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Review
Dragon: Sturmgeschütz III Ausf.C/D
CMOT
Staff MemberEditor-in-Chief
ARMORAMA
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England - South West, United Kingdom
Joined: May 14, 2006
KitMaker: 10,954 posts
Armorama: 8,571 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 - 12:07 AM UTC


Dragon Models has produced an early variant of the StuG.III with the Ausf.C/D, here Kevin Brant has a look in the box.

Read the Review

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
bill_c
Staff MemberCampaigns Administrator
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: January 09, 2008
KitMaker: 10,553 posts
Armorama: 8,109 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 - 03:30 AM UTC
Nice review, Kevin! Seems like you get more PE than with the MiniArt/Bronco Stugie, but those DS tracks. I'll pass on the Marmite, thanks.
kuz
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Vestsjalland, Denmark
Joined: November 14, 2005
KitMaker: 23 posts
Armorama: 12 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 - 04:04 AM UTC
Kevin: Thanks for a good review, if you intend to build it, do take care of the instructions, there are many traps, telling you to cut, or fill some areas, that you later discover shouldn't have been done, especially on the transmission parts. Beeing a Graphic designer myself, instructions should make order in chaos, Dragon failed here. Another fault is they used the hull, of the fighting compartment from their Stug III F8, and the instruction show a radiorack, on the firewall???? Never seen any on the C/D version in the photographic/research material I have, and Ive been inside one myself. Apart from this, I must agree, some really well detailed parts, but the overall impression is marred, by the lousy instructions
MrCompletely
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Saitama-ken, Japan / 日本
Joined: February 12, 2016
KitMaker: 128 posts
Armorama: 120 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 - 01:23 PM UTC
As much as I like Dragon, and what they have to offer, they really need a solid kick in the a**e as far as their instructions are concerned. To me it indicates a total disdain for us, the customers, and shows they are only interested in our money.
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
KitMaker: 7,600 posts
Armorama: 6,110 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 - 07:07 PM UTC
What was that surgical bit, about having to cut the barrel so it will fit into the mantlet?? Is Dragon getting so lazy that the builder now has to cut parts so that they will fit?
Mannloon
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: May 18, 2015
KitMaker: 99 posts
Armorama: 97 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 - 07:15 PM UTC
I think you were a little generous with the rating here. I just did a build review of the Ausf. E they put out and the construction was nothing but a series of modifications to the kit parts. The result was fine, but the process is idiotic.
Panzermeister36
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Ontario, Canada
Joined: May 11, 2016
KitMaker: 14 posts
Armorama: 14 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 - 07:11 AM UTC
Awesome review Kevin! I agree with Adam though, Dragon can and should be doing much better with their new releases. I won't be buying any new Dragon kits until they do, since their old ones from the mid 2000s are much better and cheaper than some of these.
KurtLaughlin
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: January 18, 2003
KitMaker: 2,402 posts
Armorama: 2,377 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 - 07:53 AM UTC

Quoted Text

To me it . . . shows they are only interested in our money.



Yeah, which is why they are not considered a charity.

Is this really a revelation to anyone, that for-profit companies exist only to make money for their owners?

KL
kuz
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Vestsjalland, Denmark
Joined: November 14, 2005
KitMaker: 23 posts
Armorama: 12 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 - 01:57 PM UTC
Glad I'm not the only one beeing annoyed by this product, admitted, it's a great kit, and will be, if on has the nerves to finish it, be the best detailed Stug III C/D around, BUT, it's not cheap, which should mean, a really quality product. Another issue with Dragon, generally is their plastic ,it hard, and it's difficult to cut the parts form the sprues, without flakes/damage to the relevant part. If you decide to build it, take especially care around steps 1-3, in the instructions, concerning the roadwheels and the return rollers. Dont cut any parts, as per the instructions, or fill anything, untill you know it shoud be done, I'm really p... off, and I'm only just started it.
Taeuss
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Manitoba, Canada
Joined: January 03, 2016
KitMaker: 3,791 posts
Armorama: 3,778 posts
Posted: Friday, March 24, 2017 - 06:23 AM UTC
Thank you for the excellent review. This has got to be my favourite part of Armourama as I hate buying a kit and being done-in by lousy instructions. Dragon is INFAMOUS for this and I honestly don't understand WHY? The kits are usually of the highest quality and yet the instructions are uniformly overly-complicated, cramped and seemingly begrudging the builder the details necessary. Errors only makes an enjoyable build into a curse-filled grudge match. Wish they'd catch on.
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