Panzer III and Its Variants GB

I had to drive out to a St Louis Hobby Store to get my hands on the DML 6463, local hobby store can't get it, the kit has the correct engine deck config., for initial production version. Likely paint and markings of the 2nd Panzer Div., historical note the unit got close to Moscow in late 1941. Will need to do some checking on possible photos and other research ... Wikipedia link below. Ready for July 1 start. 

2ndPanzerDivision(Germany)

Did you go to CRM Hobbies in St Louis?

No ... may have wished I had, coming from Springfield, IL ... Mark Twain hobby center (St. Charles) was closer (map quest) plus the traffic crossing the I55 bridge is always a hassle ... plus the MT store has longer hours (open till 9 pm) worked with my schedule. I called first looking for a specific kit (DML 6463) and they had it and would hold it for me.  I have been to the CRM store sometime ago ... remember it had a larger selection of kits .... TM had a much small selection of kits (armor), more RC stuff and model trains ... 

well D.P. you did it.....that info was great and stirred my interest in trying out some armor...put me down for a Ausf.L......Tamiya's 1/48.....I havent built an armor kit in YEARS but here goes....so I ask for forgiveness in advance if I ask any newbie questions...comes from building too many planes...

Carlos

Carlos- LOL!  It was my pleasure to help!  I figured since you are going to build your Pz III Ausf L it would be great for you to join this GB so everybody can help you with your questions.  Trust me you will get plenty of help here.    Welcome aboard! 

  It happened again....I tried to stop......took a cold shower......tried to think of ugly things.....I even began working on my Trumpeter German captured Hotchkiss gun......I got weak, I did it, I petted and fondeled my Stug III, yep FULL HEAVY PETTING including (but not limited to) reading the instructions, holding the small aluminium barrel and feeling up the sprue trees. I let you guys and myself down. I guess it's back to square one. Where is the next meeting? In the cellar of a hobby shop? I need your support.

To make matters worse I didn't use protection! Oh the humanity!

Chazzer:  We're here for you, man.  We've all been where you are.

Drink three Sam Adams' Boston Lagers and post here in the morning.

Chazzer, hang in there buddy!  Follow MAJ Mike instruction and you will be OK.  You are not alone... I opened the box of my Pz III Ausf E/F for the fourth or fifth time over the weekend.  I wasn't in mood to do modeling but still I managed to sneak into my workbench to look at the kit and study the instructions.  Wish it had a centerfold... 

Only 17 more days...

DP...to get me back in the swing of armor.....loosen up some of the rust....

Im going to work on a Wirbelwind I also have.....seems simple enough...before I get in over my head with the III....good training I figure....

C

deafpanzer

Chazzer, hang in there buddy!  Follow MAJ Mike instruction and you will be OK.  You are not alone... I opened the box of my Pz III Ausf E/F for the fourth or fifth time over the weekend.  I wasn't in mood to do modeling but still I managed to sneak into my workbench to look at the kit and study the instructions.  Wish it had a centerfold... 

Only 17 more days...

ONLY 17 more days, Andy!?

I have my kit and everything else but refuse to be tempted into opening another kit in the meantime so that's 17 days to go without modelling - research helps. Pictures are almost as good as the real deal

I'm now stuck trying to decide on my paint scheme! Do I risk a hairspray whitewash, do I paint it like wbill did his or do I paint it in the Summer sheme?

I've never done a hairspray job and if it went wrong then that's an expensive kit knackered!

Advise needed!

ATVB

Ben

OK...I made it through the night. Mike, I followed your instructions....well I might have had more than 3 Sammy Adams.......still feeling the urge to fondle the Stug...with your, Andy's and the rest of the guys help I think I can be stronger. Still looking for a meeting.

Chazzer

OK...I made it through the night. Mike, I followed your instructions....well I might have had more than 3 Sammy Adams.......still feeling the urge to fondle the Stug...with your, Andy's and the rest of the guys help I think I can be stronger. Still looking for a meeting.

