1/35 SdKfz.167 StuG.IV Early Production (Smart kit)

This is a plastic model kit, which comes unassembled and unpainted. So glue, model paints and other basic modelling tools are additionally required.

Features:
- Newly tooled StuG.IV Early Production fighting compartment authentically reproduced
- Side-skirt armor plates can be installed separately
- Newly designed side-skirt armor produced in metal for scale thickness
- Newly tooled armor brackets realistically detailed
- Newly designed driver's compartment w/periscopes
- Driver's hatch w/interior detail can be assembled open/closed
- Front superstructure armor w/bolt detail
- Radio set and seat included
- Newly tooled spare-wheel rack w/spare wheels on upper hull side
- Commander's hatch w/interior details can be assembled open/closed
- Optional spare-track rack on hull rear armor
- Easy-to-assemble upper hull
- Multi-part upper hull offers maximum detail
- Fighting compartment armor w/accurate weld seams
- Optional rain guard on fighting compartment
- Multi-directional slide-molded superstructure
- Slide-molded engine deck w/bolt detail
- Roof armor w/accurate weld seams
- Screw heads finely reproduced
- Newly tooled fuel tank is included
- One-piece gun barrel
- Slide-molded muzzle brake
- Newly tooled gun mantlet rendered w/realistic cast texture surface detail
- Cannon can be elevated up/down
- Gun breech and recoil guard fully reproduced
- Recoil and recuperator cylinders accurately represented
- Gun sight and hand wheels w/delicate detail
- Slide-molded periscope sight made from clear part
- Commander's cupola periscopes made from clear parts
- Engine hatches can be assembled open/closed
- Photo-etched parts for engine-deck exhaust grill
- Newly tooled fenders w/tread pattern on both sides
- Two types of fender frontal provided
- Realistically reproduced lower hull made by 2-directional slide mold; bolts and rivets delicately represented on hull bottom
- Spare-track rack on frontal armor of lower hull
- Duct flaps reproduced w/photo-etched parts
- Detailed idler wheels w/cast texture
- Photo-etched parts for idlers to accurately represent undercut detail
- Road wheels, sprockets, idlers and return rollers authentically reproduced
- Detailed Magic Tracks

The Sturmgeschutz IV (Sd.Kfz.167) was designed by Krupp. Between December 1943 and the end of the war, Krupp built a total of 1108 new StuG IV vehicles at its Magdeburg plant, as well as converting another 31 from battle-damaged Panzer IVs. Like its StuG III brother, this assault gun proved to be an effective tank killer. It was operated by a crew of four - a commander, gunner, loader and driver. Main armament of the assault gun was a 75mm StuK 40 L/48 gun mounted in a cast "tlet equipped with 87 rounds. The vehicle was 6.7m long and weighed 25.9 tons.

Dragon's most recent kit is an Early Production variant of the StuG.IV. The model includes new items specifically created for the StuG.IV, features such as a newly tooled fighting compartment, cupola and driver's compartment. The superstructure is made from slide molds to ensure accurate alignment, as are the hull tub and engine deck. The kit has a few novel features that give modelers greater choice - one example is the metal side skirts that can be installed separately to allow different side-skirt configurations. The full breech and recoil system of the main armament are represented, allowing modelers to reveal the interior via open hatches. Being a Smart Kit, components such as the highly detailed Magic Tracks are designed to fit together with ease. There are also photo-etched elements like engine-deck grills and air-vent flaps that offer sharpness of detail. The kit has been typically well engineered, and it adds an important armored vehicle variant to the selection of fine Dragon kits available to modelers.