Pak 38 5 cm Anti-Tank Gun

Tamiya 1/35 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Summary

B a c k g r o u n d

The 5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 38 (Pak 38) was a German anti-tank gun developed in the mid-1930s to replace the older 37 mm Pak 36, which had become increasingly ineffective against modern armored vehicles. Designed by Rheinmetall-Borsig, the Pak 38 entered service in 1938 and was intended to provide German infantry with a mobile, lightweight weapon capable of penetrating the armor of contemporary tanks.

Weighing roughly 830 kilograms in combat configuration, the Pak 38 could be towed by light vehicles or even manhandled short distances by its crew, making it well-suited to the fast-moving campaigns Germany anticipated. Its 50 mm caliber gun fired armor-piercing (AP), high-explosive (HE), and later APCR rounds, with a maximum penetration of approximately 60 mm at 500 meters when using standard AP ammunition. This made it effective against early war French and Polish tanks, as well as the light Soviet models encountered during the 1941 invasion of the USSR.

The Pak 38 first saw action in the Polish Campaign of 1939 and the Battle of France in 1940, where it demonstrated superior performance against enemy armor compared to the obsolete Pak 36. However, by 1941–42, the rapid evolution of tank design, particularly the introduction of Soviet T-34s and KV-1s, quickly outpaced its capabilities. The gun remained in service on the Eastern Front, often in secondary roles or in fortified defensive positions, but by mid-war it was largely relegated to training units or replaced by more powerful weapons, such as the Pak 40 75 mm anti-tank gun.

Despite its relatively short front-line career, the Pak 38 represented a significant step in German anti-tank development, bridging the gap between the light early-war weapons and the heavier artillery that would dominate mid- and late-war battlefields. Its ease of handling, reliability, and modular design ensured that it remained a useful support weapon, even as its armor-penetrating power became inadequate against the evolving threat of heavily armored tanks.

Pak 38 in Plastic

For such an important weapon, the 5 cm Pak 38 has been surprisingly under-represented in 1:35 scale.

Until now, the best option has been Dragon’s 1999 release, which combined crisp detail, accurate proportions and a selection of optional parts including ammunition, spent cases and crew figures. The same tooling was later re-boxed by Italeri in 2006.

It has been quite some time since we’ve seen a brand-new field artillery piece from Tamiya  — that is, not including self-propelled vehicles or re-boxings.

Here are all the Tamiya’s 1:35 scale artillery releases I can think of:

• German 88 mm Gun Flak 36/37 – Kit No. 35017 (1972)

• German 37 mm Anti-Tank Gun Pak 35/36 – Kit No. 35035 (1974)

• British 25 Pdr Gun/Quad Tractor – Kit No. 35045 (1974)

• German 75 mm Pak 40/L46 Anti-Tank Gun – Kit No. 35047 (1975)

So it has been half a century since Tamiya last released an all-new, standalone field artillery kit. Let’s see how they’ve approached this long-awaited encore.

F i r s t L o o k

Tamiya’s all-new 1:35 scale Pak 38 5 cm Anti-Tank Gun comprises 112 parts in dark grey plastic for the gun, 41 parts in medium grey for the figures, and four polythene caps.

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There are no decals included.

Moulding quality is everything we’ve come to expect from Tamiya – crisp, precise and free of flash or sink marks.

Detail is excellent throughout. The double armour shield is correctly represented, the breech may be posed in multiple positions, and the carriage is detailed and convincing. The trailing legs are workable, allowing the model to be posed in either firing or towed configuration.

The 5 cm gun barrel is provided in plastic. Half of the muzzle brake is moulded integrally with the barrel, while the opposite half is a separate part. The gun can elevate and traverse.

Each road wheel is made up of four plastic parts – central wheel, outer and inner tyres, and the wheel hub. A note in the instructions directs cutting the polythene caps. Don’t forget to do this.

An auxiliary wheel is also provided for the towed option.

F i g u r e s

For more than a decade, Tamiya’s 1:35 scale figures have been among the best available, with natural poses, lifelike faces and convincing fabric drape. I’ve happily used them straight from the box without hesitation.

These new-generation figures have appeared in a most vehicle kits and standalone sets such as the German Tank Crew, Machine Gun Crew and Infantry releases.

Tamiya’s latest offering includes a dedicated four-man gun crew designed specifically for the new Pak 38. The figure sprue comprises 41 medium grey plastic parts.

Facial expressions are neutral and sculpting is first-rate. All four crewmen wear early-war M36 uniforms, M35 steel helmets and bayonets. The poses capture the team in action – kneeling and crouching behind the gun while loading and aiming.

The NCO is depicted with binoculars. Two holstered pistols and a small ammo pouch are also provided. Personal gear is minimal, likely to avoid snagging in combat; there are no canteens, gas mask cases, bread bags or entrenching tools.

Three metal ammunition boxes and ten 5 cm shells are included – two high-explosive, two armour-piercing and six spent casings.

It’s a pity that Tamiya has not included their very handy uniform insignia decals this time.

C o n c l u s i o n

Tamiya has finally returned to field artillery after fifty years – and their 5 cm Pak 38 has been worth the wait.

Detail is sharp, moulding flawless, and the inclusion of the four-man crew elevates the kit to an instant vignette.

Let’s hope this signals the beginning of a new generation of classic artillery pieces from Tamiya

Highly Recommended.

Purchased by the Reviewer

Tamiya kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited for the sample.