Bolt Action – SdKfz 250/11 Ausf. A

We've covered multiple variants of the Sd.Kfz 251 on here already, with the regular 251/1 Ausf. D, 251/16 Flammpanzerwagen and 251/7 Pionierwagen. And thanks to Jürgen from Warlord Games, he sent me a pre-production copy of some of the new Sd.Kfz. 250 Ausf. A (Alte) kit, from their trade meetup in Nottingham.

So far, the Sd.Kfz. 250 was available as a resin kit and now got an update and turned into a multi-variant plastic kit that is now available from Warlord Games directly and their trade network. The final kit obviously comes with a proper packaging, decals and all the additional content you're used to. In my case, I got the base sprue and the one to build the /11 variant leichter Schützenpanzerwagen mit einer 2,8-cm-schweren Panzerbüchse 41.

The final product is available as a single kit of the Sd.Kfz. 250 Ausf. A (RRP 21 GBP) and a bundle covering three of them (RRP 55 GBP).

Sd.Kfz. stands for Sonderkraftfahrzeug ("special motor vehicle") and was the denomination pre-fix for all kind of military vehicles with a number following up, identifying the actual model. In this case Sd.Kfz. 250 designates a light armoured half-track, used as a troop carrier and baser for many variants and alterations. It is very similar in design to the larger Sd.Kfz. 251, and came in different design patterns, Ausführungen (shortened Ausf.), as an earlier mark Ausf. A and later mark Ausf. B with a boxier, simplified design. The Ausf. A is often called "Alte", as it is promoted on this packaging.

The Sd.Kfz. 250 had different names in 1939, from 1 to Mannschaftstransportwagen gepanzert (Kfz. 250) (1t armoured personal carrier), to leichter gepanzerter Mannschaftstransportwagen (Sd.Kfz. 250) (light armoured personal carrier) towards the end of the year as gepanzerter Zugkraftwagen (Sd.Kfz. 250) (armoured towing vehicle). Yet it was not before 1941 until it went into production and the first units were delivered to the troops. The initial production run of the Ausf. A lasted until May 1943, with the following Ausf. B produced until April 1945. A total of 6.628 units of both variants were manufactured, of which around 4.200 units were Ausf. A.

Of the multiple variants, covering command and observation variants, some up armoured variants were in there as well - included in this kit. Beside the standard troop carrier (Sd.Kfz. 250/1) you can build the recon variant with a 2 cm KwK 38 (Sd.Kfz. 250/9 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen 2cm) with a low, open-topped turret, that is identical to the one from the Sd.Kfz. 222 armoured car. And a third variant with the Sd.Kfz. 250/11, armoured with a 2,8 cm schwere Panzerbüchse 41.

Warlord Games covers this by having a base sprue for the armoured carrier, and adds accessories sprues to cover the variants. As this is a pre-production model, I only have the one for the /11 with the schwere Panzerbüchse and we're going to build that one. The final product, as mentioned above, comes naturally with decals, damage markers, instructions and a packaging. Casting is good, yet there's a casting error on the additional sprue with a not fully casted wheel for the PzB 41. These sprues are made in the UK, so not an Italeri re-sized kit. We even have the name of the tooling company stated on the sprue, producing a very similar quality to Renedra and providing casting for other Nottingham located wargames companies.

What is pretty amazing, that we do not only have a crew, but the crew comes in regular and winter dress. So that you can field them accordingly to your theatre of war.

The main parts of the chassis are larger single pieces, that smaller details are added to. We begin with the track section. The Sd.Kfz. 250 is a smaller variant of the 251 and a half-track as well, with track sections in the back and regular wheels in the front.

The driver compartment is the same for all of them, but the seated section has different build ups depending on the variant. As we're going for the 250/11, there is stowage room for the ammunition. Assembly goes quickly, yet not all information is properly seen due to an angle in the instructions.

Once the "cabin" is done, it is glued on top of the track section.

Now the front wheels are added, along with a small armour plate for the underbody. You could angle the wheels if you want to, as they have a little play. Beyond that, make sure to align them properly.

Now we continue to add the outer parts, like armour panels, boxes and especially tools. If you want to recreate battle damage, it is now a perfect time. You can damage some of these parts or leave them off all together. Once again make sure, that you have the right bit for the right spot and maybe use a pair of tweezers for easier appliance.

From here we go further building the Sd.Kfz. 250/11 variant, assembling the schwere Panzerbüchse. As mentioned above, one of the smaller wheels wasn't fully casted, so I had to repair that bit. The /11 is not only armoured with the heavy hitter towards the front, but an MG 34 for the rear as well.

Not only the crew in the core sprue comes with regular and winter dress, but the crew of the 250/11 as well, along with options for the arms and heads. I went with a loader and a spotter.

For comparison, a Sd.Kfz. 251 and Sd.Kfz. 250, very similar design but shortened base. And the comparison to the Rubicon kit, as many people as for those comparisons as well.

And the final Sd.Kfz. 250/11 from different angles, ready for its service on the Eastern Front,  Balkans or in rare cases the Ardennes.

Conclusion

A nice addition to the range, especially with the variants. For a mobilized force, a proper choice, particularly the platoon bundle. The RRP on these is higher compared to the prices by Rubicon. Yet, the availability is far better with Warlord and the fact that many FLGS will give you discount will even that out. I prefer the plastic kits over resin. Easier to build, less hassle.

Casting and fit are nothing to argue about and the small miscast is probably something they fixed in the final production run. If you should come across this problem in your delivery, just get in touch with the customer service. They do an amazing job and will set you up with a replacement.

With the Ausf. A being dominantly around until mid-1943, it is something for early to mid-war projects. A good fit for the early to mid Eastern campaigns, and absolutely along with the Sd.Kfz. 251 platoon for North Africa. As the kit does not have that much stowage, I suggest you get your hands on one of these.

Bolt Action is a brand of Warlord Games.

The reviewed product item was provided by the manufacturer.