German Assault Mortar-Sturmtiger

The hulking Sturmtiger is an imposing construct that surely would have impressed any who witnessed its wrath. The model shows this bulk but isn't at all terrifying to build; the model goes together well. The fit and finish of pieces are excellent, and you have few small parts to navigate. One exception is the track, which is comprised of hundreds of single links. I personally find this style more tedious rather than fun, but to each their own. The kit offers opportunities to try your hand at applying zimmerit, an anti-mine paste-like coating. Decals are minimal, which is consistent with the fact that so few Sturmtigers were placed into service to warrant much identification. The mortar assembly is particularly thoughtful and robust. The barrel is void of the seams present in many models, and the tilt and angle mechanism is anchored with metal nuts and bolts. There is a partial interior to build. While the engine area is sealed away, the main gun and rocket loading area is done in a simple yet thoughtful manner. The shoulder-high mortar rockets are displayed in constructed racks. Tamiya designers made the top piece in a way that allows for a good, non-glued removable fit, allowing interior inspection. A German soldier is included in the box. This is a nice addition that allows the massive size of this war machine to be readily seen. Overall, this is a solid and straightforward model of an unusual WWII Tiger variant. No dings, frustrations, or whammies here. This is a 5/5 product.

The sturmtiger model is one that I personally wanted alot since most people dont seem to even know it existed. Based off of pictures you can tell right away how spot on this model is. Overall, it is not a very difficult one to make since it has many larger parts. The only exception to this is the internal workings of the gun, but even that with all its detail isnt bad. Would recommend this model even to someone who may not have a lot of experience yet.

Another fantastic kit from Tamiya to add to the German practice of conversion of armored vehicles. This kit has all the parts to depict that practice but only 18 or so huge vehicles were in battle. Get the most from this kit by using all the parts as tiny as some are. The interior will keep you busy as well be sure to detail it to the maximum. Camouflage would be a choice over Yellow but late war armor was anything but a priority to paint camouflage patterns on. Either way, wear and tear is shown on everything that was fielded. I recommend this kit to anyone familiar with German armor experience.