Dragon Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A Early Production Smart Kit

This is the second of Dragons Smart Kits following hot on the heels of their late G Panther .

Having our regular mail order delivery of kits arriving today , in the same delivery was Jennys 1/48 scale Tamiya Tiger for the group build (my Tunisian Tiger is still on its way ! ). Naturally enough as I was oogling my little Pz I A Jenny compared the 1/48th hull which is actually larger than the Panzer I's!!!!!

No doubt anyone who has talked to Jenny long enough will hear her distain of this little vehicle ! Never the less due to the constraints of the Versaille treaty the Panzer I formed the starting linage of the ever improving Panzer vehicles .

The kit lacks the complexities of some of Dragons more recent builds & after taking into respect the 256 Smart track links the 340 odd parts comes back to less than 100 other bits !

The \"smart\" features of the kit meaning a more simplified construction breakdown . 4 sprues of grey plastic parts , a big clear sprue ( listed as two in the instructions ), a seperate hull , a bag of 256 smart track links a small etch fret & equally small decal sheet round off the box contents .

The parts are a beautiful example of slide mould technology at its greatest & the ingenious moulded turret , taking full advantage of the mould process ,mounted at the end of sprue c is an engineering feat that will hold any modeller in awe, no less than 81 seperate countersunk screws all individually moulded on the one piece ! Not bad when you realise it has a radius less than 3cm and indeed is one piece !

The rest of the parts hold the same exquisite levels of details ! The tiny Magic tracks negate any need to search the After market world & have almost a full run of track as spares .

The small etch sheet contains parts to upgrade the rear engine vents & the exhaust mounts & guards . My only bugbear with the kit is that for a little more engineering it would have been nice to complete the kit with three PE tool clamps + a axe & shovel without moulded clamps.

The fenders are suitably thin edged , & have the advantage that mounting holes have to be drilled through for the tools , so if you decide to go after market tool clamps you do not have to try & fill the holes which is near to impossible with the finely moulded anti slip texture . The hull top is again beautifully cast with beautiful bolt & screw detail recessed & crying out for a subtle wash when finished . The large clear sprue has all vision glass visors & visor frames enabling all to be mounted open or closed !

Every hatch including fuel fillers & engine access are moulded seperately leaving a seperate aftermarket resin engine insert as a very likely follow up .

I have heard that the road wheels are of the pre war type & not of WWII origin , I am not sure & I would feel that with such names as Tom Cockle & Gary Edmundson as technical consultants there should not be too many problems with them.

The kit includes modest decals from Cartograf for three vehicles , a Libyan vehicle of 5 light division , a Panzer Grey vehicle based in Norway & a 1935 Nurenberg pre war vehicle with attractive camo scheme .

For more information of parts & kit features visit the Dragon website on

http://www.dragonmodelsltd.com/html/6289poster.htm

In summary the slight niggle of the lack of tool clamps is probably to some extent unjustified as no one else seems to show the attention to detail to include them , it is only Dragons proactive approach that spoils us though .Anyone with a set of Aber tool clamps will have no worries . After market possibilities are a interior or engine ,really that would be about all . Not a difficult build , a weekend of construction should have it tops .

I recommend it highly & at 1/3 the price of the oppositions offering (at least in Australia anyway ! ) it is brilliant value for money . I would rate it at 92% .

I have built two of these to date and am planning a third!
I can whole heartedly recommend this bad boy- and the detail is outstanding!

Definitely one for the to do pile if you have any affinity for the smaller vehicles. It really builds into a beautiful representation of this little guy!

Good stuff-

JD
[b]