Tamiya 35358 German Self-Propelled Howitzer Wespe "Italian Front"

Wespe (Sd.Kfz.124) was a German self-propelled howitzer from the Second World War. The first prototypes of the vehicle were built in 1942, and serial production continued in the period 1943-1944, ending with the production of about 680 vehicles. The Wespe was powered by a single engine Maybach HL 62 TRM with 140 hp . It was armed with a 105 mm leFH 18/2 howitzer and one 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun.

The Wespe was created as a result of the Wehrmacht's search for use in the decommissioned PzKpfw II tanks, as well as in order to provide the German armed forces with a self-propelled howitzer with high maneuverability. The Wespe relied heavily on the chassis and hull of the PzKpfw II Ausf tank. F that was adapted to accommodate the 105mm howitzer, primarily by moving the engine to the middle of the hull. The production of these vehicles was carried out at the FAMO plant in Warsaw - the pre-war Ursus factory. The serial Wespe had good maneuverability, high mobility and low failure rate. The downside was the very thin armor that made it impossible to fire at enemy positions directly. Wespe was used in combat for the first time on the Eastern Front in 1943, but it quickly found its way to both the Italian and - from 1944 - the Western Front.