Dragon has released a number of fine Panzer III tanks in 1/35 scale before, including the recent Ausf.E (Item No.6631) and Ausf.F (Item No.6632). Now, Dragon has produced the very first Panzer III Smart Kit, and what a stunning creation it is. The Smart Kit depicts an Ausf.H variant, the first Panzer III version to be fitted with a 5 cm Kw.K L/42 cannon. An order for 759 Ausf.H tanks was placed in January 1939, but as it turned out, only 308 were produced up till April 1941 before the Ausf.J entered production. To accommodate the bigger gun, the tank turret was redesigned and a turret basket added to the rear. Furthermore, additional armour plates were bolted to the rear, glacis and front superstructure of the hull. Mechanically the tank received a new transmission with redesigned sprocket and idler wheels. This 1/35 scale Smart Kit has a great many brand new parts. For starters the lower hull, rear plate, glacis plate and front superstructure plate are all newly tooled. Add to this a new mantlet with 35 mm thick armour, and a new vision block.
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