HBB83809 - Hobbyboss - 1/35 Befehlsfahrzeug auf Fgst. Pz.Kpfw.35 R 731(f)

The Renault R35 (Pz.Kpfw. 35 R 731(f)) command conversion represents one of the many improvisations made by Germany using captured French armor after the fall of France in 1940. Originally designed as a French infantry support tank, the R35 was slow but fairly well-armored for its class, armed with a short 37 mm gun that was already outdated by the time of the Second World War. After capture, large numbers were repurposed by the Wehrmacht for security duties, training, and secondary front roles. Some chassis were further modified into specialized vehicles such as tank destroyers, artillery carriers, and command tanks, where the turret was removed and replaced with an armored superstructure fitted with radios and map equipment for battlefield coordination. These conversions were part of Germany’s wider practice of converting “Beutepanzer” (captured tanks) to extend their usefulness despite limited performance on modern battlefields.

This is HobbyBoss kit No. 83809, a 1/35 scale model of the Befehlsfahrzeug auf Fgst. Pz.Kpfw.35 R 731(f) (command vehicle based on the Renault R35 chassis). The kit depicts a converted captured tank with a modified hull layout and command superstructure instead of the original turret. It is based on HobbyBoss’s R35 family tooling and includes a detailed interior engine section, slide-molded hull parts, and fine exterior surface detailing. The model represents one of the more unusual German conversion vehicles of the war, making it a niche subject for modelers interested in Beutepanzer and field-modified armored vehicles.

Box Contents:

• Plastic sprues with hull, suspension, engine, and superstructure parts
• Multi-part slide-molded chassis components
• Engine detail set
• Photo-etched metal parts
• Individual detail fittings and external stowage
• Waterslide decal sheet
• Illustrated instruction manual