Description
Italeri Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf. F ‘Ghost Division’ 1/35 Model Kit
The Italeri Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf. F ‘Ghost Division’ (96489) is a 1/35 scale plastic model kit of the German light tank associated with the early campaigns of the Second World War. This release includes a new decal sheet with markings for the 7th Panzer Division, famously known as the “Ghost Division” and commanded by Erwin Rommel.
The kit also features a metal gun barrel, photo-etched detailing parts and link-and-length tracks. Measuring 13 cm when completed, the model represents the compact, Czech-designed armoured vehicle that became an important part of Germany’s early wartime tank forces.
The Panzer 38(t) in German Service
The Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) was originally designed and manufactured in Czechoslovakia by CKD. Following the German occupation of the country in March 1939, the Wehrmacht adopted the vehicle and employed it extensively during the opening stages of WWII.
Although classified as a light tank, the Panzer 38(t) proved useful in the fast-moving armoured formations that characterised Germany’s early military campaigns. Its relatively light construction and mobility suited operations alongside other tanks and supporting vehicles.
The tank featured armour assembled from bolted plates, a characteristic feature of its construction. Its principal armament was a turret-mounted 37 mm gun, which was suitable for engaging contemporary enemy armoured vehicles during the early years of the war.
Rommel’s 7th Panzer Division
The Panzer 38(t) saw service during the Polish Campaign of 1939 and the French Campaign of 1940. Among the formations equipped with the type was the German 7th Panzer Division, commanded by Erwin Rommel during the campaign in France.
The division became known as the “Ghost Division”, a nickname associated with its rapid movements during the fighting. Its use of the Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) connects this Czech-designed tank with one of the best-known German armoured formations of the early war.
Italeri’s new decal sheet includes markings associated with Rommel’s division, allowing the finished model to represent a vehicle from this period of German armoured warfare.
Model Kit Features and Contents
This 1/35 scale release combines the Panzer 38(t) Ausf. F with additional detailing components for the gun, running gear and smaller vehicle features. The metal barrel provides a separate component for the tank’s main armament, while the photo-etched fret offers finer detailing options.
- 1/35 scale Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf. F light tank
- German WWII armoured vehicle
- Completed model length: 13 cm
- New decal sheet including 7th Panzer Division markings
- Metal gun barrel
- Photo-etched detail fret
- Link-and-length tracks
Assembly and Finishing Details
The link-and-length track system uses individual links and longer track sections to reproduce the tank’s running gear. Together with the metal barrel and photo-etched components, these parts provide additional detail to the finished vehicle.
The included Ghost Division markings give the model a direct connection to the Panzer 38(t)’s service with Rommel’s 7th Panzer Division. At 13 cm long, the completed Ausf. F represents a German-operated light tank from the early campaigns of the Second World War.
