StuG III Ausf.B

**Glaurung** · #1 07-24-2019, 03:41 AM

Hello,

My next thread will be StuG III Ausf.B. I have chosen Tamiya kit for this one and since I have few leftovers from Dragon's Panzer III family kits I've built before, I use them wherever I can. I have few Aber upgrade sets also to use and aftermarket decals, as I'm going to one of the StuG Abt. 185 vehicles.

I'm not very happy with the Tamiya kit, but there are not many options when building Ausf.B. Bolts are rounded and need to be replaced, weld seams are often missing and need to be reproduced, fit is loose and need a lot of filler. But main problem with this kit is that upper hull, when removing the molded fenders, appears to be 1mm wider than lower hull. I really don't know what to do with that yet. Here is the front driver's plate compared to hull:

But Aber's etched sets seems to be awesome and offers lot of fun. Here's the assembled ammo storage cabinet. And yep, the lid is movable:

Tracks are from MasterClub this time and oh are they awesome. Compared to Friuls, these need very little cleaning and go together with little resin pins.

Til' next time,
Kristjan

**Glaurung** · #2 07-25-2019, 04:24 PM

Somehow, using hot water and brute force, I managed to bend the upper hull narrow enough to fit between metal angles. And after gluing the altered drivers front plate on, it stayed to its new shape. So, the main problem solved, I cannot see any other obstacles to deal with with this model.

I completed both track runs also. The vehicle sits bit high and not so forward-leaning compared to Dragon's Ausf.G, but Ausf.B was 4 tons lighter than Ausf.G so that makes a sense, I guess. I like the Dragon's look more, though.

Kristjan

**MZsolt** · #3 08-01-2019, 03:09 AM

Another inspiring start! I'm looking forward to it. How old is this Tamiya kit?
cheers,
Zsolt

**Glaurung** · #4 08-03-2019, 12:47 PM

Thank you!

The kit is not that old actually. It's from 2005 according to Scalemates, but it's not up to Dragon's standards by any means.

**Glaurung** · #5 01-11-2020, 07:47 AM

Hi

The StuG was on a pause for a while. I wasn't really happy with the quality of Tamiya, so I decided to wait for a Dragon's new released StuG III Ausf. B.

So, meanwhile I got the new Dragon and can now go on with the subject. I'm going to build these side by side simultaneously. Where there is some detail of Tamiya I'm not happy with, I can now simply clone it from Dragon and replace it. And vice versa of course, but I guess it's unlikely that Tamiya StuG has something superior than Dragon.

Kristjan

**Glaurung** · #6 01-24-2020, 10:26 PM

So by now the stuGs are more or less on the same level by progress. I've added the fenders to the Dragon one. Dragon received some addition to inner bulkhead as well. At the same time I added the sidewalls to Tamiya and it was a fest of filling and sanding.

To the end I add some photos of them together. As you can see, Tamiya's idler wheel is considerably smaller than Dragon's. Don't know, which is right but Dragon seems to be more accurate. Fender pattern is also denser on Tamiya one because of different manufacturers - on Dragon I used Voyager fenders and on Tamiya Aber ones.

I really don't know yet what to do with these two. One option I've considered is to make these as they've been on the same unit - more or less equal in every way. Other option is to give the other another unit and thus different markings and stowage. The third option would be to make these two as different as possible - that would mean another track to Tamiya to use Dragon's 8-hole sprocket and make it feel as different as possible by means of stowage and markings. Suggestions are most welcome

Kristjan

**Glaurung** · #7 03-03-2020, 05:25 AM

Meanwhile I've painted both lower hull interiors. I used AK RC RAL1001 Elfenbein for the main color and long-gone Humbrol 115 for the floor. Elfenbein really doesn't look that yellow to the eye than on these photos.

I used Dragon plastic ammo-boxes on Tamiya and for Dragon I had Aber PE boxes to where I added a few shells as well. On to the rear ammo box I added some stick grenades by Orange hobby, which I had left over from another project long time ago.

I started with the main guns as well. For the Tamiya I combined its original Aluminium barrel tip with a leftover aluminium barrel from Dragon Pz.IV kit. All this wasn't really necessary, but I wanted it to try out just for a bit of fun. Then I added the breech from the same Pz.IV kit and matched the whole thing with Tamiya plastic.
Dragon StuG received an Aber metal barrel. This one is really meant for some Sd.Kfz.251 kit and needed some shaving and cutting as well.

All in all I've got two nice StuK 37 guns now.

And when trying these on the chassis, both StuG's start to look a little meaner.

Kristjan

**Glaurung** · #8 04-10-2020, 02:23 PM

I continue with an upper part of the interior.

For starters the sight - Tamiya has it wrong and Dragon hasn't any at all. It took a while to figure out the sight they used on these early StuG's, but once found out that it probably was the Rbl.F. 32, it took only an half a day to fabricate two of them following photos googled out from the net.

Gun cradle needed some attention too. Dragon has later long barrel gun cradle that isn't correct one to these early StuGs. But it's nothing that few bits of styrene can't help. I also cloned some sight details from Tamiya and somehow put the thing together.

The hatches on both had some detailing added. I tried to drill out all the hatches to make them movable - on Dragon it went alright, but Tamiya hinges were a bit too small and not well molded out for this purpose. Dragon had the smaller hatches above the sight shut closed, so these too had to be cut out and to be replaced with homemade styrene ones. On Tamiya I just glued these hatches shut and didn't bother more.

For the driver's viewport I found some vision blocks out of my spares box. Both are from random Dragon kits and needed some polishing. The one that goes to the Tamiya needed some cutting as well to make it fit.

Then few other details here and there.

Dragon had pretty decent radio in its box. It even had more than one, so I got one for Tamiya as well. Both radios received some detailing and the one that goes to the Dragon had few additional details from Aber set. The speaker box is provided by Aber as well and the headphones are from K59 set which I found in my stash.

MP's had the holes drilled in the barrels even though they aren't to be visible. Using tin foil I made straps for all of them. Dragon Had two sets of periscopes in the set so again, one goes to Tamiya and the other to Dragon.

And here ar all the details layd out and ready to some paint.

Kristjan

**Glaurung** · #9 04-24-2020, 07:35 AM

Painting the upper hull interior has taken a bit longer because of may details involved.
I'm still working with the Dragon, but Tamiya is finished interior-wise and the upper hull has been permanently glued on.

So here are some pics for you, guys.

Dragon will follow in few days.

Kristjan

**Glaurung** · #10 04-29-2020, 01:08 AM

And here's the Dragon.

I'm pretty satisfied with radio this time. It has been enhanced with a handle and a power cable, but what has done the trick here are the decals by Archer. The set is for some Trumpeter's Pz.IV interior, really, but there are several decals for a total of six radios on the sheet (little labels and plackards).

The roof is dry-fitted on the photos, but it will be glued on soon.

Thanks,
Kristjan