Sal nice clean work. Regarding the tracks....i know the feeling, i'm up to that point too. I hate seperate track links!
Main assembly is ready and primered. Fitting the metal main gun from the Italeri Jgpz IV kit proved challenging. Tracks next.
Jeff some pics for you.

Thanks for all the nice StuG pics guys!

Some of you are moving at a much faster rate than I am! I must return to the bench soon.







~ Jeff

I can thank Hangelafette for trading a Panzer IV for the Stug IV I needed. Only a few days more to wait. . .

I just noticed I screwed up that quote. I can't seem to edit it.

Sal and John .. very nicely coming along guys clean as hell ...not like mine now
I swapped the old DML tracks that the F came with from some Magic tracks which i nicked from another kit ..perfect fit on a model from 94 and not one single issue banging them together .
I think its the old tracks which annoys so many guys ..they don't fit together very well at all sometimes and i've got quite a few sets of old tracks which have never been used cause of that .

Jeff ... Well that order is canceled dude
I know what you mean about books over the net ..i would rather us my books than the net most time to but not having a scanner can make it annoying getting pics up but i am going to try something soon and see if that works ..I think your right about that F being short lived ..could have been a room issue ..not alot of space in there so using the G would make alot of sense and theres probably many more G's to choose from too ..what ever it might be now least i've got a plan working here now


Phill

That's good to hear Conor, now you're in the game for sure!






Well just PM me where you want the parts shipped to!






~ Jeff

I was building the Orange Box Value Pack StuG III Ausf.E but decided I want to do the Dragon StuG IV instead.I might go back to the Value kit when I have finished this one.

Hi Gary,

Can't wait to see what you do with it, i have the same kit to build for the campaign so will follow your build with interest!!

Cheers Mike

Nice to know that kit has PE Schürzen Side Skirts. Is the hardware in PE or plastic?

I didn't know about that but will watch your build closely as I need a new StuG IV kit.







~ Jeff

Jeff... The hardware is plastic

Mike... I was hoping to watch your build so i can copy eveything you do.

G

That's good to know Gary, at least for me as plastic will be much easier to work with. Thanks for that information!

This is going to be a cool kit to watch go together and I'm sure you'll have fun with it too!







~ Jeff

Hi all, some cool stuff going on here, sure like the look of that StuG IV from Italeri, going to have to me one.

Hi Phill, I know finding any infos on StuH F´s is hard, but here´s a couple of pictures you might find interesting, I´m afraid I can´t scan them any better because they are in the middle of a book.



Hi Mike, that´s my subject from the rear note the MG15 laying to right of the loader, here´s another from the side. The MG15 is what made my choice.


up to now... MG15 plus mount, weld seams that need welding, track rack on rear hull and the freaking bird cage sight cover.




Back to building, got to get those welds done and the mantlet cover on.
Paul

Cripes almighty! Look at that PE work! Did that come with the kit, no?

I bet that was fun bending in place.







~ Jeff

Also Paul, I wonder if there was a difference in the 105 used in the F and then the G? The barrel length appears to be much shorter in the F than that of the G, at least that's what I've been seeing.

Am I right?

I need to break out a book I guess.






~ Jeff

Hi Jeff,
no that etch comes from Lion Roar, I showed it at the start of the thread and stated that I would use some of it. Bloody complex and plenty of bits that aren´t really needed.
And it was no fun bending the bird cage, especially as I had to rebend the front back into place insitu, it must of gotten caught on a finger or thumb.
I´ve just checked my reference books and they say the gun was L28 (2941mm) on both versions (F an G), it is also stated that the F8 version was never converted or factory produced as a StuH.
Paul

Oh, no worries on the use of the AM stuff. That isn't were I was going with that. I was just impressed with the detail of the part I just had to say something about it for it looks nice!

Thanks for checking on the caliber for that gun. I just wonder if less breached the mantlet between the two because of available interior space. I have some photos that make it appear that the F has a shorter barrel.

BTW, I am on the lookout for a 1/15th Bandai Tiger barrel and muzzle brake for an F project I have set aside. I think if I alter that larger part to appear to be a Sturmhaubitze gun in 1/16th.







~ Jeff

Nice, interesting build Paul. Anyone have a pic of what that sighting hatch looks like closed?

Paul,

Looking really cool what did you use for the weld seams? Looks like the newish tamiya putty??

I know what you mean about that lionroar set I have one aside for when I get me an F

Cheers Mike

Cool looking build.
I can't imagine trying to do weld seams. Mine would be a mess and squigilly!

Ok this is how its going to go ..i want no crap from John and Gary about changing my mind again either
The STuG is going to be going back to an F model 7.5cm ..I can't be bothered waiting for the new bits to get here but i will be building a 10.5cm later .
Paul ,,, Thanks for those pics mate ..they will come in very handy later so i have nicked copies and loaded them into my STuG folder
Oh by chance Paul would you have any pics of the framing which supports the side armour ? i can't seem to find any ones which are any good .

Phill

Phill Mate!!

Well as I not John or Gary jezz man can you make your mind up!!!


Now are you sure you post code isn't 0800 Devonport Dithering??

Elvis will be starting to wonder what you will dress him up as next


Cheers Mike

Mike .. Well the way it works with me is this .,the more i change my mind the better things end becoming cause i keep thinking up better ideas .
I did a build for the What if campaign and the amount of changes which took place on this one kit turned it from being good to bloody awsome ,hell i changed my mind on the weapons layout 3 times and the drivers compartment 2 times .
So keep watching cause this STuG ain't done yet

Phill

Phill all good mate, I had to strech the old mind back to suburb that started with a D lol

Paul would you please be able to do a close up of that MG15, specially the ball mount as I need to make one for the motorcycle mayham campaign to mount in a armoured kettenkrad

Cheers Mike

Hi Mike and hi Marc,
well here we go then, the weld seams are stretched sprue which are glued into place. After they set I sand them down a bit, add another layer of glue and press the back of a cutter knife into the softened plastic, let it dry and give it a light sanding again to take off the hard edge.


Now for the MG15, i made a hollow in the end of a file handle
with 4mm Ø dental burr.


into that I pressed a molten sprue end, so that I get a semi
circle, do that twice. Cut the semis off and glue them together. Let it set and then drill a 1.5mm hole through them. When thats done cut thewm into 2 again and add to the MG15.

The mount is simple, just get hold of some 1 x 1mm `H´ profile in brass or plastic, I used brass, cut to the required length and fix in place with your chosen method.
Then simply push the ball mount between the to `H´ profiles
and that was it.
]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o544/PBadman/StuGnewandold024.jpg[/IMG]



hope that helps cheers Paul