ICM has done it again with a great combination kit with three early World War II armored vehicles. This boxing Wehrmacht Armored Vehicles (DS3524 – Diorama Set) has three complete kits: Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf B, Panzerspähwagen P 204(f), and Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf A. From the ICM webpage for the Wehrmacht Armored Vehicles boxed set:

According to the Treaty of Versailles signed in 1919, Germany was prohibited from possessing armored vehicles. However, the later Boulogne Protocol allowed the Weimar Republic to have a limited number of armored transport vehicles and police armored cars. After Hitler came to power, Germany began preparations for a war that, according to German plans, was to be fought swiftly. This concept required high mobility for military units, which in turn demanded a large number of various vehicles—both regular trucks and armored vehicles. Serial production of armored cars in Germany resumed in 1934, and by 1936, they were standard equipment in reconnaissance units (which included the Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf. B armored car). At the beginning of the hostilities, the armored vehicle fleet was supplemented with captured vehicles, including one of the best armored cars of World War II, the Panhard 178 (designated Panzerspähwagen P 204(f) in the Wehrmacht). The German army also widely used semi-tracked armored transporters. The versatility built into their design allowed these armored vehicles to be used for transporting personnel as well as for mounting various types of weapons or equipment. The most common armored transporters in the Wehrmacht were the semi-tracked Sd.Kfz.251 armored personnel carriers.

All three kits have been produced by ICM separately. The Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf B (Kit No. 35110) was first produced in 2020 (and reboxed as Kit No. 35111 with a crew of four (driver, two radio operators, and officer), aptly reviewed by fellow IPMS/USA Reviewer Eric Christianson. The Panzerspähwagen P 204(f) (Kit No. 35374) was first released in 2016, itself largely a reboxing of Panhard 178 AMD 35 (Kit No. 35373, released in 2015). The Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf A (Kit No. 35101) was first released in 2018, and released in various guises with crew (Kit No. 35103), radio variants (Kit No. 35102 and Kit No. 35104), Krankenpanzerwagen (ambulance) (Kit No. 35113) and with crew (Kit No. 35114), the Battle of France, Spring 1940 (DS 3515), and the Beobachtungspanzerwagen Sd.Kfz. 251/18 Ausf A (Kit No. 35105) also reviewed by Eric Christianson. There is a lot of plastic with the three kits making up this impressive diorama set.

Upon opening the cover, there is a reinforced white inner box that does a good job of protecting the three kits in their respective plastic bags. There are sixteen plastic sprues (six for the 247, four for the P 204(f) and six for the 251/1), two vinyl tracks for the 251/1, 10 vinyl tires, and three decal sheets. The three instruction manuals (Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf B has 112 steps over 28 pages; the Panzerspähwagen P 204(f) has 57 steps over 20 pages; and the Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf A has 103 steps over 28 pages). The downloadable instructions are also available separately online. As this is a review for the DS 3525 Wehrmacht Armored Vehicles (multi-kit), each kit will be reviewed separately. All three kits are detailed and are great, excellent representations of the new quality and detail that are ICM’s trademark. Take care with small pieces (grab handles, etc) as the plastic is fragile and will break when removed from the sprue gates.

Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf B

The model builds straightforwardly, and the sequence is logical. It is advisable to keep the three kits separate to avoid confusion. There are minor notes that are identified here by their instruction step:

Step 8: In my example, there was no indentation on Parts C24 and C29 for Part A20 to mate with. Easy

Step 12: Part C45 should be C47; be careful and test fit the three fragile attachment points.

Step 14: Part C47 should be C45

Step 24: See Steps 29 and, particularly, 55 for proper alignment of engine placement in chassis

Step 31: The front tires don’t have valve stems; this is easily remedied by drilling out a hole and inserting wire to make it look the part.

Step 88: Part E58 should be E11

Step 99: Hollow out the exhaust pipe

Steps 99 and 112: Recommend adding the width indicators last as they are fragile and can break off while handling.

Steps 103 and 104: Recommend leaving the antennae off until complete as they are very fragile and can break off while handling.

The Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf B comes with four marking options, all Wehrmacht units in panzergrau:

• Pz.Gren.Div. Großdeutschland, Ukraine, Summer 1942
• Russia, Autumn 1941
• 7th Panzer Division, Russia, Summer 1941
• France, Summer 1944 in dunkelgelb

I painted the Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf B in the first option as assigned to Pz.Gren.Div. Großdeutschland.

Panzerspähwagen P 204(f)

The model builds straightforwardly, and the sequence is logical. There are minor notes that are identified here by their instruction step:

Steps 21 and 22: The engine grates are not hollow. The illusion of depth can be easily created with a dark wash; however, it is unfortunate in Step 22 as the engine grates are separate and there is engine detail that can only be visible when the grates are open.

Step 32: Hollow out the horn C-10

Step 39: Part C-6(x2) is a duplicate of Step 38

Step 54: Part C-5 is a rear view mirror that be should be left off due to being very fragile; add after handling.

The Panzerspähwagen P 204(f) has four marking options, all Wehrmacht (in dunkelgrau):

• France 1940 (in camouflage green)
• 92nd Panzer Aufklärungs Abteilung, 20th Panzer Division, Belorussia, July 1941
• German Police Force, Central Russia, September 1941
• 37th Panzer Aufklärungs Abteilung, 7th Panzer Division, Moscow Region, December 1941 (whitewash)

I painted the Panzerspähwagen P 204(f) in the first option as the camouflage green looked different, especially with the dunkelgrau versions.

Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. A

The model builds straightforwardly, and the sequence is logical. There are minor notes that are identified here by their instruction step:

Step 11: Hollow out the end of the exhaust E31

Step 24: Refer to Step 25 for the proper location of Part B11

Step 29: Part E11 should be E17

Step 37: The MG-34 is nicely done with separate folding legs (C42) and feed tray cover (C41).

Step 41:

• Five large knockout marks need to be filled in as they will be visible after construction.
• Part C35 is missing, as is its location; refer to Step 49 for the proper location.

Step 54: Attach Part E14 before E55; ask me how I found out.

Steps 64 and 66: The Kar98 rifles are a nice touch and should be painted and added at this step if you want them included; it will be very challenging to attach them after the upper hull is attached to the lower hull.

Step 100: No need to paint the interior of the light silver as the cover (clear parts D7 and D8) need to be painted dunkelgrau, thus obscuring the interior paint.

Step 103: Recommend leaving width indicators E19 and E20 off until completion due to their fragile nature.

The Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. A has four marking options, all Wehrmacht in dunkelgrau:

• 1st Panzer Division, France, May 1940
• 2nd Panzer Division, Greece, May 1941
• 1st Panzer Division, Russia, July 1941
• 1st Panzer Division, Russia, November 1941

I painted the Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf A in the markings of the 1st Panzer Division in France.

I enjoyed assembling these early WWII German Wehrmacht vehicles and it was fun to see many of the same design features building them together. As mentioned above, ICM did a good job combining three kits in one box for an early war set. While dunkelgrau was the color of choice, the Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf B can also be painted in dunkelgelb for service in France in 1944. and the Panzerspähwagen P 204(f) can be painted in camouflage green with large WH captured markings . The cost is significantly cheaper buying this kit, rather than the three kits separately. Best of all, they look the part. The decals are thin and settle in beautifully.

Interestingly, the clear sprues for the Sd.Kfz 247 and 251 are from Kit No. 35537 (Type 320 (W142) Saloon. The only two parts used on these sprues are Parts 7 and 8 for the headlights, which are included as whole, circular light lenses, and not the night driving slit versions. Unfortunately, neither kit provides any clear pieces for vision ports. While not for beginners due to the high parts counts and fragile parts inherent in detailed kits, this is a good set for intermediate modelers and above. The kits look great together and these are unique models not readily available, the exception being the Sd.Kfz. 251 which was produced in large numbers in the Ausf C and D versions.

These kits reflect ICM’s technology and quality for highly detailed kits. They are a good value when purchased together in this boxing, and highlight three important vehicles in German use while their industry strove to catch up with requirements and numbers for front-line service.

Slava Ukraini! (Glory to Ukraine!)

Profuse thanks to ICM and IPMS/USA for providing the review sample.