Italeri

1/35 Crusader III Anti-Aircraft Tank

Kit Number 6444

Reviewed By Howie Belkin, #16

Imported by www.testors.com

injection molded, 241 olive drab parts, vinyl tracks and decals for 3 versions.

It seems that if a 1940s German engineer even joked about producing some new and improved Panzer-whatever that never went into production much less prototype, then three or more model companies today are probably pumping out plastic models of the damn thing.  In fact, according to George Forty* the Germans only produced 240 Mobelwagons, a whopping 45 Ostwinds and don’t get blown out of your seat, all of 90 Wirbelwinds!  The allies actually converted 600 Crusader tanks** into twin 20mm Oerlikon Antiaircraft turreted platforms, landed some in Normandy on D-Day, and they were still on Establishment Tables for 1945.  That’s almost 33% more Crusader AAs than all three of those German vehicles put together!  Each vehicle’s purpose was to clear the sky of enemy aircraft and in life as in modeling, those Germans didn’t hold a candle next to the Crusader - yet only now can we add a respectable injection molded model of this worthy vehicle to our collections.

The kit itself is Italeri’s excellent veteran Crusader with a new twin 20mm armored turret, 14mm appliqué armor panels, extra front left fender storage box and the glacis aerial mounts.  My crisply molded model had very little flash to be cleaned up and virtually all ejection pin and sink marks are hidden except those on the new turret ring, breech and gun barrels.  You might be tempted to ignore step #2’s directions to remove two rows of rivets, but it is simple to do and necessary for a smooth fit later of the appliqué armor.  Italeri includes small separate engine deck grab handles and tow cable attachments, separate fender storage boxes, head lights with guards, tow shackles, oil-bath air cleaners and even the smallest details like wing-nuts (you don’t have to buy a photo etch set).  The driver’s enclosure doors can be cut open.  The large rear mounted fuel tank is included but photos show the vehicle both with and without it.  The rear hull’s three intake louvers are crisply defined with open spaces between them.  The drive sprocket lightening holes and both idlers were also nice and sharply molded requiring no clean up.  The directions aren’t clear about how the main road wheels double together, but know that Italeri planned on showing the lug nuts/bolts even from underneath the tank – and that the wheels fit together snuggly leaving no doubt when you’ve got it right.  Paint adhered to the nicely detailed one piece vinyl tracks which are a couple links longer than the original kit.  They cemented with cyanoacrylate cement.

The main turret has very nice weld seams, separate periscope apertures, searchlight, four lifting eyes, the six large bolts/washers on the front turret plate, the correct front plate overhang and an excellent upper A frame sight mounting with an outstanding injection molded ring sight that is designed to elevate aligned with the guns (which need to be drilled out).  You can see the molded-on inside ring details, detailed lower turret tub with the tread plate pattern floor, guns, controls, ammo drums, boxes, crew packs and seats through the open top.  The only visible ejection pin marks were on the commander’s seat, which disappeared with a light touch of putty.  While I’m inside the turret, you’ll be pleased with the detail though there’s room for more.  Only two of the large, 20mm round ammo cans are provided but casting or buying aftermarket copies will put your model over the top.  Hang some extras outside the turret as there just wasn’t that much room inside, and I’m sure crews had some ready to go.  I painted the turret interior and basket flat white with O.D. ammo cans and steel gun breeches.  I left the steel color gun barrels off until the model was painted, assembled and weathered.

Italeri provides partial decals for what was probably the 7th Armoured Division’s most named Crusader III AA tank, the Skyraker/The Princess including the small Saint character.  According to the Osprey reference, you’ll have to raid your spare decals for Skyraker’s Brigade and Division insignias; I used the yellow weight circle from another model – the kit provided “18” is correct but way too small.  I borrowed the incorrect serial from one of the other Italeri options which include one other AA tank in Normandy that served with the 43rd Wessex Div., as well as one from the 1st Polish Armoured Div. in Holland.  The decals are opaque, in register and include a multi-sectioned allied star that requires care to conform to the complicated one piece turret roof (it worked well with my Future floor wax decal system).

*German Tanks of World War II.  Ian V. Hogg and John Weeks’ The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles showed even smaller numbers of those German vehicles.

Information, images, and all other items placed electronically on this site are the intellectual property of IPMS/USA ®.