1:72 StuH 42 Ausf. G Late Prod.

The assault howitzer in its late form

Assault guns originally had a single task: to go with the infantry and break up by direct fire whatever stood in its way. But the anti-tank barrel which the later renditions received suited an action against a fortified nest or against a house less well than a proper howitzer. The answer was the version with a short 10.5 cm barrel, which gave the vehicle back its original purpose: a heavy shell with a large effect instead of a fast shell with a flat trajectory.

The vehicle shared its hull and chassis with the ordinary assault gun and differed mainly in the gun and the things around it. The late production series then brought a number of small changes which arose both from shortages of material and from experience in the fighting: a different rendition of the shield, a revised stowage of tools and further details by which the individual series can be told apart.

A small scale, full detail

1:72 is the size for those who want a whole unit on the shelf, not one model. A finished vehicle fits in the palm of a hand and still tends to hold a surprising number of shapes that have to be respected. The smaller format also means that a scene with several machines fits on an ordinary shelf.

During the build it works well to avoid a heavy layer of paint: at this scale it can cover the fine engraving of the surface. Thinned shades, restrained shading and a dry brush on the edges give a better result than an attempt at a great deal of dirt. The tracks are best varnished separately and fitted only at the end, when the hull is finished and there is no risk of a brush rubbing against them.