Jedan od interesantnijih projekata Nemaca tokom Dugog svetskog rata jeste bio Kugelpanzer.
Kugelpanzer je proizveden po nekim izvorima samo u dva prototipa. Neki izvori navode da je ovaj mini izviđački tenk sa jednim članom posade izvezen takođe u Japan u skladu sa dogovorom Nemačke i Japana, te da je jedan primerak SSSR zarobio od Japanaca u Mandžuriji 1945. Drugi izvori tvrde da je „kugla- tenk“ zarobljen zajedno sa čuvenim Mausom kod Kummersdorfa 1945. Kako god, taj zarobljeni primerak se nalazi u najvećem tenkovskom muzeju Kubinka blizu Moskve i lično sam ga video prilikom posete tom renomiranom muzeju (fotografija u sklopu recenzije). Pod rednim brojem 37, ofarban u sivu boju, to je jedini primerak na svetu.
Proizveden od strane Krupp-a veruje se da je glavna namena ovog neobičnog vozila bila upravo izviđanje ili artiljerijsko osmatranje. Sa debljinom oklopa od 5 mm maksimalno i naoružan jednim MG34 odnosno MG42 u nemačkoj upotrebi i evnetualno Type 96 LMG u japanskoj upotrebi, tenk se sastoji od centralnog cilindričnog dela sa direktnim otvorom, tj. vizirom napred.
Sa jednocilindričnim motorom mogao je da razvije brzinu od 8km/h i veruje se da se nazad nalazio pomoćni točak radi stabilizacije prilikom kretanja.
Rusi i dan danas dizajn ovog tenka drže pod velom tajne. Kompletan enterijer tenka se sklonjen i zabranjeni su zvanični izveštaji o njemu, tako da se ni dan danas ne zna od kojeg materijala je napravljen.
U Kubinki se nalazi „sakriven“ iz tenka „Tiger I“ i bio je ofarban u gloss-grey boju (kao i Sturer Emil) a kasnije je prefarban u standardnu German Grey.
Njegovi podaci su sledeći:
Kugelpanzer
Dimenzije visina (prečnik) 1.5m, dužina 1.7m
Posada 1 (vozač)
Pogon jednocilindrični dvotaktni motor.
Brzina (put) 8 km/h
Naoružanje veruje se 1x 7.62 mm mitraljez
Oklop 5 mm svuda
Ukupna proizvodnja nepoznato (1 ili 2)
O maketi:
Maketa se sastoji od kutije na kojoj je izvanredna ilustracija i šeme farbanja na stranicama kutije, dok se u kutiji nalaze sastavnica, dekali i dva identična rama od braon-žute plastike za dva vozila.
Maketa vozila se sastoji od 16 delova (odnosno 32 za dva vozila) i sastavlja se bukvalno za pet minuta.
Dekali dolaze za 4 različite vrste markiranja (jednu fabričku, nemačke oznake, japanske i ruske). Takođe su i 4 pomenute šeme farbanja.
Sastavnica dolazi na visokokvalitetnom papiru, bogato ilustrovanom u jednoj dvolisnici.
Svakom ljubitelju nemačkog oklopa preporučujem ovu neobičnu i lakosklopivu maketu. A njegova veličina pruža dosta mogućnosti za diorame.
Zahvlajujem se Das Werku na ustupljenoj maketi
One of the more interesting German projects during WWII was Kugelpanzer.
According to some sources it was produced in only two prototypes. Some sources also state that this, mini-scout tank with one crew member was also exported to Japan, as a part of agreement of Germany and Japan, and that prototype was captured by Red Army from Japan in Manchuria in 1945. Other sources however state that Kugelpanzer was captured together with famous Maus near Kummersdorf in 1945. Whatever was the case that captured tank is in the biggest tank museum Kubinka, near Moscow and author of this review personally saw it during his visit to this renowned museum and took the photo attached to this review. Under ordinal number 37, colored in grey, this exhibit is the only example of the vehicle left in the world.
Produced by the Krupp Company, it is believed that the main purpose of this unusual vehicle was scouting or artillery spotting. It had armor thickness of 5 mm all around and was armed with one MG34, or MG42 in German, and with Type 96 LMG in Japanese service, tank was constructed as a central cylindrical vehicle with one direct slit/visor on the front.
It was powered with one-cylinder engine and the top speed was 8 km/h, and it is believed that there was a stabilizing back wheel.
Russians are keeping the design of this tank as a secret even today. Complete interior of the tank is stashed away and any form of official reports about it is forbidden, therefore it is still unknown which material was used in its production.
In Kubinka it is “hidden” behind Tiger I tank and it was painted in gloss-grey (as it was Sturer Emil) only to be repainted later in standard German Grey.
Its characteristics are following:
Kugelpanzer
Dimensions Height (diameter) 4.9 ft (1.5m), Length 5.5 ft (1.7m)
Crew 1 (driver)
Propulsion Single Cylinder 2-stroke.
Speed (road) 4.9 mph (8 km/h)
Armament Belived to be 1 7.62 mm machine gun
Armor 5 mm (0.1 in) all round
Total production Unknown (1 or 2)
About the model:
The model comes in superbly illustrated box whose sides have paint schemes, while the contents of the box are instruction sheet, decal sheet and two identical trees of brow-yellow styrene with parts for two vehicles.
The model has 16 parts (meaning 32 for two vehicles) and can be assembled in literally five minutes.
Decals supplied are for 4 different markings (one factory made, German, Japanese and Russian). Also there are 4 appropriate paint schemes. Instruction sheet is printed on high-quality paper, rich with illustrations on a double sheet.
I would recommend this unusual and easy-to-build model to any fan of German armor. Its size allows for variety of possibilities for dioramas.
We would like to thank Das Werk for supplying us with this sample.
