Steyr 1500A/01 - The Kit

My next project is Tamiya’s 1/35 scale “German Steyr Type 1500A/01 with Africa Corps Infantry at Rest” (no. 35305).  This kit caught my eye awhile back so I added it to my stash. What caused me to move it to the top of the pile was my acquisition of the Verlinden “Steyr Radio & Command” set (no. 1409).

This kit is loaded with “bonuses” for me: It’s a World War II German special unit, in North Africa; it’s a softskin that is not often modeled; and, with the addition of the detail set, it has oodles of radios and other assorted PE and resin bits!

This kit is actually a re-issue of an earlier Steyr by Tamiya. For this kit they added four new figures (with an extra set of arms), in addition to the two from the original kit, and gave the whole kit an Afrikakorp theme. The new figures are suited for the desert as they are wearing ankle boots and shorts. One is bare-chested while the other three wear shirts with rolled-up sleeves. Personal equipment is also included: soft caps, pistol holster, goggles, pith helmets, DAK canteen, DAK large metal water containers (one with the lid off), large rolled tarp, and large bags. No weapons are included, which is a real shame. Also included as part of the new kit is a single grey sprue from the Tamiya German Jerry Can Set which contains three fuel drums with a tap and a hand pump, as well as eight jerry cans which are the later, more correct Tamiya jerry cans with the three pronged handle and separate filler cap.

I will address the rest of the kit during the construction posts.

Decals and painting guides are included for three vehicles:

·         Special Command Dora, Southern Libya, North Africa, 1942

·         69^th Panzer Grenadier Regiment, 10^th Panzer Division, Tunisia, 1942

·         92^nd Independent Panzer Grenadier Regiment, Balkans, Spring-Summer 1944

I will include a post on Sonderkommando Dora soon!