Armory

Sd.Kfz.164 Nashorn & Sd.Kfz.165 Hummel
40cm Kgs.61/400/120 tracks
(1941-1944 period)

The Panzer III and Panzer IV (and their derivatives) went through a series of (minor) variations in the track type that they carried. For the 40cm tracks these were:

1. 40cm with two grooves in track face; hollow guide teeth
2. 40cm with two notches in track face; double side connections; hollow guide teeth
3. 40cm with four notches in track face; double side connections; solid guide teeth
4. 40cm without notches or grooves in track face but with chevrons; double side connections; solid guide teeth (but possibly also with hollow guide teeth)
5. 40cm with four notches in track face and chevrons; double side connections; solid guide teeth (but possibly also with hollow or indented guide teeth)
6. 40cm with rectangular recesses in track face; double side connections; solid guide teeth (but possibly also with hollow or indented guide teeth)

Note that not every variant carried every type of track. This discussion might also help understand the subject.

The parts are very well cast, with discrete sprue gates and minor amounts of flash. Even then, due to the finesse of the parts, removing even this little amount will be no sinecure, especially in the open guide teeth.
Pitch and width are spot on for 1/72.

While the instruction leaflet shows the parts that you should get, and where they should go, there is no indication how to get them to take the shape that they are supposed to take. I have heard this is best tackled using a hair dryer but I will need to see how this works out.

Compared to the tracks in the Revell Nashorn kit (middle) and Dragon Nashorn/Hornisse/Hummel kit (right), the Armory tracks have the upper hand. Not only are they more delicate with sharper detail, they also are the only ones with open guide teeth and a center section that retains the V-shape of the skeleton track. (The others have a parallel section.) All three brands represent the same style of track.

Conclusion:
If the highest level of detail is what you are after (or if you want a specific track type) this set is for you. You will pay for it with a higher retail price and a higher (and technically more demanding) workload, however.

Preview sample kindly provided by Armory.

This model can be purchased from

Article Last Updated: 01 September 2016