The iconic Sd.Kfz.231 has joined the fleet of Dragon’s 1/72 German vehicles from World War Two. Like its cousin, the 231 served in every theater of action. With dual driving positions, it served the Wehrmacht until 1943 when the production run came to end. The kit has five sprues and the two halves of the vehicle each molded separately, for a total of 93 parts. There is a small decal sheet and color schemes for five vehicles. The quality of the molding is very good. The sprues were loose in the box, though each sprue is individually bagged. Despite being knocked around during shipping, none of the pieces were damaged or separated from the sprue.

Assembly

As with most vehicles, assembly begins with the undercarriage and suspension. The parts are very delicate, so be careful when you remove them from the sprue. Study the instructions closely, because they are confusing. If you are accustomed to the symbols Dragon uses, it appears that some of the parts are optional, but they are not. Also, you have to be careful in how you place the sub-assemblies so they are facing in the correct direction. Dry fit the assemblies before gluing!

I usually don’t put on the tires until all of the painting is done, so I went on to the next step, the fenders. Once the various boxes and hatches are glued, each fender fits snugly against the sides of the undercarriage. While that was drying, I quickly assembled the turret. The piece that the weapons are glued into (E3) was a bit fiddly, so dry fit before gluing. Rather than allowing the turret to swivel, I glued the turret into the upper body for a snug fit. The two halves of the vehicle are a perfect fit – no putty needed here. Once the two halves of the body are secure, the rest of the exterior fittings are attached. As with all Braille-scale kits, the exterior fittings are small and prone to be eaten by the carpet monster, so be careful when removing them from the sprue.

Finishing

I chose the color scheme from the Second Panzer Division “Das Reich” from the battle of Kursk. It’s an overall dark yellow (Tamiya XF-60). The decals include unit markings and registration numbers, though they are very small and take steady hands and patience to get them on. Rather than finish it with a dull coat, I misted a dust coat of Buff (Tamiya XF-57).

Modern molding techniques have made for exquisitely detailed 1/72 scale kits. While this detail means a certain degree of fragility in the parts, with patience this kit produces a nice model of the Rad 8. I suppose, beyond the vague instructions, the only true criticism I can level is the molded-in tools, in particular the towing cable at the front of the vehicle. I was tempted to sand it off, but left it in place. Bottom line, this rendition of the Sd.Kfz.231 is an excellent addition to a modeler’s stable of 1/72 vehicles.

My thanks to Dragon Models USA and IPMS for giving me the opportunity to review this kit.