This is a direct replacement piece for a the hull front MG or the Pz.38(t) tanks and Marders. These would include the kits from Dragon and Tristar. I purchased this kit specifically for the Tristar Panzer 38(t) Ausf. E/F kit. The parts consist of a turned brass MG barrel, a photo-etched sight and a resin MG housing, ball mount and breach. The turned barrel is good but the resin housing is a little rough.

The MG housing is wrong with the sides being too thin and lacking the "lip" along the top edges. As can be see in photograph no.2 the sides of the housing are uneven, in fact the top edge (in the photo) is thinner than the bottom edge! A strip of sheet styrene could be glued along each side to simulate the missing lip... but this should not have to be done on an "upgrade" kit.

Assembly

Assembly is straight forward in theory, the brass barrel is to be inserted into the resin housing. Unfortunately, on my sample at least, the housing is too narrow so the barrel when inserted pushes the sides of the housing out. I tried to sand the inside of the house and end a little but the barrel still doesn't fit. I fear further sanding will ruin the appearance. See photograph no.3.

Test fitting to the Tristar kit reveals that the ball mount is too small, see photograph no.4. So as far as the Tristar kit goes this "upgrade" is next to useless. I don't have the Dragon kit so I can not comment on the fit.

Conclusion

I really don't like this "upgrade", in fact it is a "downgrade". The detail on the resin housing is poor and it doesn't even fit the Tristar kit! I do not like the price either, it is terribly over-priced in my opinion. I don't know if Voyager, the importer or the hobby shop is to blame however, the kit is available for as low as $8 from some Hong Kong-based mail order suppliers. I realize that these after-market kits are labour intensive to produce, etc. and that the packaging, instructions and costly. For $16 (CND) I think two gun assemblies could have been included in the kit, this would have saved on packaging costs somewhat.

Not recommended, especially not for the Tristar kits. A better more cost-effective solution is the similar kit from LionMarc Czech ZB37 MG Barrels.

References

1. Panzer Tracts No.18, Panzerkampfwagen 38(t). By Thomas L. Jentz and Hilary L. Doyle. Panzer Tracts 2007. ISBN: 0-9771643-6-5.
2. Die Panzerkampfwagen 35(t) und 38(t). By Walter J. Spielberger. Motorbuch Verlag 1980. ISBN: 3-87943-708-4.

User Contributed Notes