Kleiner Funk und Beobachtungspanzer UE(f)

With sets LWP027 and LWP028, Lonewulf gives us an extra reason to buy more S-Model Chenillette UEs. The French version was previewed by Will Alcott, while the Beute-version, with Pak 36, was previewed by myself.

Set LWP027 gives us the possibility to build one of the many interesting vehicles concocted by Baukommando Becker, in this case a small observation vehicle. It consists of a box to replace the bin, and which presumably housed a not-too-tall observer, together with new rear mudguards and binoculars. An exhaust with better detail than the kit part is also given.

Casting is first rate, with a single airbubble at the end of one of the optical devices. As I was going to replace these extremities with hollow tubing, it's no real loss.

Note that you can use either of the S-Model UE kits as they contain all the necessary parts. In case you use 720142 you will be left with a complete Pak 36 that can be put to good use elsewhere.

As the instructions only go so far in telling you where to put everything, the following picture taken from the Lonewulf website (now defunct), might be useful.

Construction started with the removal of a part of the supports for the rear bin (as per the Lonewulf instructions) and some detail on top of the hull. Resulting gaps were filled, as was the seam between the upper and lower hull.
Some of the teeth were missing from the drive sprockets. These were built up from sprue, but in the process I used a little too much glue on the right sprocket, marring some detail.
Vision slits for the crew's domes were enhanced as the slits are very faint on the plastic part. I am not sure that they are not to scale, as in reality they are very narrow, but I feared losing them altogether under a coat of paint.

Adding the resin part for the antenna on the superstructure required some guesswork, as neither the instructions nor the available pictures clearly show where it should go.

Some extra detail was added

• a grab handle for the rear door (from copper wire);
• straps for the shovel (from an aluminium sheet);
• hollow tubes for the periscopes (from brass tubing).

The resulting vehicle is very tail heavy, due to the relative weight of the resin box, so the assembled vehicle is best put on a base.

Decals for a vehicle of the Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 200 of 21.Pz.Div were custom made by Aleran.

A figure from Caesar was added.

Review samples purchased by the author.

Article Last Updated:
31 December 2015
23 November 2019