A 1:72 scale plastic model kit of the German Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) light tank in its late Ausf. G variant. The kit also allows you to build the command vehicle version, the Panzerbefehlswagen (Pz.Bf.Wg.) 38(t) Ausf. G, designed for command and control of armoured units.
The vehicle was derived from the Czechoslovak LT vz. 38, developed by ČKD. Following the occupation of Czechoslovakia, production was taken over by the Wehrmacht, and the tank quickly became one of the key components of German armoured forces during the early years of World War II.
This model is intended for assembly and painting. Glue and paints are not included and must be purchased separately.
The history of this tank began in Czechoslovakia, where ČKD developed a successful design known as the LT vz. 38. The vehicle featured good driving characteristics, mechanical reliability and a relatively modern suspension system. Following the German occupation of Bohemia and Moravia in March 1939, Germany took control of the factories and the production programme, introducing the tank into service as the Panzerkampfwagen 38(t). The letter “t” stood for “tschechisch”, the German word for Czech.
Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) tanks played an important role in the Wehrmacht’s early campaigns. They were used during the invasion of Poland in 1939, the campaign in France in 1940 and the opening stages of the war on the Eastern Front. Their mobility, reliability and good cross-country performance were particularly appreciated. The Ausf. G variant appeared later, however, with production beginning in October 1941 and ending in June 1942.
The Ausf. G was one of the final versions produced as a conventional combat tank. One of the most important changes was the introduction of uniform rolled armour plates, up to 50 mm thick on the front of the hull and turret, replacing earlier arrangements using assembled plates. Minor design and manufacturing simplifications were also introduced. Approximately 300–320 tanks of this version were built before the factories switched to producing other vehicles based on the same chassis.
The Panzerbefehlswagen 38(t) was a command vehicle designed to serve with armoured units. It retained the basic structure of the standard Pz.Kpfw. 38(t), but its communications equipment was adapted to meet the needs of commanders. An additional radio set and an expanded antenna system enabled communication with subordinate vehicles and higher command, which was essential during the rapid operations of armoured formations.
As armoured warfare developed and increasingly well-protected enemy tanks appeared, the Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) gradually lost its value as a front-line combat tank. However, its chassis proved to be an exceptionally successful platform for other vehicles. It was used, among other designs, for the Marder III tank destroyers and the Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer. This ensured that the Czech design remained useful to the German armed forces long after production of the conventional tanks had ended.
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