1:35 Semovente M43 da 105/25 Bassotto

Semovente M43 da 105/25 Bassotto — 1:35, Italeri

An injection-molded plastic kit of the most powerful Italian armored vehicle of the Second World War in 1:35 scale. Italeri has built the model on new tooling and added a metal gun barrel, photo-etched parts, link-and-length tracks (a combination of longer runs and individual links) and decals for four marking options.

The real subject

The Semovente M43 da 105/25, nicknamed Bassotto, Italian for dachshund, after its low and long silhouette, was an Italian self-propelled gun. It arose on the lowered and widened chassis of the M15/42 medium tank and carried a powerful 105 mm Ansaldo howitzer in a fixed casemate. It entered service in limited numbers in 1943 and was used on the Italian front. Thanks to a good balance of mobility and firepower it is regarded as the most powerful Italian armored machine of the conflict; after the Italian capitulation some of the vehicles were taken over by the Germans.

Building and painting tips

Deal with the running gear and the lower hull before you close the hull up. Glue with thin cement for plastic; assemble the link-and-length tracks on a flat surface so they keep the right sag. Degrease the metal barrel before gluing and apply a primer for metal; fit the photo-etched parts with cyanoacrylate glue. Italian hardware carried warm sand and olive camouflage: paint with an airbrush, lighten the centers of the panels, then gloss varnish, decals and matte varnish. For the patina use washes into the engraved lines and pigments, with dust and dried mud on the running gear and the bottom of the casemate.

Who the model is for

• Fans of Italian Second World War hardware.
• Collectors of self-propelled guns and less usual subjects.
• Modelers who will appreciate a metal barrel and new tooling.
• Builders with basic experience of assembled tracks.

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.