My Panzer III is on it's way

David Da Costa · Post by **David Da Costa** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:44 pm

My two pots of RAL 8000 finally turned up today from Germany http://www.kommiss.com/.

So once I have put some red oxide paint on the hull I will then spray some RAL800.

David

David Da Costa · Post by **David Da Costa** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:45 pm

Today I put the final coat on the interior of the lower hull so that I can start installing the motors and electronics.

Before that however I will be spraying some red oxide filler primer on the exterior of the hull, followed by the final coat of RAL8000.

Remember to check my build log on my website (under Workbench - Tanks) as I update that with many more build photographs as I go.

David

David Da Costa · Post by **David Da Costa** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 1:57 am

Does anyone happen to have the spacing of the cone nuts on the rear lower hull plate (the one where the stater cover would go) or can point me to a sufficiently large scale drawing to take measurements.

Thanks

David

Lawrence Godson · Post by **Lawrence Godson** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 3:33 am

Panzer Tracts no. 3-3 by Thomas l. Jentz & Hilary Louis Doyle has line drawings. You need to compensate for the fact that the rear plate is shown at an angle.

David Da Costa · Post by **David Da Costa** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:38 am

I started spraying the final color today. I can now say the suspension arms are finished!!

David

David Da Costa · Post by **David Da Costa** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 2:06 am

Today I started adding some cone bolts to the hull. I started with the rear plate on the lower hull.

I used my 1/35 Panzer III Ausf L for reference and marked up the large cones on the rear plate, drilled holes that did not quite go all the way through the plate, threaded them for M3 and inserted m3 grub screws that I had put red Loctite on then screwed on the cone bolts.

In the picture below you can see three cone bolts in place.

David

David Da Costa · Post by **David Da Costa** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:38 am

Today I made the starter handle cover on my CNC mill.

I just need to make the two nuts for it now.

David

David Da Costa · Post by **David Da Costa** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:34 pm

Todays work was to make the two bolt covers for the armored starter cover.

David

Adrian Harris · Post by **Adrian Harris** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:01 pm

A simple looking part but I would guess quite tricky to get it looking that good.

You're going to need an origami spanner to do up those bolts

Adrian.

David Da Costa · Post by **David Da Costa** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:16 pm

No, I will cheat and glue the bolts to the cover and then tread the hole thing into the plate and lock with red locktite.

David

David Da Costa · Post by **David Da Costa** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:02 am

I ended up changing the bolts.

Here is the rear panel almost finished.

David

David Da Costa · Post by **David Da Costa** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 4:12 am

Today's job was to draw and machine from aluminum the cover where the tow hook would go (not sure what it is called or for).

Here is a picture of it on top of a picture of the real thing.

I am going to use M2 nuts and bolts which are pretty much to scale.

David

David Da Costa · Post by **David Da Costa** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 1:16 am

I guess once you start making these extra parts there is no stopping

Just finished drawing up and creating the tool paths to make the two cover plates that go on the rear slopped plate under where the "tow hook cover" is.

Here is a picture of the drawing of the larger of the two covers.

David

Brian Leach · Post by **Brian Leach** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 1:25 am

Nice!

This hobby really is getting sophisticated

Brian

David Da Costa · Post by **David Da Costa** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 8:38 pm

....and here is the actual cover plate made in aluminum and etch primer sprayed.

David