Sd.Kfz.184 Elefant
PE Update
(for DML 6126)

Voyager Model   PE35024
1/35

      FIRST LOOK REVIEW

    The set is designed for Dragon's large Sd.Kfz. 184 Elefant model. This set in addition to photo-etched parts contains also copper cable and resin pieces.

    In the Voyager's usual black and orange box card we get three brass photo-etched frets, one steel (?) fret, a length of copper cable, a small zip-bag with resin parts and instruction sheet plus supplement. Instructions are printed on both sides of a single A-4 sized sheet and there is additional tiny piece of paper added with instructions of making embossed stiffeners on brass parts.  Instructions are clear and show assembly on exploded diagrams, but no information is given regarding installation of some included resin parts. Also there are errors in instructions - according to instructions the clamp for hammer should be assembled from parts 2, 5 and 7 from "WW2 German Clamps & Clasp" fret, but this fret is not included in this set! In fact the clamp has to be assembled from parts 61, 62 and... 61 again (error in parts numbering) from fret B. Another problem in instructions can be found where the installation of front fender wire spring is shown. No wire is given in the set for this spring and the only description given for shown part in instructions is given... in Chinese...

Contents of the set.
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First page of instructions.
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Second page of instructions.
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Sizes of photo-etched frets are:
A - 64 mm x  95 mm / 0.15 mm thick brass
B - 64 mm x  95 mm / 0.15 mm thick brass
C - 48 mm x  95 mm / 0.15 mm thick brass
Zimmerit Coating Applicator - three sizes of PE tool on a small steel fret.

Unusually for Voyager all brass frets in the set are the same thickness.

Resin parts included are:
- four tow cable end loops,
- muzzle brake inner rings,
- a hammer,
- 36 conical bolt heads - their locations on the hull are not quite clearly shown in instructions,
- 3 bell-shaped pieces which I'm sure every German armor modeler can immediately identify, but I have no clue what they could be... they are not shown in instructions.

There is also 200 mm (0.9 mm diameter) of copper cable included for tow cable.

Some of included PE parts are:
- non-skid plates for fenders,
- holding brackets for spare tracks,
- complete storage box for hull rear,
- plenty of other small brackets, handles and other fittings (see instructions scans).

There is unfortunately one serious problem with the set. According to instructions we should attach four locking clips (assembled from parts 20, 21 and 22) to storage box and a long tubular container (?), but no such clips can be found on frets included in the set!...  Parts 20, 21 and 22 simply do not exist.

Photo-etched fret A.
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Photo-etched fret B.
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Fret C, Zimmerit tools, copper cable and instruction supplement.
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Resin parts.
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    The quality of etched parts is very high and resin parts are also cleanly cast. Typically for Voyager sets also this one includes lots of tiny parts, so modelers less experienced in work with PE can find the assembly difficult.

This is not the best Voyager set - while parts included in the set should nicely enhance the Dragon model, errors in instructions and omission of some parts seriously decreases the value of the product.

 

Many thanks to Voyager Model for the review sample!


   

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