Panzermeister's "Definitive Review" of TAKOM StuG III Ausf.G Early Production (BLITZ line #8004)
SUMMARY:
As part of their Blitz line, this kit is meant for simplified assembly that can be done in a weekend, maybe even by a beginner. That is true for this kit, without sacrificing much detail (apart from the tool clamps looking a little weak). The link-and-length tracks and minimal PE also support this quick build idea. However, the kit includes 5 small PE parts which are tricky to fold, especially for beginners...but you could always just leave them off :)
The kit has great weld detail, crisp bolts and rivets, a one-piece barrel, and the included PE vents and copper tow cable are excellent. Fit is overall perfect, with the exception of the wheels (7:29) and gun barrel (26:31) having some interference that is easy to solve with a little sanding or trimming.
A few points in the instructions show putting on parts in an order that I would not recommend. For example, in Steps 4-5 I would recommend assembling the rear armour (M33, M17, M13) in Step 5 first, then mounting the PE vent (TP1), and then putting on the parts shown in the bottom half of Step 4. And in Step 8, when mounting the tow cable, do it AFTER putting on the S-hooks (M9+M10) and fender supports (M58, M35).
I have a few other tips, like the front half of the loader's hatch should prop open the loader's MG shield, and in the last step, it's much handier to glue part N11 onto the roof, not onto the superstructure, as gluing it onto the roof makes it removable so painting the gun is easier.
In terms of historical accuracy, the kit is on par with Dragon 6320 as it is overall quite good, but gets a few minor things wrong. These include the wrong type of rear light, underscale smoke launcher barrels, a missing tow point on the rear hull, and a slightly incorrect cupola (as historically, these early vehicles had the cupola assembled wrong in early 1943). These are minor, so you don't have to worry about them as the kit builds up into a beautiful early StuG III G!
On my build, I fixed the historical errors, added some detail by replacing the kit tool clamps with 3D-printed MJ and plastic ModelKasten clamps, and I also added some small PE chains. In addition, to model a battle-damaged vehicle, I added a resin damaged wheel and dragon empty spare wheel holders.
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