Das Werk & Amusing Hobby have been in collusion again, this time another interesting subject in a two-in-one boxing of the Kanonenjagdpanzer (tank destroyer) or the Beobachtungspanzer observation vehicle coming soon. We look at the real thing & what we know in our preview...
Das Werk's 1/35th scale Kanonenjagdpanzer / Beobachtungspanzer (2 in 1) coming 2023...
Kanonenjagdpanzer / Beobachtungspanzer (2 in 1)
From Das Werk
Kit No #35031
1/35th scale
Four marking choices included
Photo-etch parts included
Price: TBA on the Modellbau-König website
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The subject: Kanonenjagdpanzer / Beobachtungspanzer
The Kanonenjagdpanzer was a West German Cold War tank destroyer. Well known to fans of cold war West German armour mostly, it was a highly mobile vehicle, with its survivability based on its mobility and its low profile. Its hull consisted of welded steel with a maximum thickness of 50 mm. Since the Kanonenjagdpanzer followed the casemate design of most World War II tank destroyers, the gun was fixed within the casemate, located a little right from the center. The 90 mm gun could only traverse 15° to the sides and elevate from −8° to +15°. It carried 51 90 mm rounds for the main gun and 4,000 7.62 mm rounds for the two MG3s.
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The Kanonenjagdpanzer had NBC protection and night-fighting ability, and it carried a crew of four: commander, driver, gunner and loader. The first prototypes of the Kanonenjagdpanzer were built in 1960 by Hanomag and Henschel for West Germany and by MOWAG for Switzerland. A second round of 6 prototypes this time built just by Hanomag and Henschel were constructed between 1962 and 1963.
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After that, another set of six prototypes were built over the next two years still by Hanomag and Henschel. The features of the various prototypes were then combined into the final design. Between 1966 and 1967, 770 units were built for the Bundeswehr, 385 by Hanomag and 385 by Henschel. Eighty of them were delivered to Belgium from April 1975 onward.
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When the Soviets began deploying their T-64 and T-72 main battle tanks, the 90 mm gun was not capable of engaging them in long-range combat and the Kanonenjagdpanzer became obsolete. Although the producers claimed it could be rearmed with a 105 mm gun, between 1983 and 1985, 163 of these tank destroyers were converted into Raketenjagdpanzer Jaguar 2 anti-tank guided missile carriers by removing the gun, adding a roof-mounted TOW missile launcher and fastening further spaced and perforated armour on the hull.
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Some others were refitted into artillery observation vehicles by removing the main gun, so called Beobachtungspanzer, which served most particularly in the mortar units. Some Kanonenjagdpanzer remained in service with the Heimatschutztruppe until 1991.
The kit from Das Werk - 1/35th scale Kanonenjagdpanzer / Beobachtungspanzer (2 in 1)
This new kit from Das werk has been conceived in co-operation with Amusing Hobby. SO we can expect a low parts count and a simple build straight off the bat. The kit is still in development of course, so not much is known, but we do know that there are four marking choices from the Bundeswehr during the 60s-70s. Kit no DW35031 can be made in either the Kanonenjagdpanzer tank destroyer or the Beobachtungspanzer observation vehicle. Your choice!
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This kit is promised some time in 2023. There is more information at this link on the Das Werk Website.