Sturmtiger - First Edition with Special Parts

Reviewed by Cookie Sewell

Summary

FirstLook

With Tamiya’s reentry into the "quarter inch" scale armor market, so far only Hobby Boss (Trumpeter) and AFV Club have given them a run for their money. Here is a new kit from AFV Club of the popular Sturmtiger assault mortar to send up a challenge.

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AFV Club’s kit is based on their previous 1/48 Tiger 1 and has some interesting methods used to assemble the kit. The inner wheels attach with screws to the lower hull, and then the outer wheels or hubcabs cement over them to hide the screws. This is a sensible option, and anyone who ever put together one of the early Trumpeter kits that didn’t provide that method can appreciate it. With the very flexible black vinyl tracks, if the modeler did not mind the "rubber band" look the tracks will then easily work. If not they will need to be fastened down either by ACC cement or thread.

As with most AFV Club kits there are a wealth of details for the upper hull and all are very petite. But while the stern plate came from a Tiger I with zimmerit molded in place, the Sturmtiger does not, and the modeler will have to add his own.

One of the features of this kit appears to be the inclusion of a set of four etched stainless steel zimmerit rakes to apply it; while pre-molded would be better, AFV Club deserves a compliment for providing 1/48 scale rakes with the kit. The directions provide some information on what to zimmerit.

There is no interior provided and only the crew hatches offer optional positions. Etched brass grilles are provided for the engine deck, which is a good idea and not “overkill” in this scale. A choice of muzzle rings is also included.

The model comes with two finishing schemes, one for Pz.Stu.Mr.Kp 1001, 1945 in tricolor and one in an “ambush” scheme.

Overall this is a nice little kit and should provide popular with "Quarter-Inchers".

Sprue Layout:

A 22 Tiger I details and parts - stern plate, exhaust shrouds, cables
B 30 Tiger I details and parts - exhausts, fenders, machine guns
C 33x2 Road wheels, drivers, idlers, spare track
D 1 Sturmtiger upper hull
E 1 Tiger I lower hull
F 67 Engine deck, upper glacis, mortar assembly
M 4 Etched brass
T 2 Black vinyl tracks
S 20 Steel screws
– 4 Etched stainless steel

Thanks to Miin Herng Tsueng of Hobby Fan for the review sample.