1:35 Pzkpfw 38 (t) – engine set

Engine set for the Pz.Kpfw 38 (t) in 1:35 scale

A detail set from the Czech manufacturer Plusmodel in resin with photo-etched parts added. It is neither a model of the tank nor a kit, but an accessory for a plastic kit of the Pz.Kpfw 38 (t) light tank and of vehicles on its chassis in 1:35 scale. The set holds a complete engine, a firewall, fuel tanks and two engine bay covers, so the rear part of the hull can be opened and the powerplant shown, which on a closed model is entirely hidden.

The real subject

The light tank came out of the Czechoslovak LT vz. 38 design and after 1939 went on being built under the German designation Pz.Kpfw 38 (t). It was powered by a Praga gasoline inline engine placed in the rear part of the hull. The chassis proved so reliable that it became the basis of a whole series of derived vehicles, self-propelled guns and tank destroyers, so the engine set will come into its own on several builds.

Building tips

First wash the castings in warm soapy water and remove the mold release residue. Cut the casting blocks off with a saw and sand the surfaces, and protect your airways while sanding resin. They are glued with cyanoacrylate glue. Paint and weather the engine bay before you cover it with the hull and the covers, as there is no getting to it later. Do not forget the lines and wiring made of thin wire, and the oil and fuel marks, as it is precisely these that turn an open engine into a convincing scene. The opening in the hull cover has to be cut out, so allow for careful measuring.

Who the set is for

• More experienced modelers who want to add the interior of an engine bay to a model.
• Builders of dioramas with a repair or maintenance subject.
• Those interested in equipment based on the Czechoslovak design.

The set is supplied unassembled and unpainted and is meant to complete a kit sold separately. Glue and paints are not included in the package.