The Modelling News: Three Germans in three scales from Hobbyboss in September

Hobbyboss have three new kits of Germans from WWII - coming in 48th, 35th & 16th scales. We look at the sprues, colours, & decals in our preview...

Three Germans in three scales from Hobbyboss in September

German Panzer IV Type F2

by Hobby Boss

Model: 84840

1/48th scale

Price:$42.59 USD on the HLJ Website

The Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV) Sd Kfz 161, commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 161.

The colour scheme presented in this kit

The decals in the box

Designed as an infantry-support tank, the Panzer IV was not originally intended to engage enemy armour—that function was performed by the lighter Panzer III. However, with the flaws of pre-war doctrine becoming apparent, and in the face of Soviet T-34 tanks, the Panzer IV soon assumed the tank-fighting role of its increasingly obsolete cousin. The most widely manufactured and deployed German tank of the Second World War, the Panzer IV was used as the base for many other fighting vehicles, including the Sturmgeschütz IV tank destroyer, the Wirbelwind self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon, and the Brummbär self-propelled gun, amongst others.

-The parts & sprues of the kit

-Model Length: 136.2mm / Width: 59.2mm

-Total of 6 sprues , upper hull , lower hull and turret

-The kit consists of over 250 parts

- Photo-etched parts included

German Jagdpanzer III/IV (Lang E)

by Hobby Boss

Model:80152

1/35th scale

Price $81.13 USD on the HLJ Website

In March 1944, Waffen Prüfen 6 (Wa Prüf 6) awarded contracts for the production of three trial Pz.Kpfw. IV auf Einheitsfahrgestell. A decision was made in June 1944 to start Pz.Kpfw.III/IV series production at Krupp-Grusonwerk in February 1945. On 12 July 1944, Krupp was informed that the Pz.Kpfw.III/IV was dropped and only the Panzerjager mit L/70 produced.

The colour scheme presented in this kit

The decals in the box

-The parts & sprues of the kit

-Total of 11 sprues , upper hull and lower hull

-Model Length: 242mm / Width: 84.5mm

-The kit consists of over 330 parts

-Multi-slide moulded lower hull and upper hull

-Individual tracks & clear parts

-Photo etched parts included & Metal copper cable

Pz.Kpfw. VI Tiger 1- Early

by Hobby Boss

Model:82607

1/16th scale

Price:$201.48 USD on the HLJ Website

Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf.E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union, particularly the T-34 and the KV-1. The Tiger I is the first tank mounting the 88 mm gun, in its initial armored fighting vehicle-dedicated version, which in its Flak version had previously demonstrated its effectiveness against both air and ground targets.

The colour schemes presented in this kit

The decals in the box

During the course of the war, the Tiger I saw combat on all German battlefronts. It was usually deployed in independent tank battalions, which proved to be quite formidable. While the Tiger I was feared by many of its opponents, it was over-engineered, used expensive and labour intensive materials and production methods, and was time-consuming to produce. Only 1,347 were built between August 1942 and August 1944.

The kit consists of over 800 parts

-The parts & sprues of the kit