Greetings. I am working on an older DES 12ton halftrack kit, and checking it against the Trumpeter 12ton halftrack kit 01583 artillery version. I also noticed that Trumpeter is now releasing a DB9 12ton halftrack, artillery version, kit #09538. I am curious if anybody can enlighten me what the difference is between the 01583 and the 09538? I mean, other than one has been out for a number of years and the other is a new release. Also, I want to applaud Trumpeter for the effort on projecting a release of three more, new 18ton FAMO units,even if they do somewhat make my four Tiger Models FAMO Bilstein crane conversion kits obsolete. I actually recently started two side-by-side builds of FAMOs with the crane conversions, before I found out about Trumpeter's new FAMO/crane kits. It's just the modelling biz, I suppose. Any ideas what the differences are in the two 12ton halftrack kits?

Hi, Mark, I think you have mixed up two softskins and the kits recreating them.

Since your post mentions the old DES kit, I presume you're talking 1/35th scale. In that case, you are referring to the Sd.Kfz.8 12 ton vehicle and not the Sd.Kfz.9 18 ton halftrack which is often INCORRECTLY referred to among modelers as the FAMO.

Fahrzeug- und Motorenbau GmbH of Breslau (FAMO after the popularity of abbreviations in German) was ONE of the companies that produced this vehicle, but it was also built by Vomag and TATRA.

To my knowledge, the only Sd.Kfz.9 kit on the market in 1/35th scale is the ancient Tamiya (which is however still pretty good, especially with some AM photo etch). I don't know of Trumpeter (or anyone else) planning to release one.

Trumpeter IS fleshing out their Sd.Kfz.8 12T line. These vehicles pulled a variety or ordnance, and like other German halftracks, saw simplification of design and production as the war raged on (hence the reason for "early" and "late" kits for this and other platforms).

I agree that Trumpeter should be congratulated for having various versions of the 12T platform-- the Sd.Kfz.8-- including the Bunkerknacker version mounting an 88mm gun.

Both Trumpeter kits are Sd.Kfz. 8 12t.
01583 is the DB10 (torsion bars) and 09538 DB9 version with springs.


Michael

Des Kit
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/des-kit-35020-sdkfz-9-1-famo-18t-with-6t-crane-1941-45--946462


https://www.scalemates.com/kits/des-kit-35021-sdkfz-9-famo-18-ton-1941-1945--550831


https://www.scalemates.com/kits/des-kit-35022-sdkfz-9-famo-18t-artillery-half-track-1939-45--946465

The kits above are not available anymore

http://deskit.online.fr/02_pages/04_materiels_35/materiels_allemands_35/35076/3535076.htm
Sdkfz 8 DB10 12t, tracteur semi-chenillé d'artillerie (1939/44)

Available

Trumpeter (announced in the latest catalogue)
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/trumpeter-09575-sdkfz-9--1188806
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/trumpeter-09576-sd-kfz-9-1--1188807
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/trumpeter-09577-schwerer-zugkraftwagen-18-t--1187267
It will be interesting to read the reviews when these turn up.
/ Robin

Thank you, Robin, for correcting the record. There was nothing in the Armoram "News" section about the new Sd.Kfz.9s. I was only familiar with DES's 12t version and not the one with the crane.

It should be interesting. I'm planning on finishing my Tamiya 9 for a tank/16t crane dio since that's what pulled it.

Those Sd.Kfz. 9 from Des are OLD, they were before Tamiyas.
I bought mine back in 1996 and I don't think it was new kit then ...
I think he took them out of production when Tamiyas kit turned up in 1999. No point in trying to compete with a styrene kit ...

I have no memory of any Armorama News about those Trumpeter ones, they were mentioned in some post about the previews of Trumpeters new catalogue
/ Robin

I would be interested in the crane version. The artillery version is just with seats. Trumpeter also is often sketchy on details, so the rifle racks, for example, are a crucial component that are very visible. This said by someone whose first review on Armorama 10 years ago was Trumpeter's Sd.Kfz.7 kit.

And I got torched by the Dragon internet troll for that, too. Remember him?

Yup. There was a lot of angry posts about the Lizard and the Bugler back in those days