Tamiya 35195 Sd.Kfz.251/1 Ausf. D Half-Track 1/35 Scale Plastic Model Kit

Description

Tamiya ventured into the modeling business in 1948, with a scale wooden ship model kit. Since then, Tamiya has been striving to offer merchandise that can truly be called ‘First in Quality Around the World.’ Now Tamiya is offering more than 300 different products, both in the fields of precision static models and high performance radio control vehicles. These products are not only sold in Japan but also exported in vast quantities to the United States, Europe, South East Asia, and to many other parts of the world. The standard of excellence achieved by Tamiya is regarded as among the very finest in the world of model hobbies. Of the many variables that take place during any conflict, supply and mobility are the most pressing. Germany realized this fact very early in World War 2 and demonstrated use of support vehicles during their early ‘Blitzkriegs’. They had developed a great number of vehicles for differing purposes, and a very successful on was the Sd. Kfz. 251 half-track. This semi-tracked vehicle became the centerpiece of their mechanized corps throughout the conflict. Production began in 1939, and the series is broken down into four types, from Ausf. A to D. according to the differences in design and its production period. Early models used a very complicated hull construction, made up of obliquely placed armor plating. This was somewhat simplified in the C and D types, to make mass production easier. The final ‘D’ version appeared in 1943, and it became the most widely used model of the four versions. Of the many types produced, the basic personnel carrier was the Dd. Kfz. 251/1. Powered by the Maybach HL42 six cylinder engine, it had a top speed of 53 km/h and a range of 300 km. It was armed with two MG42 machine guns plus automatic rifles for the crew, and could carry twelve fully equipped soldiers. This versatile half track was also the basis for a wide variety of self-propelled weapon systems, which were mounted to its chassis. More than 10,000 of the D type half-track and its variants were produced. This finely detailed plastic model kit accessory requires assembly and painting.