Sd. Kfz. 165 “Hummel” - the German self-propelled howitzer, early version

Self-propelled howitzer Sd. Kfz. 165 "Hummel" became the main medium artillery gun of the German armored divisions in the second half of the war. Each armored division had a full-time artillery regiment, consisting of three divisions, similar to the Wehrmacht divisions. From about the beginning of the second third of the war, infantry divisions were increasingly motorized and equipped with semi-tracked armored personnel carriers. Also, in armored divisions, towed cannons are replaced by self-propelled devices, and thus the prerequisites for the appearance of tracked self-propelled artillery devices appeared. Sd. Kfz. 165 "Hummel" construction work began in the spring of 1942. The prototype passed tests in the autumn of 1942 and serial production soon began at two factories: "Alkett" in Berlin and "Deutsche Eisenwerke" in Duisburg. The first serial machines appeared in February 1943 and were handed over to units in March. About 100 of these artillery units took part in the Battle of Kursk, and by March 1945, 705 machines had been produced. The "Hummel" was one of the best self-propelled artillery pieces of World War II and to some extent became the prototype of the modern M 109 "Paladin" self-propelled field gun.

Due to the large amount of small details and complex shapes, the model is classified as complex, so it is recommended for intermediate and experienced modelers. Fully detailed combat and engine compartment, perfectly restored chassis and exterior details, nice camouflage. The model reproduces the early series Sd. Kfz. 165 "Hummel".