I have a Tamiya Pz.kpfw.III Ausf N and when I came across the Aber 35A38 etched set - Turret element for Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.G/N, Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.E/G in my local model shop I decided to build it with all the turret hatches open showing the turret internals. Unfortunately, the kit's internal detail on the mantle is non-existent other than the main gun breech so additional detailing will have to be scratch-built. I was hoping to get some idea from my Dragon Panzer IV Ausf.E which uses the same gun, but the mantle is a completely different size/shape. Can anyone point me in the direction of any pictures that may help here, please? I’m not going to the expense of a full interior, I just thought it would be interesting to add what can be seen in the turret itself. Thanks in anticipation.

Paul,
There are some interior shots of the Panzer III N at Bovington, gun mantel included at http://svsm.org/gallery/tanks-1945?page=2.

Thanks Joe.

Not that it's perfectly accurate, but if you can find images of other AM turret interiors, you can use that as a start. I recently scratched together a Pz. III J interior, and it's a mish-mash of photos of various Pz III versions, and what I had available in the spares box. It 'looks the part' but is far from rivet counter ready.

A rivet-counter I am not! No-one who sees the finished article (unless I start exhibiting, that is) is likely to tell you what nationality or type of tank it is let alone point out any minor inaccuracies. I just think it would be good to be able to show some detail through open hatches. It's largely for practice for using photo-etch and generally improving technique - particularly finishing and weathering. I'm thinking of doing it in grey with the winter whitewash. I've realised whilst surfing the web that it could be very easy to spend three or four times the price of the original kit on aftermarket bits and pieces. Maybe on one of the other kits in my (presently small) stash when I've got a bit more confidence in my own abilities. Tamiya mid-production Tiger I is looking promising in that respect at the moment but I've got at least three kits to finish before I start that one. I'm thinking of starting a blog on here when I do the Pz.III - whether anyone would be interested ... ?

Paul, it's a good way to show your work and have others comment on it, give you pointers, etc. Go for it.

I have these in my favorites so I'll pass them down to you:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johncrewe/1361806576/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarge_schultz/2213867982/in/photostream/
http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php/cat/13473/page/2

Hope this helps.

Ernie

I have an album here of a Panzer III/H turret at Bad Oynhasen.
Or is it. It seems to have some features of an earlier Panzer III E-G and some of a later H?
http://www.armourworkshop.ca/gallery/album.php?album_id=99

Alan McNeilly and I have uploaded quite a few walk arounds on the Armorama site and the Panzer III N is covered here.

Thanks folks. Cooking dinner at the moment so not got to name you all! Half the problem is finding time but I'm not really in a hurry so blogging will just become part of the whole modelling process, I hope. I've I'll try to post some pics of my nearly complete Universal Carrier (just needs weathering, and I'm glad there were four marking options provided in the kit -see the blog when it appears), and a Pz.Kpf.II that is just getting it's first coat of Panzer grey. Watch this space, blog will be added to my profile, I think.