Hi All,

Since my Panzer 1a is completed I decided that it was time to start another project. This time a Dragon Panzer 2 Ausf B. This build is going to be different from my Panzer 1 in that no aftermarket kits currently exist for this kit. Granted there are MG34 barrels and replacement aluminuim 20mm barrels available but no other aftermarket kits meaning that all the detailing will have to be done by me.

I have just purchased Panzer Tracts No. 2-1 Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf.a/1 to C 1934 to 1940 from Amazon, but I want to make a start before it arrives which I can do thanks to some pictures provided to me by Russ Amott of a Panzer 2 Ausf C which will enable me to get a running start at the tank.

The kit is one of Dragon's latest the 6572 and I am very impressed by what I see.



Dragon have put more effort into the interior than they did with the Panzer 1a kit interior, which was frankly awful. The floor lacked the tread pattern it should have had and the fire wall was simplistic and inaccurate. This tank seems to be a different beast entirely and thank goodness, since I cant replace it. There is no engine though and no Tristar kit which can donate one.

This tank would have been build shortly after my Panzer 1 so I intend to spray the interior in much the same way and my tank will belong to the 1./Pz.Regt.24, of the 24th Panzer Division in Southern Russia on the eve of the Stalingrad Offensive. I am forward planning the colour scheme this time.

Anyway I hope to provide you with another entertaining build, albeit one that does not take nearly a year to complete.

Thanks for looking

Steven

looking forward to seeing this model, Steven! I did Ausf. C from Tamiya - truly amazing tank!

Hi Steven,

i have subscribed and will be following. looking forward to this Pz.II. its my favorite light tank. have a great time with it man!

Gary

Hi All,

Thanks for the comments Gary and Roman, I will try not to let you down Gary

I have decided to start this build with the transmission and interestingly it is made by the same company that manufactured the Panzer 1 transmission Zahnfabrik model number SSG - 46. Well I thought that it was interesting.

Below we can see the transmission of a Panzer 2 Ausf C, this is what I am aiming for.



Photo credit Russ Amott

The following images are of the Dragon kit parts and as you can see we have some work to do.





The Dragon kit does not contain any ventilation holes and so I drilled out the spacings and added some with some spare PE left over from the Panzer 1 project.



The next image shows the transmission block as it was out of the box and it requires some work.



The gear stick also needed some attention.





The final image i have shown the modifications that I have made to the Transmission, adding the clutch pedal, missing in the dragon model and some nuts and bolts. I have also added some details here and there that I thought Dragon missed out on.

Thanks for looking

Steven

Steven...how in the world did you clear the gear shaft section? My absolute admiration for your work!

Great start!

Hi Steven,

Nice touch on the transmission man. looks great!

Gary

Steven,I am looking foward to following along,I will build this kit next year for the Light Tanks Campaign,so I hope to learn a lot from your blog.

Looking good there. I'm thinking on an Ausf. C from Dragon at some point as they're on sale. I'll be watching this to get some tips

Great work so far.

Hi,

Thanks everyone for the kind comments, they really do help and act as motivation.

Neal, with a new sharp scalpel blade I carefully cut out the extra plastic, it takes a while but is worth it.

The picturers provided by Russ are of a Panzer 2 Ausf C but they cannot be that different from a Ausf B ? I know that the model underwent some changes when the German's changes the rounded front of the Ausf B for the stepped Front of the Ausf C but the mechnical aspects of the transmission would not have changed that much.

So lets examine the left side of the hull provided by Dragon vs the real thing.



Picture credit Russ



Picture credit me

As we can see there are lots of missing details and simplifications, but the main one is the transmission arm connections, they are nothing like they are supposed to be and the steering arms are bent not straight. The floor is also inaccurate and simplified, the chair support is frankly crude. Not to mention the missing bolt detail.

