1:35 Schwere Spahwagen - Simplified Version (dragon/revell)

The real subject

The designation schwere Spähwagen was carried by the German heavy armored reconnaissance cars of the Second World War. These were multi-axle wheeled machines with an armored hull, built for long-range reconnaissance ahead of the advancing formations. They had a long range and a second driver's station so that they could back quickly out of an exposed position, and their crew had to manage even far from their own units. The armament stayed fairly light, because what was expected of these cars was observation and reporting, not fighting armored hardware.

What the set contains

Photo-etched parts in 1:35 scale in the simplified version, as the name gives. The set is cut for the kits from Dragon and Revell. The photo-etch replaces thick plastic parts with sheet of the right thickness, so that the fenders, the grilles, the tool brackets, the lugs and the clasps get the sharp edge an injection mold cannot manage.

Building and painting tips

• Cut the parts off with a sharp blade right at the tag on a hard mat; nippers meant for plastic will bend photo-etch.
• Make the bends in a bender or over a steel ruler and press in short strokes along the whole length of the edge.
• Wash and degrease the metal before gluing, otherwise neither primer nor paint will hold on it.
• Bond with super glue applied a drop at a time off a toothpick; cement for polystyrene does not work on photo-etch.
• Lay down a thin primer before the opaque color so that handling does not expose bare metal.

Who the set is for

For builders of German wheeled hardware in 1:35 scale who want to give a model thin sheet and fine brackets. The package holds photo-etched parts. The kit, paints, primer and glue are not included, unless stated otherwise.