Sd. Kfz. 132 „Marder II“ – the German tank destroyer

The summer and autumn of 1941 were a time of heavy losses for the German armored forces. Soviet tanks T-34/76 and KV-1 proved to be "unable to bite" the cannons of the vast majority of German armored vehicles. Light tanks Pz. Kpfw. II and Czech Pz. Kpfw. 38(t) were completely unsuitable for clashes with better armed and armored Soviet tanks. At the same time, it turned out, that the trophy Soviet 76.2 mm caliber guns "UVS" and "F-22" were most suitable for combating them, quite a large number of which were captured by the Germans in the first days of Operation “Barbarossa”. On December 20, 1941 the Ordnance Department of the III Reich assigned the “Alket” plant the task of developing a self-propelled tank destroyer on the Pz. Kpfw. II Ausf D/E chassis, armed with these guns. On December 22, the "BMM" factory in Prague (former "ČKD") received the same order. A tank destroyer on Pz Kpfw. 38(t) tank chassiswas ordered for them. At that time the German army already had modernized F-22 cannons at the “Rheinmetall-Borsig” factory, which the Germans designated 7.63 cm Pak 36(r). Finally, the self-propelled cannon on the Pz. Kpfw. II Ausf D/E chassis were produced by the “Alket” factory in Berlin. They also carried out the processing of finished chassis of these tanks. From April 1942 to November 1943, 202 tank destroyers were rebuilt here. Originally marked 7.62 cm Pak 36 (r) auf Sfi II, later 7.62 cm Pak 36(r) Fahrgestell auf Pz. Kpfw. II (Sfi) - Sd. Kfz. 132 “Marder II” and used until the end of the war.

The model is quite complex, intended for intermediate and advanced modellers. Model with full combat compartment equipment (otherwise impossible as it is open at the top and rear), without detailing the engine and control compartments. The model reproduces the appearance of SS 5 Armored Division "Viking" vehicle, that served in Poland in the summer of 1944.