Sd.Kfz.251 Ausf.C
PE Update
Set # PE 35048
Review by Terry Ashley

The thickness of the frets varies depending in the type of part included with thin sheets for the storage boxes etc., thicker sheets for the replacement panels and supports with the standard of the etching being as good as any you will find today that included the relief etched and engraved bending lines which is now a standard feature of all good etched sets.

The resin parts in light cream resin have just the usual small casting blocks to be removed and give you four 37mm ammo boxes, an MG42 with round ammo magazine but there are a couple a small air holes along the top of the gun after removing the casting block that probably can be dealt with using thick cyanoacrylate as they are quite small. The engraved details on the ammo boxes are not the cleanest I’ve seen on resin parts but should be okay once painted.

Parts for the basic 251 exterior include new engine bay doors with working hinges, new side fender storage boxes with separate doors that can be shown open or closes with separate latches, a replacement top hull panel with three part bullet splash guard with numerous small fittings such as front brackets for the lights, lifting eyes and two styles of turn indicators plus exhaust cover, rear mud flaps and tail lights and three part tool clips for all pioneer tools as well as the brackets for the shovel and sledge hammer.

On the interior are new seats with etched and plastic rod bases that require you to remove the moulded on bases from the Dragon floor as well as new spring seat backs, new instrument panel parts with the photo film dials plus gas mask canister and radio brackets. Further back are the small hand rail brackets along the top of the compartment side with plastic rod for the rails plus clips for the MP40 and other small brackets and the rear door hinges and latches are entirely replaced with etched parts and thin plastic rod as well as the fire extinguisher brackets on the rear side walls.

Parts for the three versions in the Dragon kit include metal 37mm ammo boxes with separate lids that you can shown open and brackets for the resin ammo boxes plus a new upper hull panel with separate bullet splash guards which are in quite thick metal for good definition and the two spaced gun shields which use thin rod for the attachment bolts and a new breech guard on the 37mm gun.
The central brackets for the sMG version are entirely on etched parts to replace and add to the kit parts and for the pioneer bridges there are new side hull supports and brackets to replace the kit parts.

The instructions are on four A4 sized pages with comprehensive exploded view drawings that are quite easy to follow but as usual you should study these before assembly to fully understand where they all go.

Conclusion:
An extremely comprehensive etched set with many interior and exterior updates to add considerable detail definition to whichever version you choose to build but the new parts for the 37mm version such as gun shields, upper hull panel and ammo boxes would make this version even more appealing.

Highly recommended.

The etched frets



Resin bits

See the Voyager Models website for additional details.

Thanks to Voyager Models for kindly providing the review samples.

Page Created 24 April 2005