Dragon Models

Kit Number

1/144 Marder III Ausf. H & Marder IIIe Ausf. M

Reviewed By Jim Pearsall, #2209

The Marder 3 series were based on the Czech 38(t) tank chassis, with a 7.5cm anti-tank gun.  Because the chassis were already built, it was only necessary to add the fighting compartment and the gun, so there were literally thousands of these.  They had limited traverse on the gun, making it necessary for the entire vehicle to shift to get the sight laid on target.

The difference between the two Marders included here is that the Ausf H has the engine in the rear (Heckmotor) and the Ausf M has a mid mounted engine (Mitte).  This explains the different locations of the fighting compartments.

When I got these kits, I thought they must be pretty small.  I didn’t realize HOW small until I got the packing material out.  This is beyond “Braille Scale”.  The kits are nicely packaged on a vacuformed (or blow molded) platform.  Keeps all the parts in place, and prevents loss.  Also, most parts are nicely separated from the sprues. 

Instructions are pretty basic, but so are the kits.  Attach the upper and lower hull, track/wheel assemblies, and the chassis is done.  That being said, the detail, which is mostly molded in is quite nice.  The tracks are so fine that they are actually flexible!  I don’t see an aftermarket add on for individual track links.

The fighting compartments require some care.  In this scale it’s impossible to put locating pins or slots on the side and front armor plate.  So patience and a little engineering, and it’ll look good.  I was taken with one bit of really nice mold making.  The 7.5 cm guns don’t need to be drilled out to make the muzzle.  It’s molded in!

I was also surprised to see two frets of photo etch included in this kit.  It adds a lot of fine detail which just can’t be done as cleanly in plastic.  Be careful when you first open the box, the PE instructions are on a separate sheet, which was under the packing material, not with the rest of the instructions on top.

I found that brush painting works just fine with these.  By the time I get the airbrush set up, I can paint the entire vehicle and do detail work such as the tracks and gun.  The painting instructions did call out the wrong Gunze color for the sand color for the Ausf M.  When I painted the model, it looked nothing like the picture.  The “sand” called for in the instruction was a dark brown, matching RLM 79.  This didn’t come close to the picture in the painting instruction.  But then repainting took me almost ½ hour, including waiting for the first coat to dry.

On to the decals.  These are little wonders.  The sheet is fairly large, and contains vehicle numbers which are not shown in the painting/decal instructions.  Registration is just fine, the German crosses look good, and the black numbers with white surrounds are also in spec.  And they’re so darned small, it’s hard to tell without a magnifier.  The decals went on and laid down.  There were no issues with cracked or torn carrier, decals that just rolled up on themselves when wetted, or failure to stick.

These kits would work with N Gauge railroad accessories, buildings and figures, and with 1/144 aircraft.  N Gauge is 1/160, which is fairly close to 1/144.  And the possibilities for a 1/144 diorama would be more open, as more vehicles, figures and action can be put into a much smaller area.

Overall, these are very nice representations of the original.  A little detail painting and the photo etch makes them come alive.  I’m very satisfied with my Marder 3s.

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