1:48 Flammpanzer 38(t) Hetzer (TAMIYA)

The real subject

The light tank destroyer on the 38(t) chassis, known under the designation Hetzer, was a low and well armored machine with its gun in the front wall of the hull. Right at the end of the war a flamethrower modification of it came about: instead of a gun it got a projector for a flammable mixture and carried the supply of fuel for it inside. It was a small-batch rebuild, so it differs from the ordinary machine in only a few areas, though conspicuous ones.

What the set is for

This is an accessory for the Tamiya kit in 1:48 scale. Sets of this kind replace or complete selected parts of a model so that they match a particular version of the vehicle. What exactly the package holds and how the parts are seated on the model is described in the enclosed instructions, which it pays to go through before starting the build. Without them it easily happens that you glue up an assembly that the new part can then no longer be fitted into.

Working with the parts

First offer the parts up dry on the model and plan the order of work; with modifications to finished assemblies that pays off. Cut the excess material off with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand the remainder flat with the surroundings. Choose the glue to suit the material of the parts; super glue holds reliably. Before painting, wash and degrease the model, so that the base coat holds equally well on the plastic and on the parts from the set.

Who it is for

The set will please modelers who want to build a less usual version of a well-known vehicle and are not afraid of small changes to plastic parts. The kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.