Dear fellow modelers,

I should know this answer myself but here goes. On the Tamiya Krupp instruction booklet it shows the order of battle for the truck to include a platoon that tows the 7.5cm AT gun. I am using that theme for both models on the Eastern Front as the prime mover and gun. Is Tamiya wrong? The instructions for all of their kits seem to always be correct. Thanks, John Staehle/ Hobbies in a Barn

I've got 3 of the old original-issue Krupp kits in my stash and after looking at the booklets, I believe they are referencing the 37mm gun. I think Tamiya also reissued the Krupp later on as a kit with the 37mm AT gun as well. However, it's very possible that this changed as the 75mm became the preferred gun for AT units.

Thank you very much, I concur. I may post a photo of the page just for future reference.

John

Dear readers,

My mistake. On the Instructions for the Tamiya PAK 40/L46 it shows a formation of the 1941 German Infantry Anti-tank gun company. Two of the Krupp trucks shown in the 4th Platoon are towing the PAK 40. Sorry about that. I believe this depiction to be correct, but I'll Google an actual platoon.

John

The Krupp truck was indeed, originally tasked as the prime mover for the 3.7cm Pak 36 (which weighed in at 953 lbs).

Have you ever seen a 7.5cm Pak 40? It's huge. Weight? 3,142 lbs. Its assigned prime mover was the SdKfz 11 3-ton tractor -- a much more robust vehicle than the light Krupp Boxer. Other heavy vehicles such as the RSO Ost tractor, an SdKfz 251 or other heavy truck have been pictured hauling a Pak 40. The boxer is simply too flimsy.

My thinking is that Tamiya depicted everything they could on their box top in order to entice buyers to link them together, regardless of historical accuracy.

Perhaps in an emergency, a boxer could be used to assist moving a Pak 40. To be actually assigned to one? On the TO&E chart? I'd say NEVER.

Maybe they confused it with the "7,5cm Leichtes Infanteriegeschuetz 18"(light infantry support gun 18)?? That was possible to tow - 880 lb weight.

Thank you for the response, your answer makes sense except to see photos of a crew man-handling the PAK 40 to position it into a firing mode. I doubt the Krupp could handle the PAK 40 but I did see them on the kit instructions for the AT gun as I noted. It's an interesting concept.

The German 7,5cm PAK 40 had a number of prime movers. The Steyr Ost (RSO), the 3 ton Opel Blitz and the Sd. Kfz. 251 were among its most well known towing vehicles. Captured vehicles are sometimes pictured towing the PAK 40 such as British Universal Gun Carriers, the French Renault UE and the Soviet Artillery Carrier 630.

It's very possible. I can always build my Opel Mule for towing the PAK 40 or the Quad 20mm AA gun, as I have enough vehicles for either. I also could use my original plan with the Sd.Kfz 251D for the prime mover. That's the beauty of having over 50 models.