Dragon 6230 Panzerjager I 4.7cm PaK(t)

 

Gun:

- Brand new mounted version of 4.7cm PaK (t)

- Muzzle brake reproduced by slide molds

- Slide-molded gun shield comes w/bolt detail

- Fully detailed gun w/breech assembly

- Gun breech and recoil guard fully reproduced

- PaK(t) gun carriage accurately represents the real one

- Realistic elevation mechanism allows gun to elevate

Fighting Compartment:

- “Ultra Slim” injection-molded armor plate

- Newly tooled one-piece fighting compartment armor made by 3-directional slide-molds

- Fighting compartment interior represented in detail – ammo box, gas mask canister, radio and first-aid kit

- Fighting compartment periscopes in fine detail

- Newly tooled ammo box w/finely detailed crewman’s seat

- Ammo box including ammunition rounds can be showed open/closed

- MG bracket finely represented by photo-etched parts

Upper Hull and Engine Deck:

- Newly tooled upper hull w/easy assembly

- Upper hull and engine deck with multi-piece for authentic detail

- Upper hull view port can be assembled open/closed

- Driver’s compartment interior details such as instrument panel and transmission battery and driver’s seat included

- Driver’s vision port can be displayed open/closed

- Realistically reproduced brake cooling pipe w/fine detail

- Engine deck exquisitely detailed

- OVM w/molded-on clasps

- Side fenders w/detailed tread pattern

- Engine hatch can be assembled open/closed

- New engine deck storage fence made from photo-etched parts

- Newly tooled hollowed exhaust pipe w/photo-etched exhaust cover

Lower Hull, Suspension, Wheel and Tracks:

- Lower hull formed from multiple parts for greater detail

- Details for suspension system

- New suspension w/coil spring in fine detail

- External suspension structure for Panzerja"ger I have sharp detail

- Realistically reproduced road wheels w/photo-etched rings

- Newly tooled idler wheels accurately reproduced

- Magic Tracks in great detail

The Panzer I marked Germany’s first major foray into armored warfare in the 1930s. Unfortunately it was lightly armed and thinly armored, so it was totally obsolete by the start of WWII. In order to make the vehicle more relevant, many Panzer I Ausf. B chassis were used for tank destroyer (panzerja"ger in German) conversions. The 6.4-tonne Panzerja"ger I was Germany’s first tracked tank destroyer and it mounted a Skoda 47mm PaK 43 antitank gun, an effective weapon design that had been captured when Germany earlier occupied Czechoslovakia. A total of 202 Panzerja"ger I vehicles were converted in this way, and they fought in the Western Campaign in 1940, North Africa and the Eastern Front. Even though the vehicle had many weaknesses (e.g. highly vulnerable crew, limited gun traverse), some continued on in service in occupied Europe even after newer and better designs had appeared.

Dragon is launching a fine new 1/35 scale model of the Panzerja"ger I. Based on Dragon’s existing high-quality Panzer I Ausf. B chassis, it boasts a newly tooled 4.7cm gun replete with stunning detail. Slide molds have contributed to the gun’s remarkable detail, including the uniquely shaped muzzle brake. Using Dragon’s “Razor Edge/Ultra Slim technology”, the armor plates that compose the fighting compartment have been made true to scale. The employment of 3-directional slide molds ensures this one-piece armor is accurately shaped and more easily assembled. The upper hull has been completely redesigned and the interior of the open-topped compartment rearranged with the new gun and items such as ammo boxes. With its widespread use early on in WWII, this pioneering tank destroyer offers modelers great diorama and modeling potential.