Sd.Kfz.232 6 Rad

The Italeri Sd.Kfz. 232 6 Rad, 1/35, #6433 model kit was originally released in 2004 and then it was re-released with new decals in 2022 according to historical product data provided by the Scalemates Website. Although the molded parts are not up to the mold crispness of the newer AFV or the Dragon Model Ltd. releases, this is the only kit of this subject readily available on the market that is reasonably priced. A few of the weak points noted during the build were that the bore on the MG 34 coaxial turret gun barrel is not hollowed out and this must be done manually, using a fine needle to create a pilot hole and then widening out this hole diameter with a pin bit. The bore opening on the flash hider for the main 2.0 cm KwK cannon is too shallow, which requires additional deepening with a pin vise/bit tool. The pioneer tools parts did not have hollowed clasps molded on them, however as I wanted to build this model out of the box, I used them despite this detail deficiency. The kit has 161 parts which will go together nicely for a precision fit. For my build of this vehicle, the only seam line requiring filling and sanding, was the top edge of the rear vehicle panel. I filled the narrow gap at this edge with Gorilla Superglue and then I sanded the seam smooth with a fine grit foam sanding stick after the glue had cured. For this build, I built up the entire vehicle minus the tires, turret and the antenna frame. These other subassemblies were built up separately for painting purposes. Once these components of the model were assembled, I decided to prime them all with an airbrush loaded up with Apple Barrel Granite Gray 21392E. This decision was made to ensure that the base topcoat would not appear overly dark. For the top exterior color, I used Vallejo Model Air RLM66 Schwarz Grau 71.055 (Black Grey RLM66). The interior surfaces of the body and the turret were painted in Apple Barrel 21463E Antique Parchment. The covered spare tire on the rear of the vehicle was painted with Vallejo Model Color 70.830 German Field Grey WWII. The mounted pioneer tools on the vehicle were painted with Testors Model Master Wood Enamel and Anita's All Purpose Acrylic 302278 Black. The rubber tires for the vehicle were painted using Apple Barrel 21490E Pavement. For spotlight lenses and rear-view mirrors I used Vallejo Model Air Aluminium 71.062, which was hand painted on these parts. I also hand painted the ball shaped width detector sensor tips using Apple Barrel Snow White. FolkArt Raw Umber Acrylic Paint was used to paint the front muffler and its exhaust pipes. For the Mg 34 and the KwK 2.0 cm gun barrels, I painted them with FolkArt Metallic 667E Gunmetal Gray. Unless specified, all paints were applied by using an Iwata HP-C airbrush with a 3.5 mm needle at 20psi. After color paints were applied and allowed to cure, a protective coat of acrylic matte clear spray paint was applied to the model. After 45 minutes of drying time had elapsed, decaling of the model could proceed. For my build of this vehicle, I selected Version A: German Army, 2nd Panzer Division - France, 1940. The kit includes decal options for up to four different marking schemes, although the colors are identical for all of the paint scheme options. As the decal count was low, the decal application/placement process went by fairly quickly. Even though the decal surfaces were predominantly flat, I used both Micro Set and Micro Solve solutions to ensure good decal adhesion. Once the decals were positioned correctly on the model and allowed to set, a protective coat of Johnson's Floor Wax (i.e. Future) was applied over them. After allowing this to dry, I applied a final clear acrylic matte coat to the model. At this point, I applied Tamiya Brown Panel Wash to the hatches, hinges, wheels and undercarriage of the model. The excess Tamiya Brown Panel Liner was later cleaned up using Testors Enamel Thinner. A bit of light vehicle weathering was then completed using Tamiya Weather Master Powder Pigments. As this model kit had a monotone Schwartz Grau (i.e. Black Grey RLM 66) paint scheme and a low decal/parts count, this kit can be recommended for entry level model builders with some previous build experience. Patience, airbrush and decal skills are highly recommended for best results.