The shield had no lock just 2 simple hinges.


(Jacques Littlefield Collection)

It could lay flat so it wouldn't interfere with the loaders hatch.





Jeff

Jeff if you look at the front hatch there is a bar with a hole in it and a pin on the front shield ..that's what I mean by being locked ..

http://www.amps-armor.org/ampssite/reviews/showReview.aspx?ID=1568&Type=FB

you can see he added these pieces on the finnish model but it was the same on all stugs.

Rick

Get the book Walkaround StuG and you'll see the pictures and description.




Jeff

Hi Jeff ..I have the walkaround ,ActungPanzer ,Ryton Publication , Scheiffer Pub ,and many more ..I just always took it for granted that the pin had to be engaged with the Hatch cover to stay in place while on the move... I guess we learn something new every day.

Hello,
I'd like to know if anyone has pictures, or building plans (much better) of a stug III short barrel interior. That's because understanding sizes from books is not always simple.

Thanks

I am going to add the following to my StuG build:



Gotta finish the Stalin Campaign by the 25th and get some more finished on my truck by August and THEN finish my StuG!

I know there are a few more somewhere in there but this fire first!




Jeff

hat's in the bag Jeff??

I don't get what you mean?







Jeff

there's a W that went AWOL ...so what's in the bag

You will just have to wait and see!






Jeff

Managed to start my build finally
Working on the build one sub-assembly at a time. Got most of the hull and fighting compartment sub-assemblies finished.

Finished the gun as well. Now trying to gain enough courage to tackle the road wheels


hull dry fitted


The gun

The road wheels on a Panzer IV chassis isn't that bad. Try one of the Tigers or a Panther!

Now that needs encouragement!






Jeff

Count me in!

I've got this Stug III Auf. A from CyberHobby in my stash. Going to use Spade Ace metal tracks as well.

Very nice choice Vegard!




Jeff

Vegard;

Certainly a StuG - the first, even! Cool!

Having not seen the kit, I do have a couple of questions and maybe a suggestion or 2.

Q1: Seeing as the kit appears to have the "early" Pz III sprocket... have you checked these and reconciled them for width to your AM tracks (or are you going to use AM sprockets, too?)? The StuG A used the early sprockets that came with the base Pz III hull E - early H hull and running gear... I am unsure, but perhaps some or all StuG III A may have had the narrow "original" sprocket, idler, and road-wheels as used for the early 36cm track... I don't know whether this kit provides those, or only the revised "widened" sprocket and later-type wider roadies used for the 40cm tracks used on all later StuG (and which entered service with some later III-F tanks, which were retrofitted with corrected "early" sprockets for the wider tracks)...

This has been discussed in a prior review thread dealing with the new Dragon III early H kit, which provides wider tracks but erroneously narrower "early" sprockets. Maybe this StuG A kit actually matches sprocket with track? I think these CH orange-box kits have added MagicTracks and perhaps those would be the correct narrow type IF the kit also has the narrow early sprockets - conversely it may have widened early sprockets and wider tracks...? The widened early sprocket has a marked different form with the outer tooth ring moved further out from its hub. This is a visual feature discussed in the III H thread. And it could apply to your StuG A build.

Q2 You are changing out link MagicTracks for metal AM types -I presume because the AM may offer better detail or... By me the real "fail" for these older kits compared to recent Dragon III kits lies mostly in the road wheels. New-tool road wheels are MUCH better-looking. Are you planning on swapping in those along with your new tracks? IF you happen to have the D's more-recent III-E kit, that one comes with both narrow and wide-style roadies... so you can borrow a set to do that swap to the StuG either narrrow or wider as you wish!

Bob

Thanks Jeff and Bob

Regarding your questions, Bob:

The kit comes with both the early sprocket (38cm) that is pictured on the box, and a set of newer sprockets. I made a strip of 10 links to test the sprockets and they fit perfectly. I have not tested the kit included tracks with the sprockets as I have no plans on using them for this build.

I only have two Pz 3 based kits in my stash, the second being kit #9111 Pz 3 E/F. I just checked contents and couldn't find any spare road wheels in that kit. I did a quick compare between the road wheels in both kits and they looked pretty much identical.

Edit: Pic included:

I am not surprised that you found those other older III kit wheels to be the same! That's the wrong Dragon Pz III kit!

I was ref'ing the fairly recent Pz III Ausf E "France 1940" SmartKit 6631. This is a new-tool III kit and shares few - if any - parts with any of those older "9000 series" kits. All the wheels and sprockets are new-tool. Kit 6631 includes both the "early type" narrow road wheels as found on early Pz III with the 36cm tracks, and the "later type" wider roadies which were introduced in 1940 and seen mostly on III F and later marks (but retro-fitted to some E in 1940).

IMHO, the newer-tool roadies look much better - maybe the single most important "new tool" improvement over those older Dragon III kits.

PS: The older kit wheels can be improved with a little work to better show the weld-seams, etc., if it's worth while and one does not have access to newer wheels.

Bob

The newly tooled 6631 does indeed look great, but it will have to wait until I've done a few more kits from stash.

Thanks for the suggestions, Bob, but I don't think I'll be adding seam welds to this build.

This will be my contribution to the campaign

Nice choice Chris!







Jeff

finally got this build finished... quite pleased with it in the end... and my first 3 figures....

P6070094 by Rob Worth, on Flickr

P6070092 by Rob Worth, on Flickr

P6070091 by Rob Worth, on Flickr

P6070089 by Rob Worth, on Flickr

P6070087 by Rob Worth, on Flickr

P6070086 by Rob Worth, on Flickr

P6070084 by Rob Worth, on Flickr

P6070082 by Rob Worth, on Flickr

P6070081 by Rob Worth, on Flickr

P6070080 by Rob Worth, on Flickr

P6070079 by Rob Worth, on Flickr

P6070078 by Rob Worth, on Flickr

Nice work Rob!









Jeff

In a lull with my other campaign build, so got a start on my StuG III. Cleaning up all the boring bits before getting on with the interior.

Progress update on my Stug III Ausf. A:



Not much progress since last time, but I've been sidetracked by a foray into figurine painting. That is on hold for the moment, so I'm back to building tanks again!

Here is my start Up photo for the Campaign
StuG III Ausf A OOB.



Tom