COMING IN NOVEMBER 2006

Number 25 in the series, the Panzerkamfwagen 1 Ausf.A ohne Aufbau was a training vehicle to teach German tank crews how to drive the basic Panzer tank. The words “ohne Aufbau” mean “without structure”, and this magnificently detailed kit will make a wonderful addition to any German armor collection. The Wehrmacht needed training vehicles for their tank crews. The first 15 Panzer 1’s rolled out of the factories as “Ausf A ohne Aufbau”,
and built by the firms Daimler-Benz, Henschel, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall. These tank trainers were simply Panzer I hulls without the superstructure or the turret. It had a completely open interior and was manned by a student driver and his instructor with room for three additional students or observers. It shared the same suspension as the Ausf. A tank, but was of course lighter and lower. It used the 57 HP Krupp M305 Boxer 4 cyl engine, and with a weight of less than 3.5 tons it had top speed of 23 mph and a cross country range of 62 miles. Once again, Tristar used the the exceptional artistry of Mr.Yoshikatsu Tomioka for this kit. Not just for the finite
detailing of the photoetched parts, but also for the engine bay, interior compartment, and the realism of the two included figures.

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