You had me at "...more than three Sammy Adams...".

Dammit! DAMMIT! Dammit, DAMMIT, DAMMIT!!!

I keep looking at the first page of this thread, hoping and hoping and hoping that someone will step up to the Stug III Ausf E.

BUT IT HASN'T HAPPENED. And I can feel myself being pulled in, like an asteroid being attracted by the earth's gravitational pull, I'm orbitting closer... and closer... and closer... until FINALLY, I get sucked in and go up in a ball of FLAMES!!!

This is ALL your fault ANDY!!!

OK, here's the deal - at the end of September, at AMPSEast, I am going to purchase the Cyberhobby Stug III E and construct it for this GB. THERE, I said it. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW!!!!????

All I can say is you better come up with a hell of a badge for this one Andy!!!

Boyd: Heh, heh!  Welcome to the Dark Side!!

MAJ Mike

Boyd: Heh, heh!  Welcome to the Dark Side!!

DAMMIT!!!!

bbrowniii

Dammit! DAMMIT! Dammit, DAMMIT, DAMMIT!!!

I keep looking at the first page of this thread, hoping and hoping and hoping that someone will step up to the Stug III Ausf E.

BUT IT HASN'T HAPPENED. And I can feel myself being pulled in, like an asteroid being attracted by the earth's gravitational pull, I'm orbitting closer... and closer... and closer... until FINALLY, I get sucked in and go up in a ball of FLAMES!!!

This is ALL your fault ANDY!!!

OK, here's the deal - at the end of September, at AMPSEast, I am going to purchase the Cyberhobby Stug III E and construct it for this GB. THERE, I said it. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW!!!!????

All I can say is you better come up with a hell of a badge for this one Andy!!!

LMAO!  How in the world is it my fault?!?!?!  I was pressured to host a GB... noticed there was not much Armor GB going on after July 1st so I had to come out to keep us out of trouble especially Chazzer and MAJ Mike.  You see I am trying to save the world...

Promise you it will be another fun GB!  If not, then I will have to buy you a whenever I come to New England area one day.  I think it is great that we can close that gap... will update the list to include your CH StuG III Ausf E. 

Hey Andy,this thread is getting pretty long with still two weeks to the start date .Maybe you should start a new one on July 1st for the build logs.

anthony2779

Hey Andy,this thread is getting pretty long with still two weeks to the start date .Maybe you should start a new one on July 1st for the build logs.

That is not a bad idea. I second the motion.

Hey, did you consider trying to do it the same way we did Marder Madness? Might be a little hard to organize, but once it got rolling, it seemed like a pretty useful format.

I concur... will start a new thread on June 30th.  It will say 'The Official Panzer III and its Variants GB'.  Thanks for bringing this up... I agree it will be a long one with a good number of participants. Thanks Anthony!

Boyd- I thought about doing Marder Madness because I enjoyed that approach but it worked out great for a small group.  I don't think it will work for us that big... speaking of Marder Madness, have you seen Marc?  I don't think I have seen him online for a while. 

deafpanzer

I concur... will start a new thread on June 30th.  It will say 'The Official Panzer III and its Variants GB'.  Thanks for bringing this up... I agree it will be a long one with a good number of participants. Thanks Anthony!

Boyd- I thought about doing Marder Madness because I enjoyed that approach but it worked out great for a small group.  I don't think it will work for us that big... speaking of Marder Madness, have you seen Marc?  I don't think I have seen him online for a while. 

I don't see a problem with a long thread, but you're the Oberkommando GB here.

This is working out pretty well.  I'll have a T-62 completed for the Made in USSR GB just in time to start the Panzer III.  Thanks again for setting this up.

How's the GB Badge coming? 

deafpanzer

Boyd- I thought about doing Marder Madness because I enjoyed that approach but it worked out great for a small group.  I don't think it will work for us that big... speaking of Marder Madness, have you seen Marc?  I don't think I have seen him online for a while. 

