1:72 Sd.Kfz 138 Marder III accessories set

1:72 Sd.Kfz. 138 Marder III accessories set from Black Dog model

A resin set of accessories in 1:72 scale for a model of the German Marder III self-propelled tank destroyer, listed under the designation Sd.Kfz. 138. It is not a kit of the vehicle but a set of parts with which you add stowed cargo, tarpaulins and personal crew equipment to a finished model. The base model is obtained separately.

The real subject

The Marder III came about as an improvised but effective solution: an antitank gun protected only by an open shield was set on the chassis of a proven light tank of Czechoslovak design. The vehicle thus gained firepower that the chassis alone could never have had, at the cost of a high silhouette and minimal protection for the crew. It is exactly the open fighting compartment that matters to a modeler: you can see into it, so stowed cargo, tarpaulins and personal belongings in it are not cosmetic but the main thing that gives the vehicle life.

Building and painting tips

Wash the castings in lukewarm soapy water because of the mold release. Cut the casting blocks off with a sharp saw over a tray, because in 1:72 the parts are very small. Sand with respiratory protection and bond with super glue. Try the arrangement dry: in an open fighting compartment the cargo takes up area, so it is worth deciding in advance what will be on show. Painting the accessories separately from the hull pays off more here than on closed vehicles. At the end tie the whole together with a wash and a fine dust.

Who the set is for

• Modelers who build the Marder III in 1:72 scale.
• Builders of small dioramas with German equipment of the Second World War.
• Anyone interested in vehicles with an open fighting compartment, where the cargo is visible.
• Modelers with experience of resin and small parts.