Preview: 1/35th scale 10.5 StuH42 Ausf.E/F & StuG III Ausf.F Late Production w/7.5 L48 from Takom
StuG III Ausf.F Late Production w/7.5 L48
From Takom
Kit No 8015
1/35th scale
Plastic kit with metal barrel included
Photo Etch included
4 marking choices in each box
Link & Length tracks included
Hatches can be posed opened or closed
The Subject: StuG III Ausf.F Late Production w/7.5 L48Late Production w/7.5 L48
The StuG III Ausf. F was upgraded from the earlier shorter barreled guns that changed the StuG III role from its usual infantry support role into a tank destroyer. Although it could serve both roles with acceptable performance. The design was changed with an exhaust fan on top of the vehicle to vent out propellant fume that could accumulate in the tank from firing the cannon. An additional 30 mm of armour was welded on the tank to up the front armour from 50 mm to 80 mm in thickness. This, plus with the StuG III's low profile makes its concealment very easy to ambush tanks with its powerful 75 mm cannon. Some later models from December 1942 onward have the StuG III Ausf. F mounted the longer 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 cannon more commonly seen on the Ausf. G variant.
Concrete has been added ot the armour of this Ausf.F version...
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The Kit:
The StuG III Ausf.F Late Production w/7.5 L48 from Takom (kit No 8015) features the longer barrelled L48 7.5mm gun as it's main differential feature to it's stablemate, the 10.5 StuH42 Ausf.E/F. The kit includes link and length tracks, photo-etch for the engine grilles and a few other fine attachments added. The choice of a metal barrel is included also in this kit. There are four marking choices included in the box.
10.5 StuH42 Ausf.E/F
From Takom
Kit No 8016
1/35th scale
Plastic kit with metal barrel included
Photo Etch included
4 marking choices in each box
Link & Length tracks included
Hatches can be posed opened or closed
The 10.5 StuH42 Ausf.E/F
The 10.5 StuH42 Ausf.E & F had the same hull and superstructure as the StuG Ausf.F and G which it was based on. Improvements were made during the production run, mainly the change to the main gun, with the mount set in to take the 10.5cm StuH gun and room was made for the alternate rounds of the gun.
The barrel of the 10.5 cm StuH 42 L/28 howitzer mounted in the Sturmhaubitze was shorter, thicker, and tapered more towards the exit than the 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 cannon from the StuG. The ammunition had to be loaded separately, as was usual with howitzers. This reduced the rate of fire to three to five rounds/min. The maximum firing range, which in practice did not play a role in direct fire, was 5,400 meters. Normally, targets on the battlefield were no further than 2,000 meters away. Compared to the StuG III, the StuH 42 could deliver a much larger quantity of high explosives to the target with its cannon. The 10.5-cm field howitzer grenade weighed 15.55 kg (1.4 to 1.75 kg of explosives), while the 7.5-cm Sprenggranate 40 weighed only 5.74 kg (0.68 kg of explosives). Effective fragments flew up to 35 meters to the sides and 10 meters forward. In addition to 26 explosive shells, a combat load of the StuH 42 also contained 10 hollow-charge HL/B or HL/C anti-tank projectiles. These could penetrate 90 or 100 mm of armor steel, depending on the model, regardless of the range.
The Kit:
The 10.5 StuH42 Ausf.E/F from Takom (kit No 8016) features the link and length tracks that we are used to with Takom's Blitz kit range. The photo-etch is more useful than useless it looks, with the engine grilles and a few other fine attachments added. The choice of a metal barrel is included also in this kit. There are four marking choices included in the box for you to choose from.
That is all we have on these for now - keep tuned for more info on the kit soon...
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