Sd.Kfz 231 (8 Rad)

By Faustnik.

Manufacturer: AL.BY Miniatures (Kit #725)

Contents:

• 25 Parts moulded in high quality resin
• Packed in a transparent box.

Evaluation:

Depicting the intermediate model of this well known Armoured Car, with the late turret, early mudguards and type hull, this version was in production from late 1941 till 1942. This means that it could be used in almost all major campaigns, in the East and Western Desert, even if the previous version was more "photogenic" as it seems from their presence in the wartime photos. This model could even be used in the later part of the war or would make a useful companion to the Fine Scale Factory Sd.Kfz.233.

If you want, this could be quickly converted into the later version, with the later hull - single visor on the front - and later type of mudguards, using it for the post-42 units.

It is a pleasure to build it, with only a few problems, or better, some attention in the area of the wheels and mudguards, as in some cases a little reshaping in the interior of the later will help the correct positioning of the former.

As any resin kit, some cleaning of the parts is needed, but air bubbles and warping was almost absent from my model.

As a useful reference I will advise the use of the article, from ROOS, Paul, in Steel Masters 2, p. 20-1, and the JENTZ, Thomas, M.O.S. nº11 - Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (Sd.Kfz.231) 8 Rad, even if the latter will concentrate in the early version.

The completed model courtesy of Artur Ramos.

Overall:

Another excellent model from AL.BY, and as far as scale is concern, using the available data the overall dimensions are at 1:72. So…

Highly Recommended