Tristar Models

1/35 Marder III Ausf.H 7.5cm Pak40

Kit Number: 35030

Reviewed by  Joe Koenig, IPMS# 31441

MSRP: $49.00 Kit Supplied by MRC/Academy: www.modelrectifier.com Lion Roar #LB3529 ZB53 Machine Gun MSRP: $9.00 Supplied by Dragon Models USA: www.dragonmodelsusa.com Let me first start off by saying that I'm sorry that these reviews have taken so long to get out, but we had a National Convention to do. Not that I'm looking for an excuse, but I have one if I need it. I was very excited to hear that this kit was being done by Tristar; after all, the old Italeri kit is a bit long in the tooth, and after building other Tristars I was stoked! Upon opening the box, you are greeted by fifteen sprues of plastic, two of which are clear parts; a decal sheet; and a photo etch set chock-full of fiddly detail parts. There is also a 15-step instruction sheet with paint and marking guides. Before we get into this beautifully-molded kit, let me say that I'll not be using all that's in the kit. Call it AMS or whatever, but I just had to go the extra mile on this beauty. I had an Aber barrel, a CMK engine set, and some Fruilmodel tracks, all looking for a home. Once started, I also picked up from the Review Corps the Lion Roar Machine Gun barrel. So, with that in mind, let's dive in! Step one deals with the interior, the gear box and seats to be precise. Putting the controls together was a real challenge; you have several small etched and plastic parts to put together that - when finished - you're not really going to see, but I know that they're there! To assemble these, it would be easier if you flipped the instructions over and built it in reverse, using part H-8 as your starting point, seeing that all of the small parts end up there. The gear box and drive assemblies are straightforward, again with lots of photo etch. The seats are also little marvels, with several etched parts used here. It's a shame that most of it will be hidden when done. Steps two and three deal more with the interior and tying it all up with all that was done in step one. Step four has you adding the sides to the hull and again adding more interior parts. They instruct you to add the radio to the interior, but all of the reference that I've seen has the radio up in the starboard superstructure, so that's where I'll add mine. This is also where I added the CMK engine set. It's a nice set, but - as usually happens - by the time I got mine in, Tristar came out with a set, not to mention all of the Dragon 38ts to come out.

Step five adds the running gear. If you're careful, the road wheels will actuate. I really like the rubber wheels as separate parts, making painting much easier. On the downside, the wheels fit loosely, so be careful when cementing or your alignment will be off. Seeing as I used the Fruilmodel tracks, you must also use the drive sprockets which had to be drilled out to fit the Tristar attachment points. Step six deals with the fenders and glacis plate with all of its details. The outer ring around the MG calls for part C-19, which should be D-21. Many fine interior detail parts are again used here. You can position the view ports open or closed. I left mine open to show more of the interior which you cannot see, but I feel they look better open. This is also where I used the Lion Roar MG, a very finely-detailed part which includes a resin collar, breech, and etched sight. I had the kit parts already added at this stage, so all I did was cut the collar off and used just the Lion Roar collar, barrel, and sight. The barrel is a real jewel with very fine cooling veins. Be careful or you might just bend them. The fenders have the slight "kink" already molded in, but do not have any underside detail. So I flipped them over, made marks to match the upper portion, and scribed in the underside details. Not that you'll see them that easily, but if you look, you will. Moving on . . . Steps seven through nine have you adding all of the on-vehicle tools and hull fillings. Again, many finely-etched parts used here that really dress out the vehicle. I really liked the etched engine vent with louver. Kind of gets hidden under the crew basket but really gives you a view as to the research and attention to detail that went into this model. Step ten involves building the internal hull ammo racks and adding the main gun mount. So easy, a cave man could do it! Steps eleven and twelve find us building the main gun, which is actually the fine AFV Club kit #AF35071 Pak 40. It gives you either a two-piece muzzle brake or canvas one with separate end piece. Here is where I added the Aber barrel; no cleanup required here and the brass muzzle is a work of art. Detail on this gun is really nice and I had no trouble with the assembly. The gun shield is a fine piece but for some reason the support brackets gave me fits. They kept getting knocked off, but in the end all was well. Steps thirteen through fifteen deal with the superstructure and its many fine detail parts. I again had a little trouble with the three-piece structure, getting all of the alignment right. It took me a few shots to get it all right, but I succeeded. I also, at this point, scratch-built a new rack and added the radio to the starboard shield. They give you all the small rings to add to the sides for camouflage wire, but they are all flat. I made mine from wire. They really do look better, but the etched parts will work out well. Again, I'm amazed by all of the super-fine details that are used for the periscopes and fittings. The grab rail on the top was broken in my sample, so I replaced it with one made from brass rod. You have the option for eight different markings. I chose the one from Tunisia in 1943. I used Model Master Enamels for the base coat and pastel chalks for the camouflage green spots.

In conclusion, I must say that this is without a doubt the most detailed kit I've ever seen, right out of the box! This is not a re-mix of former kits, but an all-new tooling. It's not an easy kit to build, but not hard either. With the attention to detail and all of the fine etched parts, you'll end up with an incredible model. I really can't say enough good things about this kit. I know that I added a lot of aftermarket items, even if I hadn't used them; this is a must-have if you're a German armor fan. My hats off to MRC Academy and Tristar for an incredible model. I'd like to thank Tristar and Lion Roar for their samples and IPMS for this shot at building this great kit along with the machine gun. Both items will serve you well.

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