My Panzer III is on it's way

[David Da Costa]

This afternoon I did a trial fit of the upper hull.

What are people doing in terms of making anything removable to carry out any maintenance etc inside the hull?

Are people joining the front and rear halves of the upper hull (and filling the join between the front and rear halves of the upper sides or leaving them separate?

I will of course be filling any of the bolt holes after assembling that don't appear on the real PIII, but want to make doubly sure that I don't shoot myself in the foot later on in case I need to get to the interior components.

Thanks

David

[Lawrence Godson]

Hello David,
I'm doing exactly as you described -- joining the front and back of the upper hull. I've left the bolts out of the lower aluminum strips that join the upper and lower hulls. In addition I'm concerned about closing up the top of the turret permanently but I'm also concerned about the resultant relatively wide seam with no simulated welds.

[David Da Costa]

Today I have been busy prepping and painting wheels!



and started adding bolts to the road wheel hubs.

[/url]

[David Da Costa]

I added some 4mm brass tubes to the road wheels to better reflect the original as well as bolts around the circumference of the sprockets.

[David Da Costa]

Boy is it quite in the Panzer III forum

Spent the last few days adding details to the various wheels, painting them and now I am putting them onto the hull.

One question, how are the idler hub caps held on?

Thanks

David

[Brian Leach]

David,

I am always amazed at clean shops. I am always working and cleaning up, but it never seems to change.

Looks good

Brian

[Dennis Jones]

Hi David,

Idler caps, I just used a thin coating of loctite, I have taken them off since with no problem.

Dennis.

[David Da Costa]

I got to put the tracks on one side today and it looks like the idler need to be spaced out from the hull a little to get the "teeth: on the tracks to run down the center.

I re-read the manual and on page 22 it says "Fit the idler washer to the idler washer to the idler shaft and retain"

Is there supposed to be a washer that goes on the idler shaft before you put the idler on (I have not found such a washer)? By retain I assume it means with loctite.

Thanks for any help.

David

[Armortek]

Hi David.

The idler washer retains the idler arm to the spigot. These parts were assembled in pack 2. The idler itself has a deeper counter bore on side than the other. So if it appears to be too close to the hull, you probably have got it on the wrong way round. If your idlers don't show this feature, (a few were made incorrectly) let us know and we will replace them. There is no spacer washer.

Hope this helps
Mark

[David Da Costa]

hi Mark,

Okay, I think I got it right as the deeper counter bore allows for the hub cap to go on, which I can do.

What was your intention with regards to how the idler hub cab should be retained?

IShould the guide teeth of the tracks run down the center of the idler without touching the inside of the idler rings?

Regards

David

[Armortek]

Hi David

The hub caps are best retained with a spot of low strength Loctite or similar. Track guides do run down the nominal centre of the idler, but may on occasion rub against one or the other of the rings. This can happen in tight turns or if loose material forces the track to the side.

Mark

[David Da Costa]

Progress on my PIII progresses steadily with the upper hull assembly nearing completion.

Here is a view of my tank workshop.

[David Da Costa]

I did a test fit of the machine gun ball and mantlet onto the hull today and I must be doing something wrong as the mantlet is about 1/4" away from the glacis plate.

Any ideas?

Thanks

David

[David Tannen]

Hi david
You need to make a spacer or do some milling. If you look at my posts I made a spacer.



David

[Nick Farrugia]

hello david
i had the same problem, i used a very big countersinking tool to resess
back .I used the type that looks like a cone with a hole in it off center
hope this helps
regards nick