StuG III Ausf. A	Dragon, 1/35 scale
by Brett Green

Description

If you want to build the very first Sturmgeschütz variant, the Ausf. A, in 1:35 scale, Dragon is the only game in town.

Dragon released their 1:35 scale StuG III Ausf. A in 1996. The kit was based on their earlier Ausf. G tooling, and it is now starting to show its age.

I built this model side-by-side Tamiya’s StuG III Ausf. B.

Guess which one was a nicer build…

Even so, detail on the Dragon Ausf. A is good. The kit is broadly accurate, individual-link tracks with hollow guide teeth and plenty of spares are included and photo-etched mesh is in the box.

On the downside:

• The plastic is brittle and responds poorly to Tamiya Extra Thin cement

• There is a considerable amount of flash and ejector-pin artefacts

• The instructions are sometimes difficult to follow and at times downright misleading

• Some assembly stages are tricky

• The decals are badly yellowed

• Surgery is required to backdate key components from Ausf. G to Ausf. A

I was happy with how it looked when it was finished though. It does seem that an SS Commander is taking the StuG for a test drive though...

These models will be featured in two big articles in Issues 240 and 241 of Model Military International magazine.

Purchased by the Editor