Dragon had a tremendous response to its 1/35 StuG.III Ausf.C/D kit (Item No.6851), and a new variation on the theme is now available. It’s a kit of the Ausf.D variant fitted with tropical air filters and representing vehicles belonging to Sonderverband z.b.V 288. This was a special deployment unit raised on 1 July 1941 and which drew together crack troops from around Germany. The unit was originally created to pave the way for the Deutsche Afrikakorps to reach the Nile and continue eastward into the Middle East. In the end, despite Rommel never achieving the desired breakthrough, the unit did serve in North Africa with StuG.IIIs and it participated in battles such as El Alamein. The vehicles featured pre-filters placed above the main cooling air intakes to counter the hot and dusty conditions.

This magnificent 1/35 scale StuG.III Ausf.D kit permits modelers to build a vehicle of Sonderverband z.b.V 288. Specific newly tooled parts of course include the cylindrically shaped air filters fitted on the rear engine deck. Customer can not only build vehicles of this special unit but also a normal Ausf.C/D as well. Like the predecessors, this kit contains a complete 7.5cm gun with its mount. It’s time to get hot and dusty with this unique German release!