New in the box 1:32 scale plastic model by 21st Century Toys arrives already assembled and finished in late war camouflage markings (tan base coat with dark brown and olive green irregular camouflage stripes). Features include a very nicely detailed interior with 75mm main gun which traverses and elevates, ammunition in the storage racks, a driver's hatch which opens, suspension with moving tracks, and many small details that will continue to surprise you long after your first open the box and set this up in your display. Recommended for ages 5+.

As necessity is the mother of invention, the Marder series was originated in response to the need for a mobile and more powerful tank anti-tank weapon than the Wehrmacht had available. The need was became especially urgent in 1941 when new Soviet tanks prooved resistant to the small towed anti-tank guns such as the Pak 36. The solution was to mount heavy guns on captured French Lorraine tanks (Marder I), obsolete German Panzer II tanks (Marder II), and the Czech-made 38(t) (Marder III).

While the Panzer 38(t) had largely become obsolete as a tank in early 1942, it was still an excellent platform for adaptation into a tank destroyer, among other roles. Since the Soviet 76.2 mm field gun was captured in large quantities, the decision was made to mate this gun to the Panzer 38(t). To do so, the turret and upper superstructure of the Panzer 38 were removed and a new superstructure was bolted on to the chassis. The upper structure mounted the gun and an extended gun shield, giving very limited protection for the commander and the loader. Armour protection overall ranged from 10 to 50 mm. The gun, commander and loader were located on top of the engine deck. It had higher silhouette than Panzer 38, which made it more vulnerable to enemy fire. The now-called 7.62 cm PaK 36(r) was rechambered to be able to use standard German 75 mm ammunition, of which 30 rounds could be carried inside the vehicle. Apart from the main gun, there was a 7.92 mm machine gun mounted in the hull.This tank destroyer was put into production as the Panzerjager 38(t) f?r 7.62 cm PaK 36(r), Sd.Kfz. 139. A total of 363 of this Marder III variant were built from April 1942 to 1943.