Heavens Eagle
Well-known member
Old photo trumps new restoration. The kit has it right.
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Panzer III Ausf J. Das Werks, 1/16 scale.
- Thread starter Tim A.
- Start date
The kit has it close for this factory production. In any case, the 'ski jump' curve is missing (shown in the side view) which does seem to get bent down in many photos. A good reason to use the kit part as a pattern to rub lead foil over it and then replicate the thin sheet metal appearance and fragility.
I'm not sure what Jacques Littlefield's team was restoring but their StuG came from Finland. I have lots of photos from that so should check to see if it is a factory or local mod.
Seems like a Finnish local mod to their StuG III as all their examples with the 'warm air guide plate' lack the side bent sheet metal to isolate the exhaust pipes. Littlefield's team added that. @Tim A., the following doesn't apply to the Pz.Kpfw. III but Paul has a StuG.
Paul, @Heavens Eagle, this seems to have been their starting point:
Other Finnish rear ends...
While I'm at it, since I mentioned factories, which mudguard support is in the kit? This determines the other fittings such as tool storage, et cetera.
Truncated rod and sheet metal support-
Stamped metal-
Paul, @Heavens Eagle, this seems to have been their starting point:
Other Finnish rear ends...
While I'm at it, since I mentioned factories, which mudguard support is in the kit? This determines the other fittings such as tool storage, et cetera.
Truncated rod and sheet metal support-
Stamped metal-
Tim A.
Well-known member
We did too. 50 yrs later I didn't have nightmares this time.Apologies but there will be a 3 hour delay as I am watching Jaws with my wife!
Tim A.
Well-known member
Yes, this is what the kit appears to be replicating.
Tim A.
Well-known member
The kit supplied the round welded tube hanger.
Tim A.
Well-known member
With Sharkmouth's research and excellent photos it appears the heatshield sheet metal dilemma has been solved! I almost wish I would've fabricated these pieces out of thinner looking material.
Paul take note. It's fairly hidden under there, but if your feeling spunky....
Paul take note. It's fairly hidden under there, but if your feeling spunky....
Heavens Eagle
Well-known member
lol! I will determine that once I get there. Have the shield assembled on the Pak 40. The front lower corners are actually welded up. Doing something new to try and replicate that. Turns out I was trying to overdo it, so a little more smoothing. Then photo time (have been taking pics throughout) post those and paint time.
Tim A.
Well-known member
Bogged down with the road wheels. It's the first bit of trouble with the kit. The tires are molded separately and are designed to press fit onto the rims. Great for painting, however the fit is way to tight. You'd have to hammer them on. So I'm having to dremel the inside of the tires for a better fit. There's 24 of them...
Heavens Eagle
Well-known member
Looks like I will have to fire up my lathe for those when I get there. Looking good Tim!
Tim A.
Well-known member
I thought about it myself. The rims have a slight taper so the tire only goes one way, but they'll only go about halfway. I used an aggressive sanding wheel in the flex shaft and carefully took enough material off just the inside/backside of the tires. It's still a pressure fit, but you don't have to use a hammer. Interesting with the great fit of everything else that these are so far off.
Looks good Tim, looks good. Nice that this is all the trouble you've run into.
Tim A.
Well-known member
So far anyway. I double checked to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong and the videos I've watched on this kit build doesn't mention this issue.
Heavens Eagle
Well-known member
Yes the fit on my Pak 40 was overall good. There were a number of minor things where I needed to adjust parts to make them fit "better". Also this plastic is soft, so the WeldOn 3 I use can be quite aggressive if I overdo the application. One place where things were too tight were the pivots in the frame for the gun elevation. The pin and hole interference there were way too much so I had to adjust that a bit. I managed to get it where it was merely snug and you can move the gun up and down freely and it will stay put. The other part is the plastic barrel is so nice that there is literally no difference in any discernable manner between the aluminum barrel and plastic barrel except weight. The weight was enough of an issue to go with the plastic barrel. I then was able to drill out the ends so you would not see a plug in them.
To use the aluminum barrel the mount would have had to be glued solid thus no longer being able to adjust the elevation for later on. So now I have a seven inch aluminum rod to do something with. (Actually 2 of them as the SdKfz 251/22 has one as well)
To use the aluminum barrel the mount would have had to be glued solid thus no longer being able to adjust the elevation for later on. So now I have a seven inch aluminum rod to do something with. (Actually 2 of them as the SdKfz 251/22 has one as well)
Brokeneagle
Master at Arms
I was going to say that the photo of the restored heat shield was completely wrong.
- A sheet metal deflector plate was added to the rear [over the exhaust mufflers] to redirect cooling air away from the ground and was introduced on the J version in 1942.
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