I was at my LHS just this evening poking around and Glenn says, "we got something new you might be interested in",and hands me this 1/35 'Sturer Emil' by Trumpeter. Was I surprised! Didn't even suspect it existed. The price is good...$30 Canadian, or around $20 - $25 US. I just got it home and opened the box. The surprises just kept on coming! There are 6 sprues of finely molded and well defined parts in medium grey plastic; upper hull, lower hull, and a single-piece fighting compartment box with molded detail inside and out, and the walls are to a suitably scaled thiness. All pin release marks are on the inside of parts, surfaces which are to be glued, or otherwise in areas inaccessable to the naked eye. I noticed two areas of slight warpage - the track guards connected to the upper hull part, and the sides of the fighting compartment, both of which can be straightened out during assembly and glueing. Overall, I would say the quality and detailing rivals both Dragon and Tamiya. I haven't actually started construction yet so I can't comment on the fit. I don't believe much reference exists of this vehicle so I also can't comment on the accuracy, but the gun and breech are well detailed, as is the interior of the fighting compartment with ammo racks and equipment lining the walls. The ammo racks are multi-piece construction, and the projectiles are a separate part. The charges are stored in lockers which have some separate doors. There are also some loose projectiles and charges and one complete round. The separate charges have hollowed-out ends and can be attached to the projectiles to make more complete rounds. There are two rack-mounted, well-defined MP 40's, ammo pouches, gas mask containers with moulded-on racks and straps, 2 racks of grenades, a very nice radio set and other bits and pieces. I just checked to see if the cartridges would actually fit in the opened lockers - they are about 1/2 millimeter too long, but a bit of filing will make them fit. The wheels and drive units appear to be well-detailed and well-defined. The suspension arms are separate pieces. The tracks, however, would have been an unremarkable single vinyle length except for the fact that they are molded with hollow, or skeleton, guide teeth, as are the plastic lengths of spares. This is the first time I've seen that!! Exterior tools are very well done with the best plastic molded tool clasps I've seen in 1/35 - they certainly do not need to be replaced. A small decal sheet with national markings, kill rings, and insignia for 3rd co. 521 schwere Panzerjager Abteilung is provided. There is also a series of tiny numbers in white which seem to correspond to the ammo storage, but are not explained or illustrated in the decal placement diagrams. All hatches are separate, and the driver's hatch and crew access hatch can be modelled open or closed. Weld seems are present and well-defined, and the front and rear mudguards are not simply flat thick sections of plastic, but are thinned, with a side edge. The massive gun barrel and muzzle brake is molded in 2 halves. No crew members are included. If this kit looks just as good when finished it's going to rival just about anything by DML or Tamiya.

thanks for the quick review biggles2. the kit hasn't arrived in my LHS yet, but i'm looking forward to it!

After submitting my review I discovered a much more in depth one on PMMS along with pics of the parts.

I can't find the thread, but a member here got the jump on us all and has already started one a while back!


I wonder if it's finished yet?


Jeff

A quick question concerning the Pzgr. 39 ammo for the 12.8 cm. gun of 'Sturer Emil'. Was the projectile and cartridge loaded as a single unit; or was the projectile loaded separately, followed by the cartridge? If as a single unit then the round must have been extremely heavy!

It is indeed a stellar kit. I picked one up a couple of months ago.
ModelKasten has just released an indy links set for this kit, too. The kit tracks aren't bad at all (quite good, actually), but you just can't beat that MK sag.

That sounds like a great kit and thanks for the quick review, sounds like another kit i may have to try at this rate i will never finish painting all my figures, can't wait to see your progress on this one.

And I thought I was first kid on the block with one!

I concur with Biggles2, this is a great looking kit, received mine the other day. Does anyone know of any aftermarket barrels for this kit?

Actually the barrell is not bad. A little care in aligning the two halves, and some graded sanding to smooth the joint is all that is needed.

I would like to find some after-market brass shell casings for it though.The plastic kit ones with it aren't bad, but they are just plastic.

oooo.... i'm drooling already

if you thought the trumpeter sturer emil is good, wait for tthe KV-1 and KV-2! it should be as good or better!

.... and there goes my budget again....