ip tracking

TAK-8007

TAK-8007
TAK-8007
TAK-8007
TAK-8007
"ERSATZ" ( GERMAN for SUBSTITUTE ) M7 PRIEST  2 IN 1 KIT  1/35 SCALE
Our PriceUS$44.99
Retail PriceUS$49.99
Code974544
San Diego Stock......0
Out of stock

TAKOM 8007  "ERSATZ" (GER. for SUBSTITUTE) M7 PRIEST  2 IN 1 KIT  1/35 SCALE

DESCRIPTION:

In late 1944 Hitler's obsession with splitting the Western Alliance led to the poorly conceived and poorly executed Ardennes Offensive, launched with inadequate logistical support and a heavy dose of wishful thinking. Most wishfully of all German command approved Otto Skorzeny's "Panzer Brigade 150”, hoping to strike deeply and sow confusion by using captured American equipment manned by English speaking troops. Unfortunately, there were near total shortages of operable captured American equipment and fluent English speaking soldiers; even more unfortunately, they went ahead with the plan anyway.

 When push came to shove, Panzer Brigade 150 had to settle for 5 Panthers and 5 Stugs decorated with sheet metal and green paint.2 Thanks to planning slippages, route congestion, and the frictions of real combat the "lightening surprise and infiltration” unit didn't deploy until well into the battle's second day and the AFVs ended up fighting in more traditional roles.

NOTE:

THIS IS A GERMAN STUG III DECORATED TO APPEAR AS AN AMERICAN M7 PRIEST

" . . . . . . .although they did get to have extra sheet metal and green paint."

FEATURES:
THE KIT

The box is solid, and is packed tight with individually wrapped sprues of gray plastic. Takom includes 11 sprues, three separately molded hull parts, a small photoetch sheet, an actual copper braided cable, and a decal sheet. Consistent with the simpler "Blitz” branding, tracks are link and length.  Instructions are strictly pictorial and are presented in a 5.5 x 8.5 inch booklet; while the parts identifying text is clear the font is a bit small for older eyes. The foldout last page includes color images of the vehicle with painting and weathering callouts for Mig's AMMO products. Decals are crisply printed and appear to be of good quality, though the stars' outlines are much too sharp compared with the sloppy field applied ones seen in historical photos.

 Although not explicitly denoted, the kit can be used to make two variants, with the primary differences between the instructions' designated option "-1” and option "-2” being the presence of the gun tube blast deflector and a completely covered engine deck in the latter.