G

Erich: looking very good. Nice job scratching the jerry can holder. How did you find the kit? I will be building one for the railroad campaign.

Neal: looks good from what I can see.

Happy Modelling, -zon

Thanks to all for your kind words.

Ralph, a short info summarise, from which I hope it is not too booring.

I have choosen the Dragon Panzer III Ausf. F “Smart-Kit” 6632 (or even the “E” which is in fact the same base kit) for the conversion into a “real” Ausf. G, because it has the correct, basic turret roof design.
All old “Imperial Series” Panzer III Kits Ausf. E/F and G “Afrikakorps” (even as Cyber-Hobby kit) shows wrong positioned roof screws and the Ausf. G has even a roof signal-hatch position which seems to be overtaken from the Ausf. H/J etc. and cannot be confirmed from photos.
For detailing, I used the “Panzer-Tracts issue 3-2” and a lot of pictures from different books.

Beside the gun mantlet and the barrel, and MOST IMPORTANT the gun mantlet side bearings supports, you find everything in the Ausf. F-kit (even the new drivers visor)
As this will be: turret ventilator (D15, G5, G6) and the Ausf. G typical cover plate S41 The position for the turret ventilator is in the turret roof and only covered by a thin layer of plastic, easily to be removed.
Only the rear storage box has even to be supplied. I have catched in the past a well filled box with left-over parts of 3 Dragon Panzer III M/N kits via ebay, where I got even the turret box (E1+7+8), gun mantlet (E9) and the gun mantlet support (in my case as a leftover part E5, and sorry for the complicated word, but I don’t know the english espression for the german word “Rohrwiege”)
The two (correct for the Ausf. G/H) protected vision covers for the mantlet (E9) are offered from Tank Workshop (TWS2036).
Note: The Armorscale mantlet with 5 cm Kwk/L42 barrel shows the “wrong” vision covers fitted from the Ausf. J on.

The barrel on my model is from Tank workshop (TWS2041), which I found by chanche at a german model online shop. Its a nice barrel, especially because it has integrated the dust protection cover, which was widely used on Panzer III in Afrika.

Some days ago I discovered the company “Panzerart” which offers a complete Panzer III mantlet with 5 cm Kwk/L42 gun barrel, with integrated dust cover, but no protected vision covers, which give the opportunity to make either a mantlet for the Ausf. F (refitted with a 5cm Kwk/L42)/G/H or Ausf. J, if you add the corresponding vision covers.



This will be my future solution for such conversions, the Rohrwiege (E5) could be made as a scratch build from Evergreen or similar.

My basic idea to cannibalize an Imperial Series, Ausf. G “Afrikakorps”-Kit for this, shows that the complete mantlet/gun unit is undersized in comparation to the Smart-Kit parts and even Panzer Tracts. This is not a problem building the Imperial Series Kit, because in this case the uncorrect size is “covered” by the corresponding turret front arrangement, but looks strange on a “Smart-Kit” turret front.

The real problem are the side bearings for the “Rohrwiege”, Dragon part nr. S30/S29 in the Ausf. F Kit, which does not fit or can be modified to be used to meet the Rohrwiege E5 and even to be covered by the mantlet E9. This parts, designed for the 3,7 cm Kwk are totally different as the one for the 5 cm Kwk. The needed Dragon parts would be E2/E3, as issued to the new Ausf. H and the J initial, J 3in 1, M/N Smart-Kits.

I picked up my final solution from a Tamiya Ausf. L kit, catched by ebay as a cheap “given-up” model build. I first tried to integrate the turret front with mantlet support from Tamiya into the Dragon turret, but the shape of the Tamiya front plate is very different to the one of Dragon. Note: According Panzer tracts drawings, Dragon is correct, Tamiya not.

Finally I cut out the bearings from the Tamiya part and shaped them according the Dragon mantlet and glued them on the Dragon turret front plate, together with the “Rohrwiege” E5:







For the turret cupola I have thought to use a resin part from “Tank”. I say, I have thought to use, but my fingers have broken a resin ring part of the (very nice detailed) cupola and as I was repairing it with cyano glue, “Murphy´s law” hit me, means, “super glue” drys superfast (which he never does if you need it) and I discovered to late that the ring was in a wrong shape to integrate the vision blocks.
So finally I used a Tamiya cupola from my ebay purchase, in which I integrate the Tank vision blocks to get some detailing. Note: I will put in a commander figure which covers the not perfect fit of this vision blocks.



