IBG Models Semovente M41M da 90/53 Build in 1/72 Scale

This is the new (2024) release of the Semovente M41M da 90/53 self-propelled gun from Polish manufacturer IBG Models. The M41M was rare (production only totaled 30) and rather obscure, the only known combat for the type was during the Sicilian Campaign in 1943. There are a pair of resin kits available but this is the only injected molded kit in 1/72 scale. I got mine along with some other kits during one of the Squadron Shop’s Black Friday sales.

If you are familiar with IBG they have a tendency to over-engineer their kits and provide multitudes of microscopic parts. Balancing this is the sprues come out very clean with no flash. With careful assembly and the good fortune of not losing any of the smaller parts you can obtain a remarkably detailed model. One engineering decision I was absolutely delighted to see was the tracks being molded as a single piece which also included many of the suspension components.

The basic hull is built up from five pieces, each track adds another nine parts to build up the suspension. This is a perfectly reasonable way to engineer caterpillar tracks in 1/72 scale which I wish more manufacturers would emulate. It not only saves time but vastly reduces the chances of improper alignment.

Here is the hull with the bits and bobs added, along with the gun in its shield. The gun is where many of the smaller parts are fitted so patience and careful assembly are rewarded here. I did thin the back edge of the gun shield to make the armor look more in scale and added two small blocks of Evergreen to the inside of the left side of the shield to replicate the radio equipment which was not provided.

The gun is test fit for this photo. I had to trim back a small projection on the underside of the gun to achieve a good fit between the gun and its pedestal.

The “color shot” to show the paints used. The Sand Yellow was lightened about 50% with white to achieve the shade shown. This was sprayed first and then masked with blobs of poster putty before the Dark Green. There are three schemes visible in photos of the M41M – overall Gray Green, this scheme with the tan patches, and a similar scheme with tan and brown over the green.

I painted the details and then sprayed a gloss coat of Future to protect the paints before decals, washes, and weathering.

The model received a thin black wash to bring out the details, then wear areas were given a light drybrushing with silver. I mixed in a few drops of light tan with the dull coat to give the model a dusty look and equalize the finish. Photos show oil buildup around several hubs on the suspension so these got a touch of black wash. The antenna is Nitenol wire. This is a nice little kit of an unusual vehicle and a great addition to your motor pool!

Reference photos Part I here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2025/12/03/the-italian-semovente-m41m-da-90-53-tank-destroyer-part-i-factory-photos/