Tamiya 1/35 Krupp Protze, 1 Ton (6 x 6) Kfz.61 Towing Truck With 3.7cm Pak 35/36

History (from kit's instructions):

"As Germany mobilized its military, after Hitler's seizure of power in 1934, the Wehrmacht's Weapons Department began transforming civilian vehicles into military vehicles. One light (1.5t under max load) truck that was selected was the Krupp Company's L2H43. Popularly known as the "Boxer", because of its air-cooled, flat 4-cylinder engine, the L2H43 was mass-produced from 1933. This truck was capable of both personnel and light-artillery transport and featured unique 6 x 4 independent suspension with rear 4-wheel drive and was capable of speeds up to 70 km/h.

In 1936, this truck had its horsepower improved from 55 hp to 60 hp with the development of the L2H143 version. This later version underwent various improvements.

Various versions, such as the personnel transport Kfz. 70 were seen. Kfz. Numbers were used to designate military transport vehicles (Kfz. 1-30 refer to passenger cars, while Kfz. 31-100 designate trucks).

The type refered to as the Krupp Protze Kfz. 69 was designated to tow a 3.7cm Pak 35/36 anti-tank gun (subject of this new kit) and could hold 1 driver and 5 artillery crew. Both sides of the Potze could be fitted with ammunition cases. "Protze" was the German military term used to describe the front carriage towed by a cannon-pulling horse. The front horse-powered carriage was used to carry ammunition and gunner, and would have a cannon attached to its rear. From the start of WWII, the Krupp Protze Kfz. 69 was employed as standard equipment in anti-tank artillery divisions and was actively deployed to battle-fronts in France, Poland, the Balkans, and Russia."

What's in the box?:

The kit comes in a tray and lid type box. The box art is Tamiya's usual color painting of the vehicle on a pure white background. It shows the Protze, with four figures aboard, towing a 3.7cm Pak 35/36 anti-tank gun. It is marked as a vehicle of the 1st Company, 1287th Tank Destroyer Batallion, 87th Infantry Division, Summer 1931-Belarus (one of the four markings provided on the kit's decal sheet). Side panels show a Protze in profile and from above.

The kit contains six cello bags. They contain six trees of dark olive parts, a clear windshield piece, six black vinyl poly-caps, and a length of copper wire (to use for a tow cable). The decal sheet and instructions complete the kit's contents.

The instructions are in two sheets. The main sheet accordian-folds out into 10 pages. There is a second, single sheet, that provides page 11.

Page one of the instructions starts with a black and white repeat of the box art. This is followed by the vehicle's history in English, German, French, and Japanese.

Page two gives general instructions and precautions (in the same four languages). This is followed by illustrations of the type of tools needed for assembly of the kit and paint number listings. The bottom of the page gives us the first assembly step.

Pages three through nine give us the rest of a total of 17 assembly steps.

Step 9 is for the assembly of the four figures and step 12 through 16 are the steps for assembling the 3.7cm Pak anti-tank gun.

Page ten gives us three painting and marking schemes:

The single sheet of the instructions gives us the 4th scheme:

The rest of this sheet gives painting and decaling instructions. The bottom of the page has an after market service coupon, to mail if you’re missing any parts in the kit.

Large, letter "A" parts tree holds: shift levers, dashboard, steering wheel, front bumper, grill, the vehicle's frame, tow hooks, suspension parts, the hood and front fenders piece, fire wall, curb indicators, fender flag frame, front floorboard, and the windshield frame. (38 parts).

Large, letter "B" parts tree holds: the wheels, wheel inserts, brake drums, a jerry can,

The bottom of the engine (sorry, no engine top pieces), rear-view mirrors, leaf springs, head lamps, two wood crates, exhaust pipe etc. (51 parts).

Trees A and B are common to Tamiya's older release of the Protze truck (Kit no. 35104, now out of production).

There are no letter "C" or "D" trees.

Large, letter "E" tree is brand new to this kit. It holds: seat cushions (with nice upholstery button detail), two rifles, a standing and a seated figure, ammo lockers, the rear floor of the vehicle, various body panels, a spare tire for the 3.7cm Pak carriage, and some tools etc. (62 parts).

The lettering of the parts trees now jumps to medium sized letter "X" tree. This tree is a re-issue of Tamiya's earlier kit of the 3.7cm Pak (kit no. 35035 (which was first released in 1974). It holds parts for the 3.7cm Pak and it's wheeled carriage. There are three parts, included on this tree, that will allow us to mount the anti-tank gun on a Sd.Kfz. 251 German half-track. There is also a Stielgrenate 41 round, which is a shaped charge projectile sometimes fired with a 3.7cm Pak. (62 parts).

Medium sized tree, letter "Y", holds personal gear and weapons. There are five folded shovels (of two different types), ammo pouches, a pair of binoculars, two bayonets in scabbards, two rifles, five rolled tarps, five gas mask canisters, four canteens, two Lugers in holsters, five mess kits, five bread bags, four steel helmets, a map case, two machine guns with tripods and ammo cases. (59 parts)

Small sized tree, letter "Z", holds the parts for two seated figures. (13 parts)

Finally, are the decals, length of brass wire, clear windshield pane, and the black vinyl poly-caps.

Conclusion

Although this new kit is really a re-tread of earlier Tamiya kits, you do get three more new figures this time and all new rear body work for the Protze. It is Tamiya's usual high-quality molding and detail.

Highly recommended.

I bought my example at the local hobby shop.