To support its mobile concept of modern warfare, Germany introduced a wide range of tracked and wheeled armored vehicles. One wheeled family of vehicles introduced in 1936 included 4x4 armored cars known as the, which translates as Light Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle. Powered by a Horch engine, these vehicles were based on a Horch 801 heavy car chassis to which an armored body was added. Early in WWII it performed well enough as a reconnaissance vehicle for panzer divisions, although its off-road capability let it down. Dragon Armor is introducing a model from the Leichter Panzerspahwagen family - the Sd. Kfz. 222. It is armed with a 2cm KwK.30 L/55 cannon and MG34 machine gun in an open-top turret. A crew of three operated the Sd. Kfz. 222.

Possessing a superb level of detail, Dragon Armors 1/72 scale model of the Sd. Kfz. 222 is impressive in appearance. Different to previous releases, this model is finished in the sand-colored camouflage of the Deutsches Afrika Korps (DAK) that fought in North Africa from February 1941 through to May 1943. The vehicle also bears the palm tree symbol common to DAK vehicles. The little model has been especially weighted with internal ballast to give it a more realistic and satisfying feel. Dragon Armors fully assembled Sd. Kfz .222 is full of detail such as a photo-etched mesh screen covering the open-topped turret and a hollow gun muzzle. This little DAK model is ready to rove across sand and desert! Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 2-1/2 inches
Width: 1-1/4 inches

Release Date: June 2011

Historical Account: "Panzer greift an" - During WWII, the German Army utilized a large number of half-tracks for various purposes. The Sd. Kfz. 250 series of half-tracks in particular featured armored personnel carrier, command, reconnaissance, munitions carrier, and many other variants, which served on every combat front during the war. In North Africa, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was well-known to ride into battle on his personal Sd.Kfz.250/3, which had the word "Greif" written prominently on its sides. This vehicle that was named after a mythical creature will forever be associated with the famous legendary "Desert Fox."

"Infantry Attacks" (in German: Infanterie greift an) is a classic book on military tactics written by German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel about his experiences in World War I. In it were his Stosstruppen (shock troops) tactics. It was published in 1937 and helped to persuade Adolf Hitler to give Rommel high command, although he was not from an old military family or the Prussian aristocracy which had traditionally dominated the German officer corps. It is still reprinted from time to time.

Rommel planned to write a successor called "The Tank In Attack" ( Panzer greift an) about tank warfare, and gathered much material during the North Africa campaign. However he died before completing this work.

Rommel's book, written as a day to day journal of his WWI exploits, was used throughout the west as a resource for infantry tactical movements. General George Patton was among the many influential military leaders reported to have read "Infantry Attacks". The book was referred to in the 1970 film Patton, when George C. Scott yells, "Rommel, you magnificent bastard. I read your book." However, in the scene where Patton is woken by his aides with news that Rommel's attack is in progress, the camera focuses on a book on Patton's bedside table which is entitled "The Tank in Attack", a book which Rommel had planned to write but never completed.

In 1943, an abridged version titled, more simply, "ATTACKS!" was released by the US military for officers tactical study.