Sd.Kfz.260 - 1/72

Name German Radio Communication Vehicle Sd.Kfz. 260 (# 72431)

Manufacturer ICM, Ukraine (distribution Italeri, Italy)

Packing Cardboard box with a colour picture of the vehicle on the top, three-view colour drawing on the bottom

Kit type Styrene model

Quality
The model contains one larger sprue with 49 parts from a beige styrene (this will remain the same for all four vehicles in a pipeline – Sd.Kfz. 222, 223, 260 a 261), a smaller sprue with two parts for the type Sd.Kfz. 260 and a fret with photoetched parts of the cage, which can be built closed or open. All parts are injected clean and with a crisp detail. The chassis of the vehicle is of a very nice and detail construction. The kit contains no parts of the interior.

Instructions Black and white, clear (construction of the model in seven diagrams, chart of needed paints in the Model Master code).

Decals A rich sheet, common for all 4 versions (Sd.Kfz. 222, 223, 260 a 261). The decal sheet, common for all four vehicles, contains the beam crosses (“Balkenkreuze”) of four different type, licence plates for eight vehicles (7 Wehrmacht and 1 SS) and a plenty of tactical markings, division signs, individual vehicle names etc. There are two versions for Sd.Kfz.: division Grossdeutschland, Don area, July 1942 and the 653. SpzJgAbt, Kursk area, July 1943.

General impression & Note
The first representation of a vehicle of this type in 1/72. Generally omitted type Sd.Kfz. 260 served as a radio communication vehicle in tank and motorised units, most often on a level of regiments and divisions. Its construction was derived from types Sd.Kfz. 221/222/223 but it had not a gun turret, personal weapons of the crew were used for defence (sometimes it carried also a machine gun MG 34). Instead of the weapons, the vehicle carried a communication system of a medium range „Funktrupp c“, consisting of radios FuG 7 and FuG Spr Gerät „a“ with a telescopic rod aerial. The open crew compartment was protected against a thrown-in grenade by a mesh cage. The crew consisted of four members – driver, commander-radio operator, second radio operator and a mechanic. The vehicle was produced in plants Weserhütte and Ritscher from November 1940 to April 1943 and together with a type Sd.Kfz. 261, which had a similar concept but carried a communication system of a long range „Funktrupp d“ – radios FuG 12 and FuG Spr Gerät „a“ with a collapsible frame aerial (this type will also be produced by ICM), there were 493 vehicles produced. Fighting units started to receive the vehicles in 1941.

Basic dimensions are in accordance with the scale but I compared shapes of the vehicle with the drawings in „Samochody pancerne 4x4“ (“Armoured Vehicles 4x4”) by J. Ledwoch, Militaria, Warsaw, 1996 and I found the following errors: Sd.Kfz 260 had a body from a reconnaissance vehicle Sd.Kfz. 221, which differed from a later version of the type Sd.Kfz. 222, a master for this model. A crucial difference is in a shape of the rear, which should have two triangular plates on both sides of the central square area and it should rise straight to the top, without a “step”. It will depend on every modeller here, if he decides to follow a path of a demanding surgery or if he decides to ignore this inaccuracy. Just to calm you down I can add that the type Sd.Kfz. 223, which is also being prepared by ICM, has exactly the right shape of the rear as included in the kit…

Despite my misgivings over the shape fidelity, the Sd.Kfz. 260 will be a nice model.

Name	German Radio Communication Vehicle Sd.Kfz. 260 (# 72431)
Manufacturer	ICM, Ukraine (distribution Italeri, Italy)
Packing	Cardboard box with a colour picture of the vehicle on the top, three-view colour drawing on the bottom
Kit type	Styrene model
Quality	The model contains one larger sprue with 49 parts from a beige styrene (this will remain the same for all four vehicles in a pipeline – Sd.Kfz. 222, 223, 260 a 261), a smaller sprue with two parts for the type Sd.Kfz. 260 and a fret with photoetched parts of the cage, which can be built closed or open. All parts are injected clean and with a crisp detail. The chassis of the vehicle is of a very nice and detail construction. The kit contains no parts of the interior.
Instructions	Black and white, clear (construction of the model in seven diagrams, chart of needed paints in the Model Master code).
Decals	A rich sheet, common for all 4 versions (Sd.Kfz. 222, 223, 260 a 261). The decal sheet, common for all four vehicles, contains the beam crosses (“Balkenkreuze”) of four different type, licence plates for eight vehicles (7 Wehrmacht and 1 SS) and a plenty of tactical markings, division signs, individual vehicle names etc. There are two versions for Sd.Kfz.: division Grossdeutschland, Don area, July 1942 and the 653. SpzJgAbt, Kursk area, July 1943.
General impression & Note	The first representation of a vehicle of this type in 1/72. Generally omitted type Sd.Kfz. 260 served as a radio communication vehicle in tank and motorised units, most often on a level of regiments and divisions. Its construction was derived from types Sd.Kfz. 221/222/223 but it had not a gun turret, personal weapons of the crew were used for defence (sometimes it carried also a machine gun MG 34). Instead of the weapons, the vehicle carried a communication system of a medium range „Funktrupp c“, consisting of radios FuG 7 and FuG Spr Gerät „a“ with a telescopic rod aerial. The open crew compartment was protected against a thrown-in grenade by a mesh cage. The crew consisted of four members – driver, commander-radio operator, second radio operator and a mechanic. The vehicle was produced in plants Weserhütte and Ritscher from November 1940 to April 1943 and together with a type Sd.Kfz. 261, which had a similar concept but carried a communication system of a long range „Funktrupp d“ – radios FuG 12 and FuG Spr Gerät „a“ with a collapsible frame aerial (this type will also be produced by ICM), there were 493 vehicles produced. Fighting units started to receive the vehicles in 1941. Basic dimensions are in accordance with the scale but I compared shapes of the vehicle with the drawings in „Samochody pancerne 4x4“ (“Armoured Vehicles 4x4”) by J. Ledwoch, Militaria, Warsaw, 1996 and I found the following errors: Sd.Kfz 260 had a body from a reconnaissance vehicle Sd.Kfz. 221, which differed from a later version of the type Sd.Kfz. 222, a master for this model. A crucial difference is in a shape of the rear, which should have two triangular plates on both sides of the central square area and it should rise straight to the top, without a “step”. It will depend on every modeller here, if he decides to follow a path of a demanding surgery or if he decides to ignore this inaccuracy. Just to calm you down I can add that the type Sd.Kfz. 223, which is also being prepared by ICM, has exactly the right shape of the rear as included in the kit… Despite my misgivings over the shape fidelity, the Sd.Kfz. 260 will be a nice model.