Armortek

Now the build of my Pz IIII has started. It was almost a shame to unpack it - Gill has packed it so beautifully.

Having seen the enthusiasm for build pictures and kit contents, I'll add my lot from time to time.

This is my first post so bear with my and my attempts to use Photobucket.

Firstly the kit as unpacked, including Pack 14, the Armorpax details.























The Pack 1 Hull work is now underway, with the seating of the suspension bushes:









So far, so good.

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Hi Stephen,
Fabulous pictures

Keep posting them especially when you start your build.

Regards Stewart

Stewart Ashton wrote:Hi Stephen,
Fabulous pictures

Keep posting them especially when you start your build.

Regards Stewart

What Stewart said!

Thank you Stephen

Kind regards

Tim

Steven
Just like Christmas! I love that new freshly unpacked tank smell! The detail parts are getting better and better! I look forward to following your progress!

Photos look great, nice and big! Bob

Thank you for spending time to arrange the parts and take pictures of this baby. Eye candy really.

Good luck and hope you enjoy your build.

Let me add my thanks also for taking the time to do this. Very helpful!

Some pictures of today's work - preparation and assembly.

All metal work cleaned with acetone and etch primed.

First assemby - bump stops. Contrary to an earlier post, I found the bolts specified in Mark's instructions for the bump stops to be correct (M3 3 x 10 csk and M3 3 x 10 hex) but you need 16 M3 nuts not 8.

I had hit a problem last night with one suspension bush which I could not drive fully home. I probably seated it slightly out of true or perhaps used too much Loctite. The upshot was a bush left proud by an unacceptable 2-3 mm. The answer was to compress it using a bolt and washer as shown below. No damage to the bush and all bushes correctly seated.

The remaining loose assembly went together well but there is some aliging to do before final tightening.

Now the pictures.
























Thanks for your kind comments - much appreciated.

All the best

Stephen,

If your carry on like this you will have a very detailed record of the build. Good luck and keep the pictures coming.

Stephen
Great pictures its a good feeling when the hull starts
to take shape you begin to feel a tank taking shape.

Derek

Awesome!

Looking good Stephen. Thank you again for all the pictures.

Tim

Thanks for the photos Stephen .This is what the forum needs more builds ..I was suprised to see the cut outs in the hull floor. After looking at my 1/35 scale PZ III . I can now see why Mark has done it ,on the real machine the suspension axles hang low under the hull . this will keep all the running gear in scale ... Dale

Stephen,

Excellent work! Thanks for sharing! I look forward to seeing more.....

Best Wishes,

Jim

Hello Stephen . It's a good idea to try not to get to much primer on to early !!! It's Ok to load up the lower steel floor and the inside of the tub , but not to much on the outer alloy hull plates you will need to do a lot of hole filling and sanding , plus fake welds everywhere otherwise you will end up with a build up of paint . It's best to build to a stage where you are happy that there's not to much more to do . Then give it a good cover .... Dale

Ah - I'd planned to etch prime with a very thin coat primarily to cover metal to metal joints. I'd then planned to do the filling and surface detailing and then apply red oxide to simulate the original German primer. You're suggesting a build up of paint would be a problem - because it obscures the detail and or makes alignment of parts more difficult? I'd appreciate your thoughts. Regards.

I can see what you are doing now good thinking . Stephen How does the lower front and rear hull plates join onto the hull floor ? . This looks like a great kit . I look foward to getting mine . Dale