Germany’s first attempts at creating a heavy tank commenced in the early 1930s. Known as the Neubau-Fahrzeug (“New Construction Vehicle”), it was not a success, however. Slow-moving and boasting multiple turrets, it was ill equipped for the type of rapid, mobile warfare that blitzkrieg tactics required. For this reason, only five Neubau-Fahrzeug heavy tanks were built by Rheinmetall-Borsig (Rh-B). The first two prototypes were manufactured in 1934 out of mild steel so they were not suitable for combat. However, the three subsequent 25.8-ton armored tanks built in 1935 were shipped to Oslo in April 1940 and participated in the invasion of Norway. The latter trio featured a 3.7cm KwK L/45 cannon and 7.5cm KwK L/24 main gun set side by side in a turret designed by Krupp.
Dragon Armor is offering a 1/72 scale model of Neubau-Fahrzeug Number 2, one of those dispatched to Norway with Pz.Abt.z.b.V40. This Neubau-Fahrzeug Nr.2 is impressive in its camouflage colors of panzer gray and brown, and its appearance thus differs considerably from the previous one. The main turret plus the two machine gun turrets are precisely replicated. This was one monster of a tank, and now model collectors can own one finished in eye-catching camouflage colors!
