance, a simple drop in part will have a hole that needs filler. You would think that the CAD driver would check measurements against each other, but maybe that's just me. In contrast, I recently fiddled with a Griffon early smoke candle rack and the fit was impossibly bang on for pieces that small, taking into consideration that etch has a bit of give and take with the process used. While the issues can be overcome, they are issues that should not be present for a major player like Dragon. I can forgive cottage industry manufacturers with engineering and fit, but not so easily with a major manufacturer. Even the ancient Tamiya Leopard 1A4 I had started a while back fit well.

Kimmo

nice review, I read for some place the only wrong in this kit is because is dont final production for some part in the ass of this tank. But is really nice kit (except for the tracks, I prefer the Tamiya tracks or old Dragon in plastic).

Thanks. As I said in the review, I'm not a Stug expert so I can't say too much about what is and isn't correct. Fortunately, there are a lot of unused parts and I think one could practically make any variant of the G/40.

Kimmo

Very Nice review. I also bought this kit. I've been looking through your masterpiece and how you made it. But I think there might be a bit of an issue...

Only one?

Kimmo

This was my first Dragon kit in 1/35. I think I'll stick with Tamiya 1/35...

This was actually my first modern Dragon as well, there is definitely an adjustment to be made going from Tamiya to Dragon, or any of the other new manufacturers these days. Lots of detail, lots of potential to get frustrated. Patience is the key.

Kimmo

Uh, no, thanks.

Tamiya kits are for the most part too simplified.

Kimmo, that's a very extensive review and a credit to the site. I like your yellow pre-shading under the Dunkelgelb.

Thanks Bill. When I was writing it up, I thought it was far too lengthy but I wasn't really sure where to start trimming text so just left it as is. I was rather pleased with the end result of the dunkelgelb, and going over the pics again, I can't help but notice those tracks really don't do the kit justice.

Kimmo