Cyber-Hobby Sd.Kfz. 251/23 Completed

Hi wbill76, I love this! Nice clean build, and from what I can peek into the interior, it looks very tantalizing...very subtle weathering, but very effective.

OK, call me a noob, but what's so bad about CyberHobby kits? It looks like a worthy kit to me..?

the doog 

Doog,

Thanks for the comments. Nothing wrong with CH kits, quite the contrary! CH kits are single-production run, limited edition, never-to-be-produced again kits. CH is a boutique arm of DML, they take OEM DML kits and produce "special" vehicles with additional parts/features, so by building this one I've taken one more of the "special" editions out of the market for the collectors.

I just saw this over at some other place today and thought you held out on us.

It looks very nice as always. A different variation for sure. Always like the subtle weathering. In one pick it looks like the track is off the wheels, did you use vinyls? I thought all the Dragon's were indies.

Dan, James, thanks as always.

Tigerman,

The links are DML's "magic" tracks that I constructed so they'd be workable. One side is tighter than the other due to variations in the suspension arms from one side to the other and in that particular pic, the track had lifted when I moved it for the shot and I didn't notice until afterwards. You can see in the other shots though that it's sitting on the wheels like it needs to with the proper sag.

Glyn, thanks for the comments.

Paul,

I'm glad to hear you like it, this one had some new variations in the finishing process introduced specifically for the straight Dunkelgelb finish to see how they would come out.  

wbill76 wrote:

Thanks GT, it's one of the more intriguing kits IMHO that Cyber-Hobby put out. I don't buy every kit they release and got this one as a package deal with the 251/2 mortar carrier so couldn't pass it up.

251/2????    I'll have to get that one as well. IMHO, mortar carriers have one of the most interresting look ever.  

Hey Bill,

I took one look and the first thing that came to mind was the movie "A Bridge Too Far", the scene where the British airborne turns back the first attack on the Remagen Bridge. The "Hollywood" 251/23 was carrying the SS Commander...........getting shot to pieces....

Anyway, nice looking build.

regards,

Steve

Steve,

I know just the scene you are talking about, but I think they were trying to show a 250/9, not the 251/23? Now I'll have to dig it out and watch it just to see.

Excellent build! I've learned a bit about CH kits - thanks. What also made me look was I had not heard of a 251/23 before, I thought they stopped at Ausf 22 on the 251. The moment I saw your great-looking build I thought it was a 250/9 .

Thanks for sharing!  

John,

You're right. They did stop at the /22. The /23 is considered to be a "paper panzer" design in that it never actually was produced and no authenticated photos of it exist. Only concept drawings. It has a lot in common with the 250/9 except that the turret design and interior is the Hangelafette style which was a later design with "hanging" seats instead of the post type mounts in the 250/9 and SdKfz 222 for example.

Tread,

Thanks as always.

wbill76 wrote:

Steve, I know just the scene you are talking about, but I think they were trying to show a 250/9, not the 251/23? Now I'll have to dig it out and watch it just to see.

Yeah, I'm certainly no expert on identifying these tracked variants, but what spurred my recollection was the "birdcage" screen and the MG 42 and 20mm in that turret. I really like the Dunkelgelb as you have applied and weathered it....We all take for granted how difficult it is to do an overall dark yellow scheme realistically, it is really more of a challenge than three tone IMHO.

regards,

Steve

Thanks for the excellent background Bill - that was all new to me. And again, excellent build!

Peace,

John,