Yeah, I can see where that would be tricky. Even with Marder Madness, we had people jumping in with posts so the builders posts were not the first set and in order.

It would definately take a LOT of coordination. However, if you decide you want to try and pull it off, I'd be game for it. Think about it, and if you want, PM me and we can brainstorm a way to make it work.

Of course, if you just don't want to bother - that's OK too.

One of the issues with doing a Marder-Madness style setup is that anyone either on dialup or limited bandwidth is TOTALLY SCREWED (that would include me). Have you seen how big that first page of MM is? That's the only reason I never chimed in after the first week or two.

Secondly, getting everyone to be at their pc's at the same time the first "official" day of the GB would present a difficult (at best) logistical issue - it would also prevent any new entrants to the build, which I'm sure you wouldn't want, especially for one that runs for so long.

Just my

That is a good point, Marc.

I had thought about you poor dial up souls out there.... but then decided to throw you under the bus .

The logistical issues would definately seem to preclude the MM type of approach, however...

Boyd, we better listen to your friend Dupes because he knows where you live.  We'd hate for you to disappear mysteriously...

15 more days to go...

Researching (And Yes I have opened the kit) on the Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. 'J' - Initial Production / early version and reviewing a lot of material (photos) of panzers in North Africa which provide details on paint, unit markings, equipment and gear stored on the vehicles.  I have found several examples of early Pz III Js in DAK service.  However, the kit (DML 6463) only comes with Russia/Eastern Europe markings (not a big deal), but also does not come with the extra filters use for the tropical environment vehicles, or the kit instructions don't call out the filters as an option. I think the extra filters are included (K16 and 17s).

Has any one build the kit before ... additional at some point in the Pz III production every vehicle received the extra filters regardless of the theater it was shipped off too. The engine deck is different on early Js from late Js. Does anyone in the group have photos of Pz. III operating in Russia / Moscow theater in late 1941, DML instructions calls for overall german grey, however would have the crews white washed / painted the vehicles during their first winter. Reading about their first winter accounts, many supply issues were encounter, though they may have found / used captured material. 

I currently have DML / Cyber kits - E, G, H, initial J, 2 in 1 Pz III J (late), Trop L, Ns, and an older Imperial Series M. Research material include Panzers in the Sand Vol I and 2, (excel source), No. 2 Pz III Achtung Panzer (excel book), Squadron/signal pubs Pz III, and several Concord Publication books with numerous photos of Pz IIIs. See several examples of winter camo in early 1942 and later. Looking around for any later 1941 photos of early Pz IIIs or IVs operating in Northern Russia. 

MAJ Mike

How's the GB Badge coming? 

Hey Mike!  I am sorry I missed your question earlier.  I can't believe I haven't started working on our GB badge!  I did try few weeks ago but I didn't like how it came out because my photo shopping skill really sucks. 

Wondering if there is somebody who is good at making GB badges can make one for us.  I had one in mind... a best picture of Panzer III then it will be marked with large roman numerals 'III' like this...

Is anybody interested to give this a shot?  We can make second badge for those who are building a StuG. 

No problem.  I'd volunteer, but I just purchased Photoshop and I can barely start the program.  I need a "Photoshop for Olde Pharts" book.

I'm at my best when making unnecessary snarky comments from the back row of desks.

Guys, I'm on the verge of doing it again. Need help....losing control.....can't fight the urge.....oh no.......need....to.......soon.....just for a minute..........I...can't stop myself......beem me otta here Scotty...hurry......come in Scotty....anyone.....can,t sto...o.....o...p! He....l..........................................................................

Chazzer:  Get a grip!!  Not much longer.

I confess that opened the kit box yesterday and laid out all of the AM stuff to go with it.

Chazzer:  Get a grip!!  Not much longer.

I confess that opened the kit box yesterday and laid out all of the AM stuff to go with it.