Tamiya 35364 - 1:35 German Tank Destroyer Marder III M Normandy Front

1:35 scale plastic model kit of the German Marder III Ausf.M tank destroyer (Normandy front)

The Marder III Ausf.M combined the proven Czech Panzer 38(t) chassis with the German 7.5 cm PaK 40/3 anti-tank gun. In the Ausf.M the fighting compartment was moved to the rear and the engine placed in the centre of the hull, improving weight distribution and lowering the silhouette.

Tamiya 35364 is a 2018 release based on the 2002 tooling, supplemented with new tracks and figures. The model depicts the vehicle as used in the fighting in Normandy. The kit includes factory-supplied photo-etched parts representing the exhaust shield, together with wire for fine details.

What's in the box:

• Plastic parts for the hull, fighting compartment, gun and running gear
• Link-and-length tracks (individual links and longer runs)
• Photo-etched parts (exhaust shield)
• Wire for fine details
• German soldier figures
• Waterslide decal sheet
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Catalogue number: 35364
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Assembled model length: approx. 141 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate (link-and-length tracks, photo-etched parts)

Please note: the kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Assembly:

The build goes smoothly but calls for care in two places: the link-and-length tracks, which are best assembled in stages and fitted around the wheels, and the photo-etched exhaust shield, for which precision tweezers and cyanoacrylate glue are useful. The open-topped fighting compartment remains visible, so it is worth painting and washing the gun breech and interior before the structure is closed up.

German dark yellow (e.g. Tamiya XF-60 Dark Yellow) with green and brown patches is a good choice, following the scheme selected from the instructions, which include the manufacturer's paint codes. The damp, green Normandy landscape is well suggested by washes and by pigments representing earth and mud on the tracks. A matt varnish suits the finished model.

Tools required:

• Sprue cutters
• Modelling knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Cyanoacrylate glue for photo-etched parts and wire
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes, including fine ones for the figures
• Model paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Wash to bring out detail
• Optional: pigments for mud and earth effects

About the vehicle – Marder III Ausf.M:

The appearance of heavily armoured tanks on the Eastern Front forced the Germans to find a mobile platform for the effective 7.5 cm PaK 40 anti-tank gun. The chassis of the Czech Panzer 38(t), already in well-established production, was used for the purpose.

The Ausf.M was the most refined member of the Marder III family: the engine was moved to the centre of the hull and the open-topped fighting compartment with the gun was placed at the rear. This gave the crew easier access to the gun and improved the vehicle's weight distribution and silhouette. The armour remained thin — the Marder was not meant for head-on combat but for ambush fire and rapid repositioning.

Around 975 were built. They fought on the Eastern Front, in Italy and in France, including Normandy, where the PaK 40 proved effective against Allied tanks and the dense hedgerows favoured ambush tactics.

Original vehicle specifications (Marder III Ausf.M):

• Length: approx. 4.95 m
• Combat weight: approx. 10.5 t
• Crew: 4
• Main armament: 7.5 cm PaK 40/3 anti-tank gun
• Chassis: Czech Panzer 38(t)
• Layout: rear-mounted, open-topped fighting compartment
• Production: approx. 975 vehicles
• Service: Normandy, the Eastern Front and Italy

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 by Yoshio Tamiya in Shizuoka, regarded as the centre of the Japanese model industry. The company began in the timber trade and wooden products, releasing its first plastic model kit in 1960. Two years later came its first 1:35 scale tank — a scale that, thanks to Tamiya, became the worldwide standard for armour modelling. The brand is known for precise injection moulds, well-thought-out kit engineering and excellent parts fit, which is why its kits are chosen by beginners and experienced modellers alike. The Military Miniature Series, to which this kit belongs, comprises hundreds of releases covering vehicles, guns and figures from around the world. Tamiya instructions are clear, richly illustrated and include paint codes from the company's own range. Alongside model kits, Tamiya offers a full range of accessories: paints, cements, putties, tools and brushes. Today the company is present in dozens of countries and remains one of the most recognisable brands in the hobby.