Zvezda 1/100 (15mm) SdKfz 251 "Hanomag".. a review

Having said that I don't like plastic for wargaming with for more time than I can remember it came as quite a surprise to me that I do actually quite like some of the new wave of plastic kits for vehicles....

Those who have hung around here long enough will know that I wargame WWII in two scales - 15mm for skirmish, and 10mm for larger battles..

I have almost always used Peter Pig for 15mm - I like the sculpting style of the figures and their overall animation, but the vehicles are good but not outstanding, so when DG sent me an Opel Blitz that he had bought at Colours as a (failed) experiment I was quite intrigued as it was very nice - and what's more he told me it was simplicity itself to construct....

Now I've always been a sucker for a Hanomag (them, and Stug's are just so workman-like..!) so I ordered a couple to see what they were like...

Open the box and this is what you see - one box, one sprue....

Five minutes (OK it may have been 7) and I had the following (and apologies for the picture quality)

Five minutes after that I had this...

...and ten minutes after that I had this:

...superb!!

So pro's??  Quick and easy to assemble, sharp lines/edges, cheap (£2.70 a throw plus a little postage), no glue is required (they clip together very securely)..

Con's?? Not many..  they're very light (I'll fix that with some weight in the base), the machine gun provided is for a rear mounting rather than front (uh oh - geek alert), and you have to do that washing thing to get the mould release agent off before you can paint them....

I'll put up a post later in their based and painted state but Steve the Wargamer rates these kits 9 out of 10 - I have a Pz II and a Pz 38T waiting in the wings for my next modelling session....