Hello,

I have a couple of questions about 1/35 scale StuG kits:

I would like to build a Normandy STuG IV. I assume the Dragon kits are best out there. But maybe I am wrong about that?

These two kits look good, is one better in quality than the other? Or would you recommend one over the other?

Sd.Kfz.167 StuG.IV Mid Production - Smart Kit (Dragon 6582)
6582

Sd.Kfz.167 StuG.IV Early Production w/Zimmerit (6576)
6576

Furthermore I am looking for a STuG III, not necessarily from the Normandy period, but that would be nice. What is the best Dragon kit on the market? I read that some kits have inaccuracies that need extra work. I would like to avoid those.

These two look very good (both quite different):
StuG.III Ausf.G w/Zimmerit (Dragon 6633)
6633

Sturmgeschütz III mit Flüssiggas-Antrieb (Cyber Hobby 6371)
6371

Also any advice on after market sets in very welkom. Thanks for your help!

I would highly recommend #6633,it builds up very nicely,no hitches.It has a decent fighting compartment interior also.The waffle zimm looks great.It used to come with Magic Tracks,not sure about the newer boxings.Check out my photo gallery for some shots.

Here is a review from this site

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/review/8641

Stug IV sorry I can't help on those.

David;
Hi!

Regarding the StuG IV kits... The recent Dragon kits (SmartKits) have some interior for the fighting-compartment, just as all of the more-recent Dragon StuG III kits have, so you'll do fine with either of those -IV kits you mentioned in terms of getting a great StuG IV kit with lots of nice detail and some interior to see (and improve upon, of course! ).

Do be aware that "ALL" StuG IV produced before SEPT 1944 came along with factory-applied zimmerit. Which means that any StuG IV seen in Normandy or later in western Europe before, say late SEP or OCT of 1944 would have almost certainly have had zimm on it.

Dragon first released a great StuG IV early production kit (6520)... without zimmerit. To be accurate, that kit needs to have zimm added on. But the upside (at least to me!) is that 6520 came out with MagicTrack links instead of the DS rubber-bands, so if that matters to you...

The Early w/ zimm (6576) is the accurate follow-up to the zimm-less (add-your-own version) kit 6520. This would be a likely candidate for a Normandy StuG IV. Like most other Dragon pre-zimm'd kits, this one comes with those DS track-runs. It has the same interior stuff and is, I believe, substantially accurate to type and period.

The mid-production kit, 6582, is also zimm-less and comes with MagicTracks. IF you want to do this one for Normandy-area in June / July 1944, you will need to add that zimmerit. Otherwise, this kit also fits the substantially-accurate bill with some updates and changes from that early version 6520. IF you are seeking to build a "new" StuG IV brought into the western front in SEP+ 1944, this could be the kit for you.

There are also of course the Late Production (6211) and Last Production StuG IV kits... Neither would probably be good for a summer-fall 1944 StuG IV, but neither of these needs zimmerit, as they represent vehicles built more in 1945, long after factory zimmerit application had been canceled. One could consider the Late kit for a possible Battle of the Bulge or follow-up actions.

As to Dragon StuG III kits.... There are several modern kits, starting with their early-production 6320 kit. Kits include the StuG III G in many incarnations, StuG III F/8 (2 kits), and StuH 42 G. There are also several specific-point-in-time CyberHobby StuG III kits - that III-G with flussiggas-antrieb being one... While some of these do require a few small detail fixes, these are all splendid kits with lots of great and mostly very accurate detail - and all have a partial (fighting-compartment) interior to work from if you want it opened-up. Some come with DS tracks, some with MagicTracks. Only two "modern" Dragon StuG III kits come with zimm - the StuH 42 G (6454) (which is great but does suffer some accuracy problems...) and the recent StuG III G w/zimm (6633).

Note that most StuG III were ausf G types - and that "all" StuG III G (and StuH III G, too) produced between Sep 1943 and SEP 1944 shipped out with factory-applied zimmerit. So the great F/8 kits are correct without zimm, but some of the later G kits should have zimm added to be accurate.

That Cyber Hobby StuG III G with flussig-gas Antrieb kit is a very special case indeed. There was one, and maybe 2 or 3, of these cobbled-together / mixed-bag StuG III assembled and sent to Kummersdorf or another training school site late in 1943 or early in 1944. They did not have zimm, so may have used a pre-SEP '43 hull, with some later bits (saukopf, etc.) added on. The fluusig-gas Antrieb was a propane / butane LPG powered adaptation used in these training sites to save gasoline. It's a very special vehicle and really needs to be built pretty much OOTB to be accurate - there are a few pics available on the web, etc., of this very vehicle. NOT used in combat, FAIK.

(It's actually my favorite StuG III of all of those great DM kits!). Get the III G w/ zimm kit for the "typical" StuG III G seen from OCT 1943 to late in the war.

Cheers!

Bob

Anthony and Bob thank you for your great input! I appreciate that a lot.

Does anybody know if the Griffon Model PE upgrade sets BPL35028, SBPL35024 and SBPL35026 are any good? These packs are suited for Dragon 6633 (with zimm), which looks like a great set together.

I read that Aber was the way to go in PE land, but they don't have many big upgrade sets for the Dragon STuG III and IV (mainly grills & barrels).

David;

In truth, there is probably not a whole lot of big changes or updates needed (or maybe even worth while) for the exteriors of almost all of the recent Dragon / CH StuG III or StuG IV kits - other than adding metal barrels and smaller bits and bobs - tools and clamps, a few small fittings, tow-cables, etc. Adding missing grill screens is good. (Of course, some feel it desirable to replace almost everything from the kits, but I don't...) In my HO, replacing the kit schurzen with PE is mostly a waste of time and money - the schurzen racks may benefit more from replacement, to better capture the scale of the bent sheet-metal bracings, etc.

Of course, you may want to add "concrete" and/or zimmerit and stowage and junk according to your desires and for specific vehicles as seen in photographs... There are good resin zimm kits, but I'm a DIY zimm guy. Good stowage - rolled tarps, cans, lashed on junk - adds to these kits, as StuG often seem to have had a lot of crap loaded on-board - but I would emphasize the GOOD and avoid most of the molded resin stowage-blocks as they never, IMO, ever come out looking right. Scratch tarps and tents and such, and use separate stowage items - cans, gear, etc., - to get the full look.

AM metal gun barrels are nice - I am a fan of RB Models stuff as it is super good and about the most reasonable in price.

Just my opinion and suggestions!

Bob

Dragon 6633 is the one to get if you want a StuG III ausf G at Arnhem during Market Garden.
There was a unit of the Wehrmacht (StuG Abt 280) there which was much photographed - fe the famous picture of the StuG passing by a tramway car.
Hope this helps.