Panserbandvagen Pbv.302

Spalah Models

Reviewed by Zack Sex

B a c k g r o u n d

USD 52.24 plus shipping 

The Swedish Pbv.302 Infantry Fighting Vehicle was developed by Hägglund & Söner in Örnsköldsvik during the early 1960s. It was commissioned by the Swedish Army as a future replacement for the earlier Pbv.301, which featured a similar layout but was based on the Czech-designed 38(t) chassis. Following completion of the design, production of the Pbv.302 ran from 1966 to 1971.

Unlike the contemporary American M113, which employed aluminium armour, the Pbv.302 featured a welded steel hull that offered superior crew protection. Armour thickness on the base vehicle measured 25mm at the front, 10mm on the sides and 5mm at the rear.

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One of the more distinctive features of the Pbv.302 was the pair of raising roof hatches over the troop compartment, allowing the squad of eight infantrymen to engage targets while remaining under armour. Access to the rear compartment was via a pair of side-hinged rear doors. Up front, the crew consisted of a commander, driver and gunner.

This rather unusual IFV was armed with a 20mm Hispano-Suiza Type 804 cannon recycled from scrapped Saab 29 fighters. The weapon was fed by 135-round belts of high-explosive ammunition and 10-round magazines of armour-piercing rounds.

This compact and boxy little IFV served with the Swedish Army from 1966 until 2014, with more than 640 examples and variants produced. The Pbv.302 also saw extensive operational use during United Nations and NATO-led peacekeeping deployments in Bosnia during the 1990s and early 2000s, including service with UNPROFOR and IFOR/SFOR formations. During these deployments, the vehicles occasionally came under hostile fire from Serbian armour and anti-tank guided missiles.

Remarkably, the story of the Pbv.302 did not end with retirement from Swedish service. In 2024, Sweden donated approximately 200 surviving vehicles to Ukraine. Some of these vehicles were rapidly pressed into combat service during Ukrainian operations in the Kursk region, intended to divert Russian forces and attention away from offensive actions elsewhere in Ukraine. According to the Oryx Blog, at least 37 Pbv.302s have since been destroyed or damaged in combat, but the type nevertheless provided Ukraine with a valuable interim infantry fighting vehicle capability.

The Pbv.302 therefore holds considerable interest for modellers with a passion for modern IFVs, Swedish armour, UN peacekeeping vehicles or contemporary Ukrainian subjects. It is also good news that SSMODEL produces the Pbv.302 in 1/87, 1/72, 1/48 and 1/35 scale, with prices ranging from approximately 12 to 50 Euros including postage.

Spalah's 1:35 M-12 Rapira

The SSMODEL kit itself is straightforward and appears reasonably accurate when compared to available reference photographs. The tracks and simple dish-pattern road wheels clean up nicely. However, the rear of the model — where many of the 3D printing supports are attached — requires careful removal and clean-up. Rushing this stage risks damaging some of the finer detail parts.

It should also be noted that the Bofors BILL anti-tank guided missile launcher mounted above the Hispano-Suiza cannon, as seen in some promotional photographs, never entered operational service and remained purely a proposal.

If, like this reviewer, you intend to build the vehicle in Ukrainian service, there are several attractive options available. The vehicle may be depicted in freshly delivered condition on training grounds and proving areas, or alternatively fitted with improvised slat armour and drone netting as seen on operational vehicles in the Kursk fighting.

In summary, this is a simple and enjoyable kit that assembles with little fuss. It is inexpensive for what is offered and provides an excellent basis for further detailing. With some scratch built additions and perhaps the inclusion of a suitable figure set, the finished model could be transformed into a highly distinctive and eye-catching project.

Highly Recommended

Zack Sex

Available online from SS Model www.ssmodel.com