Another important thing are the protected engine ventilation covers. The covers itself are in the Ausf. F Kit (K16+2xK17 for the 3 big hatches and 2xK19 for the 2 smaller rear hatches). But while Dragon in most kits integrate tons of “unneeded” parts, in this Panzer III Kits they cut out (by hand for each kit !!!) from Sprue “K” the specific hatches with integrated supports to locate the ventilation covers.
So I was forced to recreate this with Evergreen profiles.
For the 2 smaller hatches, I have cannibalized a Imperial Series Ausf.G Kit, they fit with minor trimming in the Smart-Kit, because in this period, I was unmotivated to cut out a 2 mm wide rectangles from the 2 hatches V14 and integrate the 2 covers K19 on them.


Note: this spure "K" is from the Cyber-Hobby PanzerIII "Tp" Kit, which I have bought and used here to copy the hatch supports. On the right side you see the engine htch frames from an Stug III, included in the Ausf. M/N kits which I have used as basic for the protection cover plate, was easier than to build new ones from Evergreen profiles.





Even a important modification is the recreation of the Ausf. G/H engine starter cover plate, which is fitted different and has even a different style from that on Ausf. E/F.
Again I first thought to use the part from an Imperial Series Kit, but this part is too small and has an uncorrect shape.





So I hope my summarise helps you something. If you need more infos, please ask.

Ron, this is my first ever build Dragon kit an compared with the ITALERI and Tamiya ones, whith which I starting modelling again one year ago, with wonderfull details. But I would say a little bit "overengineered". Means, many fidely parts, where Tamiya would do one part with similar details. Even fitting is not soo perfect as with Tamiya, but much better than eg Italeri.

Erich

Neal: Try out that macro setting and get those photos posted!

Erich: Thanks for that rundown. No such thing as too much info here, the more the better

Here's a couple with early sunlight of the day....





I feel like I've been shown how to pick winning lottery numbers!

Excellent Neal!!

Neal;
Nice pictures, looks much better. Nice job on the 232.

Erich:

Thank you for the very well presented Pz III Ausf F conversion to the the Ausf G. Very nice information to have. Like Jeremy said, never too much information. This helps me very much, now I know where to look and what parts need to be sorted out.

I also have to new Pz III "H" Smart kit #6642. You can never have to many Pz III's. I'm sure that Dragon is going to come out with a Pz III "G" Afrika Korp to replace the old and tired Imperial Kit which I have completed, very similar to the version that Bill Cross built.

Again, thank you for the conversion information.

Hi Ralph,

You are right, its only a question of time when Dragon will offer us a Ausf.G Smart-Kit. With the presentation of the new Ausf. H, they have all what is needed in kit-form.
But I have collected details and parts over months to do a Ausf. G as a conversion from the F-Kit and wanted to be faster....
And the start of this campaign and the presentation of the new Ausf. H "forces" me to start.

In direct compare, and looking at all the wonderfull build Panzer III, based on the Imperial Series, here in this forum, at the end, even this "old" models looks pretty good and with some detailing and weathering, its really difficult to say if the base was an Imperial Series or Smart-Kit.

Flag and dust added....funny how taking the pictures at different times of the day have an impact on the blue background....

Nice job Neal, you have tempted me to get one of these. What did you use for the flag?

This is quite true. I have no plans to get rid of any of my Imperial kits anytime soon

Neal: Nice! And you are right about the time of day affecting the colors, especially on the blue. The afternoon is a great time to shoot pictures with the camera at level with the model to get some nice shadows.

Neil, great job and nice finish, I have a Tamiya version of that beast that I was saving for the Reconnaissance Campaign, if it ever is approved, but after seeing your build i may have to crack into it. Great job again,
! suggestion it looks like you placed the vehicle on its side to take the photos, try leaving it on the wheels and moving the camera down below it, may give a more natural look

Thanks!

