First Of Its Kind

Artur WaÅ‚achowski builds ICM’s early SPW.

One of this year’s most welcome armoured vehicles kit is ICM’s Sd.Kfz. 251 Ausf. A. The Schützenpanzerwagen (SPW) was one of the most revolutionary vehicles of World War II, the world’s first proper armoured personnel carrier. There have been numerous kits in all the major scales of the more numerous Ausf. C and Ausf. D models and in 2006 Zvezda released an Ausf. B, but ICM’s kit is the only Ausf. An available in any scale. The kit consists of five sprues of light grey plastic, a clear sprue and vinyl front tryes and tracks. As well as a full interior, the kit also contains an engine which will be a good basis for anyone wanting to super-detail the kit In common with other ICM kits, there are no photoetched parts. Markings, or at least the number plates, are provided for four vehicles – all in Dark Grey from the French campaign of 1940 and the invasion of Russia the following year – while the instructions are clearly drawn.

Assembly