Hi Gents,

I must make a short brake from my big cats so I've started a smaller project. I've picked up from my stash the Pz IIIN (based on L chasis) kit 6431.



This kit represents a vehicle from North Africa. From what I've learnt the African ausf N were identical (at least on the outside) as for example vehicles used in Europe. Having hope that it is true I plan to use an old set of shurzen from Voyager (designed for the ausf III M/N Imperial series to make a classic ausf N. I'll see if it fits this kit.

first Images, for now it's going smooth:








spit

Small progress here. I finished the two fenders with all the tools on them. No problem till now everything fit fine. The instruction are rather clear, only the places indicated to place the antenna support and the shovel on the right fender are not correct and should be inverted.





Only things I added were the clamps for the tools from the lion roar set. Even as the moulding of the parts was good it was a bit thick. The way I did it is simple (simpler than making all fitting in PE) and looks rather good and ... is time saving.

I would need a hint about wiring of the smoke launchers. I have found some pictures and checked my books but I can't find any drawing or a clear photo showing the connection, wires and place where the cables go to the turret. If anyone has something on it I would appreciate your help.

spit

Hi Pawel.
Good start. Can´t beat a panzer III or IV. Will be following this thread.
I checked around a bit for images of the smoke launchers. Not much, but hopefully these help some. All 4 images are from Achtung panzer.







The image above shows the roof of a panzer III, and the launchers are clearly not connected through the roof.



I would assume they are connected through a hole immediatly behind the launchers, although I cant find a clear enough image to fully prove this.

Hi again Pawel. Checked the panzer tracts books. No drawings of the actual dischargers, but where they are drawn in, in ariel views, they are not connected via the roof. That only leaves directly behind them. No images or info on how they are connected.

Thank you for your help Frank. I pushed my search even further and found here on Armorama in the gallery section a pic of a Pz III N from Bovington. It's without the brackets any more but.. there's is a hole visible !!



found also this





still, there's a question of this kind of tube where the cables are in on the drawing you posted. If wires go directly to the hole why the tube?

thanks a lot man.

spit

According to panzer tracts, these turret smoke dischargers were developed in Feb 1942 and sent out to a few regiments for trials. In Sep 1942 they went into standard production, but were withdrawn again in May 1943 as a safety precaution. It was reported small arms fire was setting them off and incapacitating the crew.
That hole seems to be the ticket ... what else would it have been for? Good find.


The three seperate cables probably ran through the single tube to the switch that triggered them. I can´t think of any other reason.

Thanks Frank,

Would this tube be inside the turret? Otherwise I don't see how it could work looking on the position of the whole. I guess that's it. Thanks a lot for your help.


Well, here come few images of other assembly steps. The big step of putting everything together is close.












As before till now it goes nice and easy

It actually starts looking like a panzer III






next in planning: turret .

spit

Good progress so far Pawel.

ok Turret is ready






and I put on the hull IT FITS









Now I'll be getting to those schurzen


spit

Hi Pawel

Loving this build! We obviously share the same taste in armour. I am painting my 1/16 King tiger at the moment (with no fenders on just like most of your models), and I have this exact Panzer ready to go next.

Quick question about the tank you are doing. Will it be one of Rommels DAK Panzers or one of the ones attached to s.Pz.Abt 501 or 504 (which I believe were not actually DAK and not marked as such)? I have had a look through the books I have collected so far and did not think the Shurzen were used in Africa. Do you have any clarity on this?

Also Frank, I love that drawing of the smoke dischargers and the cuppola with the MG34. I would love to stick a MG34 on my tank but have not found much reference to their use on the Panzer iii. Do you know when and where they may have been used?

Noel

Looking good Pawel, now it's time for some paint!

Hi Noel,

well the answer is very simple about the schurzen on African panzer. There were none (on any panzer type). As I said on the very beginning I used this kit but the model will represent an eastern front vehicle (winter camouflage). The African panzer IIIN were identical to those used in Europe.

Hi Bill, thanks for passing by Nope, now is the schurzen time painting will come after the voyager set is finished... (not an easy task to accomplish )

thank you all

spit

schurzen, schurzen, schurzen, schurzen, und schurzen,

there is a light in the tunnel though

Slowly but surely Pawel, the work will pay off in the end! Looks good so far.

Looking really good. Are those all tiny rivets in the fret on the left?

Keep going!

Thanks for your comments. That fret of rivets is a set from Lion Roar, without joints. The rivets from Voyager are... too tin and even cutting them out and cleaning is a big challenge.

spit

Nice looking build so far. I look forward to seeing more

Hi,

Build phase is finished. Only tracks are to be done later. Painting in a week or two as new airbrushes are on the way from overseas.

Looks good with the schurzen on Spit! Will be waiting to see how your new airbrushes work out on this one.

Thanks Bill, well I think it will be pretty the same I always order the same sparmax Airbrushes

Any chance anyone has a photo of a pz III N (with schurzen) in winter conditions?

spit

Pawel,

I have this kit in the stash so I will keep a copy of your build log on my computer for future reference along with Bill Plunk's build log of the same tank kit. I like the extra stowage and shurzen that you have added to your kit giving your build a unique and rather menacing look to it even without the tracks, paint or weathering applied yet! Thus far, did you encounter any fit issues with the kit or Vogagermodel photo-etch during your build that you would like to share with us? Otherwise it looks like everything went together smoothly?

-Eddy

Hi Eddy,

Thanks for dropping by friend. Regarding your questions. The kit build up very well. There are one or two things like the wrong part given in the instructions for the mantlet but... there's always a superb build log of Mr Bill P. So any time I had a doubt I checked his build story and everything became clear. A HUGE credit to Bill for his work

The Voyager schurzen set.... well this is not the same story... I'm sure that a lot of faults, breaks etc was because of me but... this set wasn't made for this kit (It's for the Imperial Series kit) neither this kit wasn't done with an idea of receiving shurzen. The main problem were the big hull shurzen or rather their supports. The second and especially the third one (on the back). I was obliged to take off some already glued pioneer tools, fire extinguisher and what's more important modify (by raising the second an third "leg") the antenna "rail". Later I found in Achtung Panzer book that showed the modified antenna rail.... Beside that Voyager parts are very fragile (like most of PE elements from many brands) and some parts had to be re-glued, recreated, reinforced!.... 100% fun Also, the Voyager instructions for this set are quite poor. It would be a good idea to show where exactly one should fit the parts that enable to hold the plates.... well, no, find it yourself and have fun...

BTW the most of the stowage is supplied in the kit. Only the wooden boxes and the bucket (both from Plus Model) are AM items (I also put Italeri jerrycans but dragon do give nice ones in the kit).

spit

WOW,nice, VERY NICE Pawel.

Tony the Mutt

Thank you Tony. I watched your PE work on the Brumbar... I must sill learn a lot LOL

cheers

spit