I'm usually an aircraft builder, but I've got a bug to build a tank. I really want to build a Panzer III Ausf. M with schurtzen (1/35). Really any long-barreled gun on a III with schurtzen, but the M is the only one I know of with a long gun AND schurtzen. I don't want the short barrel gun like on the N.

What's my best bet in terms of kit/aftermarket schurtzen?

Dragon's Panzer III Smart Kit releases are the best representations on the market, currently, but the only one with Schurtzen so far is an N model. The M and L were sometimes seen with skirts fitted, and no doubt Dragon will offer one eventually, using their existing kits as a basis (they've already made all the necessary molds--it's just a matter of printing a new box, basically). Their new tooling technology allows some remarkably thin plastic moldings, and these skirts and mounting brackets are drastically easier to deal with than brass replacements.
The older Dragon Imperial Series Panzer III M/N kits are Gunze Sangyo molds from 1990, with the original white metal and photoetched parts replaced with all plastic items. The side skirts are stamped from acetate, not a really good choice of material, and the brackets and turret skirts are thick, necessary with the molding technology of the 1990's. Surface detail is good, but the tools are relatively crude, and are best replaced with Tamiya or Cyber Hobby aftermarket items. Swing arms for the road wheels are molded solid to the hull tub, so the vehicle can only be molded on a flat road surface. With the new Smart Kits available, there is little reason to bother with these older efforts, now.

Dragon has also been using metal skirts in some of its kits. There are limits to what you can do in styrene it seems. The metal skirts in kits I've built (e.g., Panther D) are pretty good, though the hanging brackets usually ARE styrene. In that case, the Voyager or Aber AM sets are better, although much more work.

Hi Keith,

Maybe consider the tamiya Pz III ausf L kit. It has the long gun and is quite a nice build. You could then get an AM set for the Schurtzen. Only problem is the 1 piece tracks and lack of PE mesh for the intakes. Even then replacing the tracks and buying a full PE set won't be much more expensive than a Dragon kit Depends on your budget and how much work you want to do.

Matt

Sprue Brothers had the DML N with schurtzen pretty cheap in their super specials. Track done an aftermarket mantlet and barrel and you should be good to go.

From Dragon´s old imperial series "9015; PzKpfw III Ausf M/N SdKfz 142/1" might be what you want. Basically its the old Gunze kit with updates. Here you have a choice of making an ausf.N or ausf.M, with full turret and side shurtzen.
Its not the latest and best, but with a little attention it can still build into a beautiful kit. I built it some years ago into the ausf.N version.

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