1:100 Semovente da 105/25 Italian SPG

Semovente da 105/25, an Italian self-propelled gun in 1:100 scale (Zebranomodel)

A model of the Italian Semovente da 105/25 self-propelled gun in 1:100 scale from the brand Zebranomodel. The 1:100 line of this brand is built for wargames and for small dioramas, where a whole unit comes together side by side. It is a kit, not a finished painted model.

The real subject

The Semovente da 105/25 was the most powerful Italian self-propelled gun of the Second World War. It was built on a chassis derived from the M15/42 medium tank and carries a 105 mm howitzer 25 calibers long in a low superstructure. The vehicle was nicknamed Bassotto, meaning dachshund. The Italian army ordered almost five hundred of them, but by the announcement of the armistice in September 1943 only about thirty had been completed; the Germans then took over the rest of the production and the finished vehicles and sent them into action under their own designation.

Building and painting tips

First wash the small parts in warm soapy water and let them dry. Super glue holds on resin as well as on plastic, so it is the safest choice on models this small; cement for plastic works only on injection-molded plastic. Apply the base coat thin, otherwise the engraving disappears at this scale. The result in 1:100 rests on contrast: once the base color has dried, lighten the horizontal surfaces and put a dark wash into the gaps and shadows.

Who the model is for

• Players of wargames and board games in 1:100 scale.
• Collectors of Italian vehicles and of less common subjects.
• Builders of small dioramas from the final phase of the war in Italy.

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