Saturday, December 31, 2011 - 02:15 PM UTC
Dragon Models are continuing to increase their range of 1/72nd scale armoured fighting vehicles. This time around Dragon Models have three new 1/72nd scale kits due for release in February 2012, these kits cover two Allied and one German armoured fighting vehicles of World War Two. Take a look inside for more details.
On this occasion Dragon Models will be releasing two versions of the Churchill Tank Mk III and an Sdkfz 232 in 1/72nd scale. Here are the details from the Dragon USA website;

DRR 60591 - Churchill Mk.III, 48th Royal Tank Regiment "Sprinter IV", England 1942 – 1/72nd scale
The Churchill infantry tank is a most distinctive design with its extremely long chassis and wraparound tracks. Named after the British minister of defense of the time, the Churchill tank was very well armored. It was produced in a series of versions that offered thicker armor and more powerful armament as the war progressed. The Mk.III, weighing in at 39,626kg, arrived on the scene in March 1942. It featured a 6-pounder gun in the all-welded turret, and the hull-mounted howitzer fitted in previous variants was deleted. Its baptism of fire was in the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942, plus the Mk.III was also famously involved in the failed landing at Dieppe in northern France.

As part of its prodigious output of brand new 1/72 scale toolings, Dragon Armor has issued a model of the Churchill Mk.III. This is Dragon Armor’s very first Churchill, and indeed it’s also the very first British-designed tank of WWII to feature in the series. To create this mark, the correct turret and auxiliary fuel tank are present. It’s finished in an unusual, but typical of the 1942 period, coat of khaki brown paint. This color was known officially as Standard Camouflage Colour 2 (S.C.C. No.2). This tank belonging to the 48th Royal Tank Regiment (48 RTR) carries the name “Sprinter IV” on both sides of the turret. For modelers wishing to strengthen their tank regiments and to get their hands on something British, this “outstandingly brown” Churchill is a must-have item!

• DRA 7429 - Sd.Kfz.232 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen(FU) - Armor Pro Series - 1/72nd scale
Features:
- Newly produced Sd.Kfz.232 w/fine details
- New preformed frame antenna made from injection-molded plastic
- Vision ports on turret displayed
- Realistic 2cm KwK 30 L/55 and MG34 included
- Injection-molded tow cables reproduced
- Highly detailed rear hull
- Delicate grill on engine deck
- Turret hatch can be assembled open/closed
- Sharply reproduced cargo and jerry cans
- Turret made by 3-directional slide mold
- Slide-molded upper hull
- Slide-molded fenders w/on-vehicle tools
- Underside of hull made by slide mold
- Chassis possesses full detail
- Detailed wheels w/authentic tire tread pattern

Germany created a number of successful schwerer Panzerspahwagen (“heavy armored reconnaissance vehicles”) to support its forces. Among them was the family based on the Sd.Kfz.231 8-Rad (“eight-wheel”) design. The Sd.Kfz.232 accommodated extra radio equipment and a large frame antenna for longer-distance communication. The armored car’s Bussing-NAG 8x8 chassis offered good cross-country mobility and the vehicle also possessed eight-wheel steering. There were dual driver’s controls, which meant the vehicle could drive rapidly in either direction if it came under attack. The 8.3-tonne design was ordered in 1934, and both the Sd.Kfz.231 and 232 featured a hexagonal-shaped turret mounting a 2cm KwK 30 cannon plus one MG34 machine gun. Production of the Sd.Kfz.232 ceased in 1943 in favor of the newer Sd.Kfz.234/2 Puma.

Dragon has produced yet another brand new plastic kit! The Sd.Kfz.232 features all-new toolings, and the upper and lower hull sections are made as one-piece elements via slide molds. The large armored car is composed of many irregularly shaped and angled plates, so the kit obviously requires extremely precise tolerances when it fits together. Thanks to the use of CAD drawings and high-tech molding techniques, the vehicle’s parts fit together flawlessly. The unique shape of this 8x8 armored vehicle is beautifully captured, and the distinctive antenna frame is finely rendered. Dragon already has high-quality 1/72 scale Panzer III kits available, so the arrival of the Sd.Kfz.232 now gives these early-war panzers a valuable reconnaissance capability!

• DRA 7396 - British Churchill Mk. III - 1/72nd scale
The Churchill infantry tank is a most distinctive design with its extremely long chassis and wraparound tracks. Named after the British Minister of Defence of the time, the Churchill tank was very well armored. It was produced in a series of versions that offered heavier armor and more powerful armament as the war progressed. The Mk.III, weighing in at 39,626kg, arrived on the scene in March 1942. It featured a 6-pounder gun in the all-welded turret, and the hull-mounted howitzer fitted in previous variants was deleted. Its baptism of fire was in the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942, in which six Mk.III tanks were involved. The Mk.III was also famously involved in the failed landing at Dieppe in northern France.

Dragon previously issued a 1/72 scale kit of the Churchill Mk.IV, but is now following it up with a Mk.III version. To create this earlier mark, many new components such as a turret and auxiliary fuel tank have been newly tooled. The engine details are quite different too. The Churchill Mk.III is beautifully detailed, and it assembles quickly and easily into an accurate model thanks to time-saving elements like one-piece DS tracks and single-piece bogies. For modelers wishing to strengthen their British tank brigades, this is a must-have item, and it perfectly complements Dragon’s Sherman Mk.III, Sherman Firefly and Churchill Mk.IV kits already available.

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Comments

Darren, It's always great news to see more Braille subjects released, especially Allied ones other than a Sherman. However, I thought that it should be pointed out that the Churchill DRR 60591 is not a kit but a pre-assembled vehicle. I also hope that Dragon provides some alternate decals for different units. Cheers, Jan
JAN 01, 2012 - 07:13 AM
Thank you for that Jan I saw a parts count on the page but missed it was a case count, either way it may still be of interest.
JAN 01, 2012 - 09:26 AM
thanks for the report looks nice, I do enjoy a bit of braille now and again
JAN 01, 2012 - 09:31 AM
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