German Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle with 20 mm Cannon, Sd.Kfz. 250/9
ESCI 1:72 Scale Vehicle Review
Sd.Kfz. 250/9 Panzerspähwagen armoured reconnaissance vehicle armed with the 20 mm KwK 38 which was also mounted in Sd.Kfz. 222 light armoured cars. The ESCI model has been sprayed in a three-colour camouflage pattern of dark yellow, red brown, and olive green. ERTL re-released this kit with nicely detailed polystyrene track sections to replace the old ESCI soft polyvinyl tracks. The angular shape of the 250/9 half-track makes it an attractive model for collectors, diorama builders, and wargamers alike. Sd.Kfz. 250/9 equipped the Panzeraufklärungskompanie armoured reconnaissance company of the Panzerdivision. Intended for reconnaissance work, the armoured recce company was often used to bolster the Panzergrenadier element of the Panzerkampfgruppe armoured combat command of the Wehrmacht armoured division.
Contents
- Panzerspähwagen, Sd.Kfz. 250/9
- Crew Figures (3)
- Decal Set
- 15. Panzerdivision
- Division Großdeutschland
Evaluation
Scale model with excellent detail.
The vehicle lighting consists of two commercially available headlights, presumably with Schlitzblende slotted covers; Notek Tarnscheinwerfer blackout light, Abstandsrücklicht convoy driving rear light, and Bremsschlussleuchte brake/tail light are missing.
The Peilstangen guide rods on the front fenders are indicated, but they are much too thick and end at the rearview mirrors; the only solution is to scratchbuild better guide rods from 0.3 mm piano wire and attach round rearview mirrors to them.
The rack jack is barely recognizable as such; personal equipment is missing.
Compatible with Altaya, Atlas, CDC, De Agostini, Dragon Models, Eaglemoss, Fine Scale Factory, Hasegawa, Italeri, Orion, Revell, Zvezda.
It is important to remember when buying second-hand ESCI models, that kits from the 1970s were still equipped with polyvinyl tracks. These older model kits were revised between 1984 and 1988 and released in the newly introduced “Red Box” packaging, which contained beautifully detailed polystyrene track segments and individual track links to replace the troublesome polyvinyl tracks.
The German Panzerspähwagen, Sd.Kfz. 250/9, is an interesting armoured reconnaissance vehicle which equipped the armoured recce company of the Panzerdivision.