PANZER 111 / IV CUPOLA & TURRET HATCHES

[John Fitzsimons]

Your English is great Lacopo. Thanks again Ian. When the Panzer IV parts are ready I will post pictures. The interior parts should fit both without any problem.

John

[John Fitzsimons]

At last I'm making some progress with these parts. I have made most of the master parts necessary to detail the Cupola, (both old panzer III kit and newer panzer IV kit).
Some update pictures follow.

Still lots of work to do. I tried making a mould to produce the viewport interiors in one piece but the moulds tend to break so I will try to make in seperate parts for assembly instead.

One problem with the cupolas is the difference between the earlier cupola produced by Armortek compared to the newer version.

[Iacopo Di Giampietro]

Ciao John,
I am happy that the work detail for the Panzer III / IV continues!
Great job, congratulations!
Keep us updated.

[Ian Rodney]

Nice work John on the Panzer III Cupola and inner hatch doors.
I have sent you email……

Cheers
Ian

[John Fitzsimons]

Some more work done on the turret side hatch view ports. still some small parts to add like the head guard.















I have molded in the fixing bolts but I might filet them off and attach the view port with screws instead.

[Iacopo Di Giampietro]

Oh man!
Beautiful work! Congratulations John.
I have sent you PM: waiting for your kind reply.
Thank you!

Iacopo

[phil fitzpatrick]

Hi John
Great looking parts.
Your catalogue of parts must be growing well now
Cheers
Phil

[Ian Rodney]

Hi John,

Excellent work on your turret side hatch view ports.
Just received your email this morning, replaying to that now…..

Cheers
Ian

[Iacopo Di Giampietro]

I also sent email John.
Thank you very much!

[leesellars]

Hello John

Fantastic upgrade parts.

Lee

[John Fitzsimons]

Thanks for the nice comments. Thanks Ian for lending me your Panzer III cupola without which I could not complete the parts for the old Panzer III cupola.
Yes Phil. List of parts is getting longer but sales are slow.

I had tried to make some of the parts for the inside of the cupola but the mold is not viable for multiple production runs. I now know what needs to be fixed and might try to make a new mold but this would depend on level of interest.
Here are some photos of what I was trying to achieve. This version has removable glass blocks, (clear resin). A view port without the removable blocks could be produced at less cost. I will also add the levers which I think operate the outer covers. Also the pads between the view ports.











Off on holidays now for a few weeks so no more progress for a while.

Works in progress.

[Iacopo Di Giampietro]

Ciao John,
If I can I try to say my opinion ( given the location of viewers), I think you could even get them fixed in one piece (with melting white metal for example) inserting the transparent resin inside, just to increase the level of detail of the cupola that looks a little bare: you spare you time and money, and as a result the price of the parts may be very tempting.
Please excuse me if I wrote the nonsense.
  A curiosity: how viewers would be set inside the dome?
Thanks again for the time and the passion that you're devoting to these tanks.

[John Fitzsimons]

I will take photo today to show how viewers are fitted. I will make the clear resin inserts also.
Sorry, did'nt get a chance to take photos. Any way they are easy to fit. Just need to cut some holes to take them

John

[Ian Rodney]

Na bother John,

Only to happy to help you out lending you my Panzer III Cupola to be able to create the covers and inserts etc for the old style PzIII cupola.

Your parts for inside the Panzer IV cupola looks good from what I can see in your pics.
Looking forward to see how it all turns out for the panzer III cupola when you come back from your holiday, enjoy it while you can.

Cheers
Ian

[John Fitzsimons]

Here are some pictures of progress on parts to upgrade the turret side hatches and cupola. I would point out that the cupola covers are to be fixed in the open or closed position. These are not functional. I have a small number of side hatch view ports, exterior viewport covers and pistol ports almost complete. Production of further sets will depend on level of interest. Production of the cupola viewports will also depend on level of interest.