One of Germany’s last desperate gambles of WWII was its offensive in the Ardennes on 16 December 1944. Known today as the Battle of Bulge, the aim was to split British and American forces in half and drive all the way to Antwerp. Panzer Brigade 150, commanded by Otto Skorzeny, had a role in this plan. This formation was supposed to create surprise and confusion with clandestine armored vehicles! His force included several Panther Ausf.G tanks physically disguised and painted to resemble U.S. Army M10 tank destroyers.
Modifications included removal of the Panther cupola and stowage boxes on the rear of the hull. Sheet metal on the hull front, turret and turret overhang was fabricated to disguise the form of the Panther. The transformation was completed with an olive drab paint scheme and Allied stars painted on the turret and glacis. This handful of vehicles was designated Ersatz M10.
Dragon has produced an amazing 1/35 scale kit of these Ersatz M10 vehicles. This is the first time this unique tank has been created in plastic in this scale. The kit is logically based on Dragon’s Panther Ausf.G Smart Kit, but the original Panther incorporates a host of new items to suit this Ersatz M10. The turret is brand new, and all the sheet metal plates are included in plastic to a true-to-scale thickness. Dragon has produced various items stemming from the Battle of the Bulge – Kingtiger, Fallschirmjager figures, Volksgrenadier figures and U.S. Airborne figures – but this is the ultimate Ardennes accessory! This kit possesses all the convenience of a Smart Kit, but has a distinctive and jaw-dropping appearance. This long-awaited item is an icon of the Battle of Bulge, and will surely produce an authentic Ardennes diorama!