The 3.7 cm PaK L/45 is more commonly known as the PaK 35/36, and first saw active service in the Spanish Civil War. By 1940 it was largely obsolescent as it had little hope of penetrating the armour of all but the lighter tanks except at point-blank range, yet it remained the standard German anti-tank gun until 1942.

The model in this set is really very nice, since despite being only made up of 15 pieces (note some of the pieces on the sprue are not used in this set) it is a very accurate model with details such as the sight and gear being very well done. The gun barrel elevates and the tyres are even a soft rubber-like plastic! At this scale it is a little tricky to put together, but the parts are all superbly sharp and crisp, and the whole thing has been produced very well, making for a very satisfying model.

All the crew are kneeling, as you might expect of a weapon with such a low profile, which makes them less easy to understand in our photographs. However the box artwork shows them to good advantage painted and displayed as intended, which can be seen here. Each man is made up of several parts as the poses are quite complex and well beyond the abilities of any rigid two-piece mould. The result is poses that genuinely looked hunched up and are interacting with their weapon, and of course the poses are anything but flat. They are perfect for the purpose, which is about all that needs to be said of them.

The figures wear standard tunic and trousers, plus the long marching boots that you would expect for the war years when this gun was in widespread service. The last figure, the commander of the gun, wears breeches and with his peaked cap looks very much the officer, although a helmeted head is provided as an alternative. Two of the crew wear the leather straps across their body with which they could fairly easily manhandle the gun as required. None have any other kit, but as usual Preiser have supplied a vast array of standard items of kit with which the modeller can add to the burden of these men as they wish.

Preiser always make cracking little models and figures with plenty of life, and this set is no different. Accuracy is flawless as usual, and the wide variety of parts allows a great deal of customisation. Another really nice little product.