I have decal sheet that I printed an image of the flag (found on the internet) onto.

From there, I sealed the decal sheet lightly with clear enamel then cut it out and placed it on white tissue paper. Once on the tissue paper, I placed it in position and used white glue to secure it. I weathered the flag with acrylics and then sealed the weathering with a clear flat acrylic sealer.

I tried to get the points where the antennae and the flag contact to be greasy and dusty. The white glue helped the darkness of the antennae rails to show through.

If I were to do it again, I wouldn't seal with clear enamel after printing. I would use the clear flat acrylic.

Thanks Sal.

I tried to get decent side shots with the model on it's wheels, but just couldn't get it right at the times I took the pics....probably the sunlight timing.

Neal, if you can shoot the photos around noon you should have close to zero shadowing.

Hi everbody;

Made a little more progress on the Pz IV F, have the tracks on finally. Next step is some filters, a little dry brush here and there and pigments to dust it up.






I was going to phote this outside but it is too windy, I am afraid that my photo box would blow away.

Erich:

Very nice work on the Pz F to G conversion. When I do mine it will be an up-gunned F as that was the way they were shipped to Tripoli as far as I can tell.

Good work everybody, keep it up.

No problem Ralph, looks great! If you can shoot some photos outside on a day that's not so windy that would be great, otherwise see if you can get the whole vehicle in the photos without cropping off the ends.

This campaign is going to have a great feature with all of the excellent build photos you guys are posting. Keep 'em coming!!

Further progress today, more dry brushing and pigments. Still tinkering though, keep seeing things I need to touch up or tone down. I also started the base and will incorporate the Opel Blitz, first campaign vehicle finished.

Jeremy:
Still windy, blowing from a different direction today.

Here are some pictures.





I'm using the camera to find spots that need fixing, touching up ect.

Looking good Ralph!

Don't forget the antenna!

Isn't that a sweet kit? I bought mine upon returning to armor after 15+ years. I opened the box and my heart sank, HOLY MOLY there's a lot of parts in here! I built a couple of Tamiya's to get back in practice, then tackled this one.

G

I hate moving. Really I do. I have misplaced my original entry somewhere, it wasn't in any of the four boxes of kits that I had when I moved. Disgusted, but undeterred, I would like to re-submit my entry for this build. I give you the DAK Panzer IV Ausf F-1, Dragon's Imperial Series kit 9044 from 1997.

I picked it up at a club raffle last month for $1.00. Hard to beat that price.

Jeremy, I hope this suffices as the "open box" even though the bags were opened and were drying from a mild detergent wash last night.

Here are the first two steps of the incredibly vague instructions completed:









I've been spoiled with the Smart Kits and Premium Editions of late. This thing has sprues from a JagdPanzer IV, Panzer III, and other Panzer variants. Trying to find the right sprue is almost as challenging as actually getting parts from three separate molds to line up.

Ralph: Your second batch of photos looks a lot better from a lighting perspective. Whatever you did in that photo session will suffice for the gallery. Keep up the great work, you're almost done!

Matt: That works just fine, keep moving forward
Let me know if you find your other build. Moving really can be a pain in the you know what

G; Thank you. I have the antenna (brass) primered, waiting until I am through messing around with touch-up, pigments etc before I put it on. I have broke a couple in the past, learned to wait.

Jeremy; I was dissatisfied with the pictures actually, the colora seem to be off. I will take pictures outside when I am finished. Started the base.

Matt: That is an oldie but goodie. I finished an Imperial Pz III Ausf G "Afrika Korp" kit not to long ago, turned out OK I think.

Ralph

A little late to sign up - however current project fits campaign and was started within the time frame (April 28). Dragon Kit 9116 with some Eduard photo etch Pz. III Ausf. F (35675) and old On Target etch set for correct rear mud guards, some scrape building details with elect wiring.

Ralph: Understood. If you get a chance to shoot some photos with better lighting when take the final photos for the campaign gallery. If you still have to shoot indoors then just recreate the lighting conditions in the last batch of photos.

Dan: Do you have a photo of the unstarted kit?

Attempting to post ... on the Kit Maker Gallery - My Photos under mdbacon