Gents. I just got myself one of the Trumpeter 1/35th 12.8cm Selbstfahrlefette L/61 "Sturer Emil" kits. Looks like a nicely detailed kit right out of the box. This kit peaks my interest enough to start working on it. I may just go plain jane OOB, or go all the way and add on a few aftermarket items, like the new Modelkasten tracks for it, and/or the Voyager PE detail set for it.

Question is, I dont have much "ready" reference material on this vehicle with good up-close detail shots that are good for modellers. I do have Achtung Panzer #6, by Modell Graphix, which has some war-time shots, along with a few views of the Sturer Emil thats in the Kubinka Museum in Russia. Other then that, all I have are just a few generic shots of this obscure vehicle in various other books in my collection.

Do any of you guys know of any good reference shots of the 12.8cm Sturer Emil ? Maybe some good online stuff out there ?

I know that sPzJag Abt 521 was equipped with 2 of these vehicles at the time of Stalingrad. 1 was lost in the action, while the 2nd one was captured by the Russians.

Thank you for any your help

Cheers !!

It seems only 2 of these giants were ever built, I guess that would explain the lack of photos.
Not sure if you checked out this site Robert, but it has some decent info and a couple of photos
12.8cm

bottom of page

Bruce, thanks for posting that link ! Some excellent technical data and vehicle history there. I will have to add this site to my favorites list, as it has some good info on other interesting vehicles as well.

George, thank you for posting the like to that Voyager PE for the Sturer Emil kit. Excellent enlarged pics too ! That will come in handy. I have already ordered this PE set from my supplier, so its just a week or so before I get it. I will post here once I get it in and let you know my first impressions.

Now that I have this nice little buzz going on this kit. I'm starting to think about color schemes, and if either of the 2 Sturer Emils ever had any camoflage applied other then the overall factory Panzergrau ? Perhaps Afrikabraun, that was sometimes used in the Ukraine area in 1942 ? Maybe that dunkelgrun/panzergrau scheme thats sometimes seen on German vehicles in the Russian Front during the same time period ?

Thanks for your help guys !

Cheers !!

Alpen

There is a close-up photo of a crew member painting kill marks on the gun barrel. There is a definite mottle paint job visible. Whether it's green on Pz. Grey, Grey on DAK brown, or DAK brown on Pz. Grey is a moot point thanks to B/W photos - but the mottles are a darker color than the base. Another point is that the Sturer Emil with the kill marks (they are 'marks' and not 'rings' because they don't extend all the way around the gun barrel, so the provided decals with the kit are wrong) has two jerry cans in a rack mounted just behind the LHS wooden block. Which raises another point - the vehicle has two blocks but no jack. Even the factory-fresh photos have no sign of one. Possibly there is another jerry can rack on the RHS. If you want to be really authentic, take the decal sheet fron DML's 1/72 E-100 and use the tiny 'tank' kill symbols. Sturer Emil had one of these preceding the kill marks on either side of the gun barrel. With only a few minor errors, it is a very excellent kit.

Another thing. Even though the kit tracks are very good for rubber-band type, they fit very tightly. I simulated sag with wire rods through the hull, which worked, but the extra strain from the result of shortening the tracks pulled the rear idler wheels outwards at a slight angle. Any more strain and I'm sure they would have broken from their mountings.

I think Model Katsen is supposed to release indy links for this kit I looked in Allies-Axis issue #4 for pics There probably isn't any new type you are looking for

Thanks for the tips, Biggles2. You are correct, I have seen a B&W photo of the Sturer Emil with what appears to be a mottling of a darker (or lighter) shade over the original Panzergrau as well.

I think I may go with the MK tracks for the Sturer Emil, as I will be ordering these soon for stock anyhow. I will however attempt to try the kit tracks, just to see how I make out.

Do any of you who have built already, or are in the process of building the Trumpeter Sturer Emil kit, have any in-progress shots of your work ? Feel free to post them here on this thread. Seems like we have a good one going.

Hopefully some of the other Armorama members who have this kit will benefit from them as well.

Thank you for your help so far, guys

Cheers !!

Alpen

Chad, thanks for the heads up on Allied Axis #4. I have a copy of this and just checked it out.

Some great shots of Sturer Emil (wagon 1) in garrision prior to being sent to the Russian Front. This is good because Trumpeter actually includes parts for this version.

Good shot of the Sturer Emil (wagon 2) in the Ukraine, but its a larger shot of one I have seen before. More wartime shots of the captured wagon 2 then those pics found in Achtung Panzer #6, so that good.

The shots of the captured Kubinka vehicle are decent too, as they are in B&W, so some of the details are crisper then those of the all-color pics in Achtung Panzer #6

Good to go !!

Cheers !!

Alpen

I think I'm finally getting the hang of posting images in my gallery - I don't use it very often. Check 'My Photos' for some reference images of 'Emil'. Maybe some are new.

Thanks Biggles2. You found some excellent shots. That B&W one of the interior is very helpful. Interesting shots of "Emil" with white-wash camo too.

You could actually post those pics here on this thread, either by using the "img" button, or use the "url" button and just link it back to your gallerie.

Thank you for all your help. I think its time to start slaping that Trumpeter "Emil" kit together soon. If I had my own digi-cam I could take some pics of my in-prog work, but I dont own one

Cheers !!

Alpen

Thanks for starting this thread Robert. I just ordered my Emil over the weekend, and this info will come in handy!!!

If you look real close at the interior shot, it looks like the floor is made of wooden planks. There appears to be a visible wood grain or minor splitting running the length of the planks, as well as what appears to be nail heads.

interior

sturer Emil images



[IMG]https://gallery.kitmaker.net/data/500/12_8_cm_Sfl_L_61_11_.jpg [

Whoa! I'm way out of CONTROL!!!!!!

another view during winter 1942 - 43

and another....

What is the correct Modelkasten track for the SE and is it available in the U.S yet?

Jeff

Thanks a million Biggles2. These excellent pics will help other Armorama members who are now or soon-to-be fans of the Trumpeter Sturer Emil kit

BTW, I think you can edit that one pic with the crewman painting "kill rings" on the barrel. Looks like it "looped" a few times more then it should have. Just c;ick the "edit" button on your post, and viola !

Are you working on your "Emil" kit now ? If so post some pics here if you can. We seem to have a good thread going here. I have had a few very positive comments so far.

I also want to thank George (Armorman) for sending me all that info on Voyager Models PE. Good to go on that and the Lion Roar line as well.

Cheers !!

Alpen

Jeff. The Modelkasten set needed is MK SK-65 for the 12.8cm VK3001 Sturer Emil kit. As far as I know it is avaiblibe in the US now. I have already ordered these for myself, so if you need a set, just let me know.

In case you need the Voyager photo-etch detail set for the Emil its #PE35064 12.8cm L/61 "Sturer Emil".

Thanks for the inquiry, and for posting

Ground Power # 72 from May of 2000 has some good info on the subject as well.

Started this kit up today. Pretty nice detail for such a low price:

While we're on this thread, Sturer Emil and clone were both in PzJagr 521, which was attached to 2nd Pz., which was in Kleist's amy group in the summer of '42. Yet 521 was destroyed as part of Paulus' 6th Army at Stalingrad. Does anyone know when this unit was transferred?

BTW I believe that 'Dicker Max' was also in the heavy co. with the two 'Emils' . A reference states the complement of PzJagr Abt 521 as 1co. Pzjagr l's; 2 co's Marder ll's; and the above heavies. This photo must have been taken by the Soviets after 6th Armee surrendered.