Pz III New Build

David Gray · Post by **David Gray** » Sun Dec 05, 2010 8:14 pm

brilliant job Stephen well worth the effort looks supperb

Dave

Stephen White · Post by **Stephen White** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 6:31 pm

Back from floods in North Africa to snowbound in Somerset. The bad weather means quality shed time.

Here is the antenna trough:

Best regards and season's greetings to all.

Stephen

Brian Leach · Post by **Brian Leach** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 6:54 pm

Stephen,

Once again absolutely wionderful work!

Doing the antenna trough must ave been a bit of fun to do,
It as a nice symmetry, kind of like carpentry.

Your work is kind of like a Cristmas present to us,
Thank you!

And Merry Christmas to you

Brian

Stephen White · Post by **Stephen White** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 6:34 pm

The finished antenna and trough:

Regards

Stephen

simon_manning · Post by **simon_manning** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:44 pm

top notch as always stephen, great attention to detail, regards simon manning.

Kent Wiik · Post by **Kent Wiik** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:57 pm

Simply outstanding Stephen!

Love your attention to details.

Kind regards
Kent

Paul Fowler-Smith · Post by **Paul Fowler-Smith** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 5:51 pm

Stephen

I am following your progress, with great interest.

I am sorry not to meet you on the second day of the open day.

Please continue to inspire me and trouble me in equal lengths as i try to complete the panzer 111.

Paul

Stephen White · Post by **Stephen White** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 8:14 pm

Thanks Simon, Kent and Paul for your kind comments.

Next the tinwork around the exhausts. These were three panels of thin guage steel fitted to try to cure the tendancy of the Pz III to kick up a lot of dust in desert conditions. Photos of the central panel are common but largely due to shadow, the side panels are rarely visible on wartime photos. Of the Pz III that survive, only the Aberdeen vehicles have some battered panels left, so there is a bit of guesswork involved. I don't think the Jentz and Doyle drawings are necessarily accurate.

I've created them in brass, having to make a die to get the reinforcing channels. They may look a bit rough but I'd hope to get away with that as modelled on the real thing. No doubt once I've run the tank a bit, they'll get properly knocked about.

There is still some bracketry to add but here are the main panels:

Regards

Stephen

Tim Bowman · Post by **Tim Bowman** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 5:41 pm

Simply speechless

Merry Christmas Stephen and thanks for the inspirational work this past year.

Kindest regards
Tim

Brian Leach · Post by **Brian Leach** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 6:42 pm

Stephen,

Me too!

Your build is absolutly fantastic!

Merry Christmas to us!

Brian

Stephen White · Post by **Stephen White** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 12:37 pm

The completed article:

The deflector was mounted on studs welded to the exhaust boxes:

The cut out isn't symetrical - it was aligned with the smoke grenade dischargers under the rear plate to allow the grenades to drop without fouling the deflector:

The deflector is crying out for some bashing about and weathering, so maybe with a post Christmas hangover and a hammer........

Happy Christmas one and all.

Stephen

simon_manning · Post by **simon_manning** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 3:58 pm

this does look like a real tank,the scale looks convincing, with all the parts fitted, great to follow. regards simon.

Robert E Morey · Post by **Robert E Morey** » Sat Dec 25, 2010 4:31 am

Stephen,
The fact you find still more amazing details to add to your model is incredible. Nice work on the antenna and rear deflector. Looking at the tools, deck details, tow hitch, castle nuts, rear deflector - I think I'm looking at the real tank in a museum. Absolute super job.
Bob

Stephen White · Post by **Stephen White** » Sun Dec 26, 2010 6:32 pm

With the freeze continuing, doing some weathering seemed appropriate.

The dust deflector suffered some wear and tear and overnight, the tank has done a few hundred Tunisian miles.

The effects here were done with a combination of two Promodeller Washes, Dark Dirt and Sand, the latter sprayed as an overspray all over to make the camoulflage less stark. I also used a selection of Tamiya weathering powders and Promodeller pigments. Not the final solution but getting there.

I've been watching Simon and Tim's Panthers with great admiration, the results are stunning. We seem to be evolving techniques for 1/6th scale using some of the materials the 1/35th fraternity use but adapting the techniques to the bigger scale.

Feels more like the Russian Front than Tunisia round here at the moment.

Regards

Stephen

Stephen White · Post by **Stephen White** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 9:44 pm

With the exception of a couple of belly access plates, the hull is pretty much done. So now to the turret with the Ausf N 7.5cm KwK L/42 gun.

I like to start with a collection of 1/6th scale engineering drawings. These are a combination of Panzer Tracts and the originals in the Trojca book:

First thing that stands out is that the turret side plates can be improved by lowering the top front edge to 5 degrees from the horizontal. That will give the roof the more characteristic slope. The unmodified kit shape is not so streamlined:

The top of the turret front plate also needs to be lowered by 5mm and in machining that off, I took the opportunity to mill the chamfer which stands out above the weld line on the real thing:

Lots more mods to consider.

Regards

Stephen

Pz III New Build

Bad weather - builder's friend

Completed Antenna Trough

Dust suppressors

Dust Deflector

Weathering

Starting the Turret