An amazing scratch build was sent to us by Jakob Lotz and we just had to share it with all of you!
A bit of its short history
The “Kätzchen” was a reconnaissance APC/IFV vehicle which was heavily tested, but never produced. According to some sources several of the Kätzchen APCs were built and tested in late 1944. A version armed with the 7.5 cm KwK 37, along the lines of the Sdkfz 251/9, was also planned.
What you will need
- The tracks from a Panzer 38(t)
- The Gun (and crew) from the Warlord Sd.Kfz 251/9 Ausf D (Stummel) half-track plastic kit
- Plasticard
- Hobby supplies such as a piercing saw, craft knife, wire cutters, drills, glue etc.
Making the model
This is to a large extent, a scratch-build and so includes a very large element of trial and error, measuring things out only to then find out that I need to go back and make a new and altogether different piece simply because I had the measurement slightly off so some measurements won’t be 100% accurate. As such it is important to be patient and to not give up!
I used an old 3d printed Stuart chassis (that I cut up a fair bit) as the frame which I built upon the rest of the vehicle. But any box-like object you have at hand or Warlord’s recently released M3 Stuart kit will fill the same role. I then used this frame to mount the pieces of plasticard that I cut out.
First the sides of the chassis:
Then the front and interior.
In the next picture, I would like to draw your attention to the square plasticard ‘rods’ I have mounted along the chassis sides as these are important for mounting the ‘track guards’ in the next step.
Below are the ‘track guards’.
The track guards are mounted. Please note that they are slightly bent at the front. This can be achieved by carefully heating the plasticard with for example a lighter and then pressing the plasticard in the desired shape, it can also be useful to have a pair of pliers handy and simply bend the plasticard using the pliers.
I then finished off the build of the main chassis with the rear plate and hatch as well as mounted the KWK 37 and it’s gunshield. As well added some minor details from the warlord sdkfz 251 kit. I am almost positive the measurements on this piece are completely incorrect, but unfortunately, it’s the only image I have of this piece. So, be prepared for trial and error here.
I also carved a hatch into the front plate as well as added the drivers vision slit.
Finally, I made the mounting pieces for the schürtzen as well as the actual schürtzen and then mounted them.
All that was left was to paint and weather the vehicle. I chose a ‘splinter camo’ that I had seen online on another model of a Kätzchen. Since this is a vehicle that was never actually used in the field you have pretty much free reign when it comes to how you want to paint it, so why not have it fit to any themed army you have planned!
In Bolt Action
Currently there are no rules for this bad boy, but I do believe that Warlord games surely have that sorted soon enough! Build it and they will come!
However you can try your vehicle using the Sd.Kfz 251/9 Ausf D (Stummel) Half track rule set from the Armies of Germany book page 62.
I had a good time building this extraordinary piece and I do hope I might have inspired a few of you out there to maybe try your hand at it as well.
Do you have an article within you? Are you itching to show your collection to the world of Bolt Action? Then drop us a line with a couple of pictures to info@warlordgames.com or share with all over at the Warlord Forum
Dan Hewitson
Tom Mecredy
Craig Nixon