This will all have to be changed. I will build a new chair (may as well do the radio operators chair while I am at it, along the lines of the Panzer 1 drivers chair) and replace most of what you see with brass. I will have more of an idea with what I am dealing with when my Panzertracts book arrives.

But there is one think that I have not yet mentioned, they did not include the drivers acceleration and brake pedals, oh come on Dragon. I can understand them forgetting to add the clutch, but is the driver supposed to stop and go using the power of the force ?? They always seem to do this.

Steven, my Dad mentioned this build of yours as a great education. Wow! I subscribed!!

Thanks Mason,

Progress has been a little slow of late as I have just returned from Egypt and I decided that my long suffering partner would not welcome me building my Panzer 2 there. It might have ended floating down the Nile.

Normal progress will be resumed shortly

how about making a schwimmpanzer, Steven?

Hi all,

Quick update and some pics. Getting back into the Panzer 2 has been difficult, this is probably because the scale of the Panzer 1 project



I have been working on the tank floor which is innacurate







The image above illustrates the strengthening brackets made from brass sheet.



More to follow

Thanks

Steven

Hi Steven,

had to take a qwik look today see how its coming along. looking nice as usual.
ive been busy moving to Mckinney Tx, so i havent been keeping up with my subscribed builds. good to see the Pz II coming along. thx for shareing.

Gary

Hi Steven,

i finaly got started on my Pz.I. better late than never.


Gary

Hi Steven,

here is the pic i wanted in the previous reply.

need decals then final weathering.

hope to see more of your Pz.II soon.
Gary

Gary,is that the Dragon DAK kit,it looks good,I picked one up up last week for less then $20.00.Although those tiny tracks must be daunting.

Hi Anthony,

Yes its the Dragon DAK kit. I realy dont mind the magic traks. lots better than vinyl. i was inspired to build this Pz.1 by following Stevens Pz.1 build. i havent done anything from the african front so thats what i chose to dthe DAK version.

Gary

I'm subscribing to this one. Have you considered making your own photo-etch using an etching system? So long as the measurements are accurrate, it should be pretty straight-forward.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the comments Gary and very nice Panzer 1. I have always liked DAK vehicles.

There will be an update tomorrow I am pleased to say, I have been making lots of progress.

I have ordered a back issue of Military Modeller which has a nice internal build of a Panzer 2 Ausf C. This will assist me.

Looking good!

Hi Steve
I'll be following this with a lot of interest as I have the 1/6 version and want to add some interior bits and bobs.
How is that panzer tracts book?,as I ordered one yesterday.
Keep up the good work mate
Andy

Hi All,

Before I start the update a little plea to Dragon, please ensure that you supply kits with the correct interior, the interior for your Panzer 2's contain floors for the Marder 2. This makes the kit practically impossible to build without significant modification. This is unacceptable in a kit as expensive as this one. It is not because you did not do the research into the tank but because you were to cheap to supply the correct floor.

Not that Dragon will read this thread.

Ok, the first Picture shows the unmodified floor



Please note that Dragon instruct you to place the radio Operators chair over a removable panel. Great research Dragon.

After modification:



more images with the front of the hull taped inplace:





I dont mind adding in extra detail but this kit's accuracy is compromised by their decision to include an interior for a Panzer 2 varient, not the Panzer 2.

The interior is not completed but I wanted to show you a work in progress.



This image is of the front of the superstructure as you can see I have added some lead wire with copper wire wrapped around it to represent the brake fume extractor ducts, an internal bulkhead made from brass and the drivers pedals, they are included in the kit but not in the instructions as Dragon feels that it is much more sporting to let you hunt through the kit yourself.

Lots more needs to be done to this before I can even think about adding paint.

Thanks

Steven

Hi Steven,

given the trouble you have had with the kits inaccuracy. i find it ironic the kit is called a "Smart Kit". not too smart on dragons part. as for you, it looks like you have out smarted them. you definitly do your homework! nice job on the extractor ducts. everything is looking good man!

Gary