Tamiya 35259 - 1:35 Krupp Towing Truck w/37mm Pak

Plastic model kit of the German Krupp Kfz.69 towing truck with 3.7 cm PaK 36 in 1:35 scale

The Krupp "Protze" hauled German anti-tank guns across Poland, France and North Africa, and its distinctive downward-sloping nose makes it instantly identifiable. Tamiya 35259 is a combined kit: the box contains both the truck in its Kfz.69 form and the 3.7 cm PaK 36 anti-tank gun it towed.

The kit comprises around 297 parts. The 2003 release is based on tooling first cut in 1978, supplemented with new parts for the Kfz.69 version and the complete gun. The cargo bed carries the gun crew, and the four figures allow a ready-made scene with the gun in tow — a kit that suggests a diorama all by itself.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues (around 297 parts) with truck and gun components
• 3.7 cm PaK 36 anti-tank gun
• Four figures
• Clear film windscreen
• Length of wire
• Waterslide decal sheet for four marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Catalogue number: 35259
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Assembled truck length: approx. 146 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate (two subjects in one box, around 297 parts)

Please note: the kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model requires assembly.

Building the model:

The box effectively holds two models, so the build takes longer than a single vehicle — but it remains approachable. Most attention goes to the truck chassis with its exposed drivetrain and to the smaller gun parts, including the trails and the shield. The clear film windscreen is cut to the template in the instructions and fitted with a glue that will not fog transparent parts.

For painting, the colours typical of early-war German vehicles are recommended — dark Panzergrau grey (e.g. Tamiya XF-63 German Grey); the instructions give paint codes for all four marking schemes. Engine, wheel and equipment details respond well to a wash, with a matt varnish as the final coat. Dust pigments on the wheels and chassis suit a vehicle in field service.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Glue suitable for clear parts
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Wash to bring out details and recesses
• Optional: pigments for dust effects

About the vehicle – Krupp L2H143 "Protze" and the 3.7 cm PaK 36:

The Krupp L2H143, popularly known as the "Protze", was a light 6×4 cross-country truck developed in the 1930s for the Wehrmacht. Its trademark sloping nose still makes the vehicle recognisable at a glance in wartime photographs, while the twin driven rear axles gave respectable off-road performance at modest weight.

In its Kfz.69 form the truck served as a tractor for anti-tank guns and as a transport for their crews. Behind it came the 3.7 cm PaK 36, the standard German anti-tank gun of the early war years: light, easily manhandled and effective against the light tanks of the period.

As more heavily armoured Allied and Soviet tanks appeared, the PaK 36's effectiveness fell away sharply and the weapon was gradually replaced by heavier guns. Even so, the tractor-and-gun combination remains one of the defining images of the German army during the 1939–1941 campaigns.

Original vehicle specifications (Krupp L2H143 "Protze" Kfz.69):

• Type: light cross-country truck
• Drive layout: 6×4
• Distinctive feature: sloping front bodywork
• Role of the Kfz.69 version: anti-tank gun tractor and gun crew transport
• Towed weapon: 3.7 cm PaK 36, the standard German anti-tank gun of the early war
• Service: the 1939–1941 campaigns and later second-line use

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 in Shizuoka, regarded as the centre of the Japanese model industry. It began in the timber trade and wooden models, releasing its first plastic model kit in 1960. Two years later came a 1:35 tank kit that established the scale as the worldwide standard for military modelling. The brand is known for exceptionally precise tooling and excellent parts fit, which is why its kits are equally popular with beginners and experienced modellers. The Military Miniature Series covers not only tanks but also support vehicles, trucks, guns and figures — the very subjects that make complete scenes possible. Alongside plastic kits, Tamiya offers a full range of paints, cements, tools and brushes. The company is present in dozens of countries and remains one of the most recognisable names in the hobby.