Hasegawa

Kits used :
31111 MT11
31114 MT14
31118 MT18

Introduction

The box art for the prime mover version of the Hasegawa Sd.Kfz. 7 kit 31111 MT11 shows the tractor in what I believe are North African colors and markings; on the side is an Afrika Korps palm tree marking with the swastika blanked out with a black diamond. We have a canvas cover over the crew compartment. Details include grab handles on the side of the superstructure, width indicators on the front fenders, and no power to the front axle as on American halftracks. In the above and below artwork we see the complex interleaved roadwheels. Similar to other German halftracks like the Sd.Kfz. 251, the track links have thick rubber pads.

The Sd.Kfz. 7/1 kit MT14 box art shows an accurate vehicle and 2cm Flakvierling with crew. The wire mesh platform is folded up and unfortunately both Hasegawa and Revell AG give us solid plastic. In photos it is common to see a thick canvas cover over the folded-down windshield which I understand eliminated the sun’s glare on the glass and revealing the vehicle’s position, and perhaps help protect the glass from the concussion of the gun firing. All four 2cm guns are firing, but I’ve read that usually only two guns were fired at a time so two can be reloaded while two are firing.

The boxart for Hasegawa’s Sd.Kfz. 7/2 kit 31118 MT18 is a good representation of this self-propelled 3.7cm Flak 36 gun with crew. There is no Sd.Anh. 52 ammunition trailer portrayed in the boxart, nor included within the box. We can see how the rear passenger seating and ammunition compartment of the Sd.Kfz. 7 has been replaced by a flat bed, fold down sides, and large 3.7cm Flak gun. This kit may be a good choice for conversion into a late Sd.Kfz. 7 that featured a flat truck cargo bed with wood sides. Hasegawa’s Sd.Kfz. 7/1 kit 31114 MT14 is very similar to this model but has a 2cm Flakvierling 38 quadruple anti-aircraft gun mounting.

CMK/Planet Models offers a resin and etched brass kit of this vehicle, kit MV72019.

The Kit Parts
The Hasegawa Sd.Kfz. 7 kit MT11 includes 60, injection molded, styrene plastic parts and two soft plastic band tracks, not including the ten crew figure parts. Molding quality is good with no significant sink holes nor flash. Hasegawa AFVs for years have been a pale gray plastic, though older ones can be darker styrene. The crew figures are crude and inaccurate by the standards of the year 2021. The kit track bears little resemblance to that portrayed on the box art or real life.

The Hasegawa Sd.Kfz. 7/1 kit MT14 includes 73 injection molded, styrene plastic parts plus two soft plastic band tracks, not including the 18 parts for the seven crew figures. Most parts are the same as in Sd.Kfz. 7 kit MT11 and Sd.Kfz. 7/2 kit MT18. No ammunition trailer is included as it is in the Revell and the Orange Hobby Sd.Kfz. 7/1 and Sd.Kfz. 7/2 kits.

Sd.Kfz. 7/2 kit MT18 contains approximately the same number of vehicle parts and crew figures as kit MT14 and most of the same sprue except for the 3.7cm Flak 36 gun. The soft-detailed Hasegawa crew figures may be usable if we modify them into winter figures with hooded winter parkas.

Above are sprue with roadwheels and the halftrack frame and body, and band track that are common to all three Sd.Kfz. 7 kits. This is an old-fashioned model with individual roadwheels, not a quick build track and suspension. The track and wheels are a tad crude and do not compare well with the Revell kit track and wheels. The water-slide decal sheet is for five different vehicles and is common to the three Hasegawa Sd.Kfz. 7 kits.

The sprue-D of kit MT14 at left holds the 2cm Flakvierling 38 quadruple anti-aircraft gun and mount. The sprue at right is common to kits MT14 and MT18. The fold down sides to the gun platform (parts 29, 30, & 31) are solid plastic with a mesh screen-like surface texture; while the Orange Hobby kits feature etched brass mesh sides. No clips of 2cm ammunition are included, but we may be able to get some of these from an ESCI Wirbelwind kit.


The gray Hasegawa frame (part-2) is significantly larger than the Airfix Sd.Kfz. 7 kit frame (part-1) indicating that the kits are likely different scales. Both manufacturers portray their frame parts with different details but I cannot say which is more accurate, I think neither.

The front axles and rubber tired wheels of the Airfix and Hasegawa Sd.Kfz. 7 kits are very similar in size despite the scale difference. Both have prominent tread pattern on the tires but neither matches the tires in my period photos. For a display model I recommend scratchbuilding the steering linkage.

The gray Hasegawa roadwheels (parts 24, 25 & 26) are adequate by the standards of 2021 but not equal to the Revell kit wheels (not portrayed here). The Hasegawa sprocket wheels (parts 20, 21, 22 & 23) are better detailed and slightly smaller than that in the amber color 1/76 Airfix kit.

Kit MT14 partially assembled. The 2cm Flakvierling gun barrels are much too thick and are closer to 4cm or 5cm gun barrels in 1/72 scale. The muzzles should be drilled out. The 2cm Flakvierling gun in Hasegawa’s more recent Wirbelwind model is different and much better than this gun kit.

Kit MT14 assembled with the kit crew figures back in the 1990’s. The platform sides are replaced by scratchbuilt ones with see-through mesh. The kit’s mediocre track has been covered in mud to mask the lack of correct detail

Assembly Instructions

Hasegawa’s instructions for their three Sd.Kfz. 7 models are the clear common exploded-view type listing part numbers and codes suggesting paint colors.

A special treat and bit of history: above is the instruction sheet from 1974 for Hasegawa kit 31114 MT14 with the 2cm Flakvierling 38 quadruple anti-aircraft gun mounting. At the time in 1974 this model was state of the art for smallscale AFVs.

The contemporary assembly instructions for Hasegawa kit MT14. Except for the crew compartment and gun mount or not, these instructions are the same for Hasegawa kits MT11 and MT18. On the back of the driver’s seat (part 13) should be a fold-down bench seat for the gun crew.

I understand that Hasegawa kit MT14 had been re-released as Revell AG kit 3126; and that kit MT18 was re-released as Revell kit 3127 with much different box art. These kits should not be confused with Revell’s newer smallscale Sd.Kfz. 7 kit releases 3207 and 3295. I find this box art to be very well done and a good aid to assembly, detailing and painting. Note the vehicle width indicators, rods with white balls on top, which the Hasegawa kits lack.

Conclusions
The interleaved wheel suspension and track of the Hasegawa kits is simplified, the Flak guns and the crew figures are rather crude by standards of 2021. This is a good wargaming kit as it appears more durable, less delicate, than the 1/72-scale Revell AG and the Orange Hobby Sd.Kfz. 7 kits. They are also good beginner kits to learn on and practice detailing and scratchbuilding skills.

PART Company offers etched brass detail sets for the Hasegawa kits which include replacement wire mesh gun platform sides (See Tracks & Troops.) PART has also offered an etched brass fret to assemble an armored cab, like on the Revell AG Hobby Sd.Kfz. 7 kits 3207 and 3295.

References

• Panzer Tracts No.22-4, Mittlerer Zugkraftwagen 8t (Sd.Kfz.7), Jentz, Doyle and Friedli, (2013)
• See also Henk of Holland for additional information on these kits.

I purchased my products at

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Article Last Updated: 17 March 2021