First to Fight – 117 – Polish TKS-D self-propelled gun

Description:

Unassembled plastic model kit in 1/72 scale of a Polish 30s and WWII TKS-D self-propelled gun, a variant of the TK & TKS tankettes.

The TKS-D was a prototype Polish tank destroyer developed in the late 1930s as an experimental extension of the TKS tankette series. Designed to provide the Polish Army with a light, mobile anti-tank platform, it was essentially a stretched version of the TKS, featuring an additional road wheel to accommodate a more powerful 37mm wz.36 Bofors anti-tank gun. Unlike the standard TKS, which was primarily an armored reconnaissance vehicle, the TKS-D was intended to serve as a dedicated tank hunter, capable of engaging enemy armored forces with greater firepower.

Despite its promising concept, the TKS-D never entered mass production. Only two prototypes were built, and by the time Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, the design was still undergoing testing. While the TKS and TK-3 tankettes saw extensive service during the invasion, their light armor and limited armament made them vulnerable to German tanks. Had it been produced in greater numbers, the TKS-D could have offered Poland a more capable anti-tank option, but its development was ultimately cut short by the outbreak of war.

This kit share some components, mainly the lower hull parts and tracks with the previous TK and TKS released by First to Fight (see related kits section), that were some of the first releases of the brand. Only two units were built of the TKS-D and they had some differences between them. The kit clearly depicts the first produced model, with different fenders and sponsons over the tracks, and lower sides than the second produced model. A good reference can be found at Darela.pl.