Small Scale Military Headquarters

I just acquired the 21st 38t. Very nice. The vehical looks great overall. The most striking characteristic is how bloody small this tank is. My M5 Stuart dwarfs it!! On to the review.

Subject; 9 out of 10. It aint a ten because it aint a T34. Probably the Only German vehical I would get excited about (well, maybe some NEW DAK stuff). I like the early war german stuff, and they're better subjects for the kind of models 21st does.

Model; 10 out of 10. Actually, it's even better, casting is crisp and detailed. Bored out gun barrel, excellent! There's a minimal of crap so the vehical looks clean and combat ready. Good call, if I want baggage on the tank I'll get aftermarket stuff and add it my self! Dumb stuff: The telephone pole antenea. I'm going to have to cut the sucker off and replace it. I'ld rather have NO antenea (like the Firefly) than a giant redwood imitation. Second dumb thing is the Radio operator's hatch. THis can be opened with the turret in only one precise position. The only way to get a crewman in the space would be to take the hull apart. STOP putting useless hatches on vehicals!! Still, a great model!

Skin; 8 out of 10. Good color, very nice markings! Weathering is clumsy and primative. However, the fact that it is weathered is an indication of 21st's evolving model line.

So thats a 9 outa 10 sports fans. A really great model. If you like Blitzkreig tanks, this ones for you!


David

It really is a great looking model. I love this little tank.

Mine came in the mail with a FOV Schwimmwagen. There was an accident and the Pz38t was totalled. Luckily those early war padded berets functioned as designed and no 1/32 crewmembers were seriously hurt.

I love this little tank aswell.

Thanks for the review, rose4472g. Can't wait to get mine. I'll probably do the same thing with the plastic radio antennae - if I have a spare FoV antennae I'll have to see if that'll do. Are there any markings on the 38(t) that indicate which unit it belonged to?

No unit markings. The tank has three crosses. One on each side of the superstructure (port side is behind a tool box) and one on the port side, low, of the aft armor plate. It also has the very prominent turret numbers, starboard, aft, and rear turret. For the replacement antenea try used electric guitar string (especially if you have a metal head in your house like my son). The thin, high end wire breaks regularly which nmakes the string useless for making "music", but it makes good antenea wire!

david

Here it is in all its glory:

Gunther's not appropriately attired for the tank, but he does give you an idea how small this tank is. Note bored out muzzle Note giant redwood antenea See the tiny hatch for the radio operator. See how the Turret prevents it from opening. It can be opened, just not easily. Nothing could fit in it (maybe if you took the tank appart?).


Without Gunther in the Turret.


Posterior view, tow hitch is bent on mine.


Mine has a bent shovel, I'll probably remove/replace it. If you look behind the large tool box forward you can see the top of the cross on this side.

This gives some idea how Small the 38 is

David

I love the 38t model. It is a great little model.

schizuki wrote:Hey, you got one with the co-ax MG correctly installed! Mine's upside-down and a little too stubborn to try to turn.

I had forgotten about that! It's actually a sort of "ball"mount. My mgs were not right either, and they're still not quite square. Get the ball mount to work about some, mine loosened up some so I could get the mgs close to square. The turret mg was eisier to fix. The bow gun still is off by a bit and very stiff.

David

I play guitar, and strings break. I keep 'em... I've tried them for aircraft antennas, not plyable enough, so maybe for armor...

I just cut off the antenna and added a guitar string one. It has a great look to it. Completely different and is quite simple to do. Took about 5 minutes.

First, cut the antenna down off wear it meets the support post, or close to it. Take one of the smallest three strings of a guitar, preferably the larger of the three, and hold the cut off antenna next to it. Add a few millimeters to the length to go into the hole, and cut.

Take a push-pin or small needle and gently but firmly "drill" a hole into the support base of the antenna structure. Drop a TINY dot of superglue into/ on the hole and put the antenna in. It should fit tight if you used a small needle.

Voila!

Instant nice antenna look.

Also did this to my Panzer III Ausf. L DAK. Looks great.

Neat looking tank. It'll be a nice addition to my collection.

I have always liked that tank,wish it was in 1/18.

1958Zelda wrote:I have always liked that tank,wish it was in 1/18.

A lot of 1:32 releases I'd like to see in 1:18 too.

I second that