Krupp L 2 H 143 “Schnauzer”
Kfz. 70 Personnel Carrier

Matchbox 1:76 Scale Vehicle Review

German Kfz. 70 Personnel Carrier, Krupp L 2 H 143 Schnauzer, 1:76 Matchbox 40088

The Matchbox 1:76 scale Model widely advertised as a “Krupp Protze Kfz. 69” artillery tractor, is not, and this is actually a good thing! Built out of box, what we really get from Matchbox is a Krupp L 2 H 143 “Schnauzer” truck in the standardized “Kfz. 70 Mannschaftskraftwagen” motorized troop transport configuration, based on the chassis of an “l.gl.Lkw (o)” – light all-terrain truck (commercial).

The obvious difference between the Kfz. 69 tractor and the Kfz. 70 trooper is in the passenger compartment. Where the former has ammunition storage boxes and 2 × 2 seating for the gun crew, the latter has two rows of benches seating 2 × 5 Panzergrenadiers (motorized) or Schützen (mot.). Matchbox engineers may have been mislead by the fact that many repainted Kfz. 70 museum vehicles proudly display the tactical symbol “T” of a motorized anti-tank platoon or company. Of course, there is no reason why a Kfz. 70 truck cannot be used in the Kfz. 69 anti-tank gun tractor role in an emergency, but why would modellers and wargamers want to! With its distinctive snout, the Krupp L 2 H 143 “Schnauzer” is an iconic vehicle, and you simply cannot have enough of them to mount your motorized infantry, but certainly not as anti-tank gun tractors for the puny 3.7 cm PaK 35/36, unless a particular ugly scenario absolutely calls for the German player to deploy the “PanzerAnklopfGerät” (tank door-knocker device) in earnest.

In its poignant cover art of the 2023 Matchbox kit re-release, mislabeled beyond all recognition as “Krupp Protze 69 (Kfz. 70)”, Revell brilliantly alludes to the catastrophic failure of the 3.7 cm PaK 35/36 and the resulting tank panics which swept elements of the German Wehrmacht off the field at Denée and Arras in 1940. What we see is a deployed 3.7 cm anti-tank gun and an attendant Krupp “Schnauzer” light truck, abandoned by their crews when attacked from the rear and almost overrun by a lone French Char B1.bis without infantry support, which appears to have been knocked out and brewed up by a larger calibre artillery piece or 8.8 cm FlaK 36 gun firing from a position off screen.

Contents

  • Kfz. 70 Mannschaftskraftwagen, Krupp L 2 H 143 “Schnauzer”
  • Truck Driver
  • 3.7 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 35/36
  • Diorama Base: Brick Road, Ditch and Embankment with Fence
  • Decal Sheet
    • 7th (Heavy) Company, motorized, 1. Panzerdivision
    • Infantry Anti-Tank Company, motorized
    • Infantry Anti-Tank Company, motorized, Afrika Korps

Evaluation

Excellent choice of subject, the Krupp L 2 H 143 “Schnauzer” is unique in this scale. While there is nothing wrong with using a commercially available cargo truck to tow a light anti-tank gun like the 3.7 cm Pak 35/36, the Krupp “Schnauzer” will be most useful as a Kfz. 70 personnel carrier for motorized infantry in wargames.

Scale model with much raised detail and external stowage.

Easy to assemble, only 51 parts.

High quality kit. Parts fit very well and there is minimal flash.

The vehicle lights consist of headlights with Schlitzblende covers, and the Tarnscheinwerfer camouflage driving light. The Abstandsrücklicht, Bremsschlussleuchte, and rack jack are missing.

The missing Peilstangen guide rods on the front mudguards may be scratchbuilt from 0.3 mm piano wire or a paintbrush bristle.

Compatible with Airfix, Fujimi, Nitto, and VAC-U-CAST.

Painting Guide

The 4-page painting guide included in the instructions suggests three camouflage patterns, of which the dark grey paint scheme appears to be the most useful for wargamers.

Introduced in 1935, two years before the Krupp L 2 H 143 “Schnauzer” went into production, this is the most useful of the three suggested camouflage patterns. The dark grey, or cheapened medium grey base colour is a good start even if the “Schnauzer” is to be painted as an Afrika Korps vehicle later.

  • 4-colour? Buntfarbenanstrich, 1932

While the attractive 1932 vintage 3-colour Buntfarbenanstrich wavy pattern – portrayed as a 4-colour pattern in the kit instructions – works well for Sd.Kfz. 231 and Sd.Kfz. 232 6-wheeled heavy armoured reconnaissance vehicles manufactured from 1930 onwards, it must be ruled out for this particular vehicle, because the Krupp L 2 H 143 “Schnauzer” was manufactured from 1937 to 1941, i.e. years after the Buntfarbenanstrich had been superseded by the graphite grey paint scheme.

When the Afrika Korps was formed on 11 January 1941, any Krupp L 2 H 143 “Schnauzer” attached to the initial contingents were already in service with the Wehrmacht, and their dark or medium grey livery would now be painted over in the beige grey »Einheitsfarbe« or RAL 8000 »Yellow Brown«. Any replacements destined for Afrika after March 1942 would be repainted Brown RAL 8020.

Historical Employment

  • German Wehrmacht, 1937–1945

The Matchbox 1:76 scale Krupp L 2 H 143 “Schnauzer” is an excellent troops transport for a section of German motorized infantry in wargames and dioramas.

Kfz. 70 Personnel Carrier