Dragon 1/35 Sd.Kfz. 138/1 Geschützwagen 38 M für s.IG.33/2

The 15 cm sIG 33 (Sfl.) auf Pz. 38 (t) “Grille” was a self-propelled gun mounted on the chassis of the Panzerkampfwagen 38 (t), housing a heavy 15 cm infantry gun . It was used by the German Wehrmacht from 1943 until the end of World War II . Another official designation was Geschützwagen 38 for sIG 33 (Sf.) and Sd.Kfz. 138/1 Grille

The second production batch of the Grille was based on a chassis of the Panzer 38(t) specially redesigned for self-propelled guns, featuring a significantly modified hull, now designated Geschützwagen 38 Ausf. M. This hull, originally designed for the Marder III tank destroyer with its centrally located engine, was adopted with minor modifications for the Grille and the Flakpanzer 38(t) . Relocating the engine allowed the 150 mm infantry gun to be positioned at the rear of the vehicle, improving its balance. From December 1943 to September 1944, 162 Grille Ausf. K vehicles were produced, along with 102 ammunition carriers without weapons between January and May 1944. If a Grille was lost or damaged, field maintenance troops could remove the infantry gun and transfer it to an ammunition carrier, thus making a Grille operational again. The official designation was “ 15-cm-schweres Infanteriegeschütz 33 (Sf.) auf Geschützwagen 38 M (Sd.Kfz. 138/1) Ausf. K”.