John Van Kooten
Yes, it's a fairly big mistake on Dragon's part. They are (unfortunately) well known for their bad Product Quality Inspections...

On the other hand, it is easily solved by contacting Dragon Care or your local representative and request the additional required parts 👍

M.Julian Marles
Pretty lame. So much for their "rah rah we are the best" propaganda...: P

John Van Kooten
Indeed!

Rui S
Thx for the heads up, DeadTed

M.Julian Marles
Anyone know then, if kit #6218 also suffers from this shortage?

John Van Kooten
No, kit #6218 is fine in this regard 🙂

However, there are two versions of this kit. The original release and an updated one, as can be seen in our database:

2004 release: Sd.Kfz. 265 kleine Panzerbefehlswagen, Dragon 6218 (2004)
scalemates.com/kits/103408-d..65-kleine-panzerbefehlswagen

2005 release: Sd.Kfz. 265 kleine Panzerbefehlswagen, Dragon 6218 (2005)
scalemates.com/kits/941244-d..65-kleine-panzerbefehlswagen

I don't know the exact differences between the two but I did find a reference to the J-sprue having been deleted from the updated 2005 version. That means you can't build the flat topped version anymore (the one without the extra turret built on top).

So unfortunately, as per usual with Dragon's strategy of updating kits and in no way marking them to be recognised as one or the other, it's down to luck and/or whether your reseller has old or new stock determining which version you will get if you buy it. There's no way of telling which one it is until you actually open the box.

Fabian D.
All these issues make you wonder if Dragon has a quality-control department at all...

Concerning the #6218:
Original relase has a "full-rubber" idler wheel (which is incorrect)
The 2005 relase has the correct split idler and a slightly differnt lower hull (with more PE). Pic of the included correction sheet: [img1]
Apart from that I´m 90% shure both kits are identical. So you can build the version without the cuppola. If anyone needs to be 100% shure I can dig out the instuctions for 6218 (new).

John Van Kooten
Fabian, I personally think they do not have a QC department. Way too much errors in their production line. I think with at least 30% of the Dragon kits I have (420 at the moment of this writing) something is wrong / missing / defective / flattened / broken / lost / no longer included / etc. ... And that is not an exxageration!
Maybe that is the reason why they are including increasingly less in each new release. Less chance of errors on their part😉 and of course increase the price by a factor of two because the kits are now coming with less errors! 😄 that is, excluding the instructions, of course😉

Anyway, thanks for clearing up the unknowns with this kit! 👍 👍

M.Julian Marles
Yep..thanks for the info..much appreciated! 🙂

Steven Van Dyck
Apparently Dragon got word from this error and added a second sprue L to the kit. Luckily I got such a new box. So somebody at least is watching us...

[img1]

Trez Mackenzie
Never underestimate the power of this webpage. You bet your bottom dollar that all those brand CEOs have eyes on all the comments made. I let them have it both barrels if bad but praise if good