Medium Armoured Personnel Carrier, Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. C
ESCI 1:72 Scale Vehicle Review
The Sd.Kfz. 251/1 medium armoured personnel carrier was the section transport of the Panzergrenadiers of the German Wehrmacht. ESCI supplies the m.Schtz.Pz.Wg. 251/1 in the C variant with riveted armour, which became available from mid-1940 onwards. Wargamers need three section transports and one platoon leader vehicle, Sd.Kfz. 251/10, mounting the 3.7 cm anti-tank gun instead of the machine gun, for a Panzergrenadier platoon.
The camouflage pattern of the armoured personnel carrier above turned out too dark and too saturated when airbrushed. The olive green and red brown camouflage splotches almost completely obscure the dark yellow base colour. Applying the disruptive pattern with pastel chalk might have been more successful.
Contents
- Mittlerer Schützenpanzerwagen, Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. C
- MG 34 with Shield
- MG 34 with Drum Magazine
- Section Leader or Platoon Leader
- Machine Gunner
- Decals
Evaluation
Scale model with nice detail. However, the fit of the parts is inferior to that of the Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. B from Matchbox or Fujimi.
The machine gunner‘s steel helmet is irreparably damaged by a noticeable mould line. Experienced modelers may want to fit the figure with a new head.
The model shown above still has the old soft plastic tracks, which have since been replaced by durable polystyrene track segments. While glueing individual track links onto the drive sprocket and idler wheel requires some patience, the result is impressive.
The MG 34 at the rear of the fighting compartment belongs to the section light machine gunner who was one of the dismounts aboard the armoured personnel carrier. Wargamers might just want to attach the machine gun mount to the vehicle, but use the detailed machine gun model for another vehicle, assuming that the section machine gunner has just detached the weapon from the gun mount.
The vehicle is equipped a Notek Tarnscheinwerfer, and headlights with Schlitzblende covers, but the Bremsschlussleuchte brake-taillight, Abstandsrücklicht convoy driving device, Peilstangen guide rods, antenna mount, and rack jack are missing.
Compatible with Altaya, Atlas, CDC, De Agostini, Dragon Models, Eaglemoss, ESCI, Fine Scale Factory, Hasegawa, Italeri, Orion, Revell, Zvezda.
The medium armoured personnel carrier, Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. C, is a must-have for wargamers interested in raising a Panzergrenadier platoon.