75th Anniversary of 1942 (World at War)

Bish:  that promises to be really sharp; always liked the look of the Pz II; and that setting will be just what it needs.

Time for me to get going on my first, and probably only, armour build of the year. Dragons Pz II Ausf F.

I will be adding a Voyager PE set and metal 2cm barrel from Lion Marc. The vehicle will be one belonging to the 22 Pz Div in Stalingrad. I have not cut any plastic yet, but did get a head start on the base over the last couple of weeks. As with the E-100 Jg pz i did last year, i am useing a building from Great Norh Roads. This is a facory ruin which i think is in keeping with the Stalingrad setting.

I'll be making a start on the kit later today, so hopefilly some progress later in the week.

Good discussion, chaps!  Thanks.  I know virtually nothing about armor; it's good to have around those who do.

Also wanted to let everyone know that I have re-posted the group badge and the photos of the completed models on the front page, using a new host, following the photobucket travesty.

If there is anything I can do to help if you lost something, I'll be glad to.

Thanks y'all.

jgeratic

Dan - really liking how it's shaping up.

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Bish - look forward to your Pz II build.

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ManCityFan and the Pz IIIM - I think Dwayne meant the colour callout on the instructions did not fit the intented setting for this GB?  The M variant ended production just as Dark yellow was being introduced, but the intial Dunkelgelb paint had been around for a while in civilian use for farm machinary - so who knows.

There is some opinion that the IIIM never made it to Stalingrad, the battle being too deep in enemy territory to make it there in time.  When you think about it, there really is a small window of a chance that it would be available as a reinforcement.  Around the third week of November Stalingrad was completely surrounded.  Might be an idea to ask the folks over at missing-lynx as many are up to speed on the latest literature/research.

regards,

Jack

 

 

I agree, i think it unlikely the Ausf M would have made it into the city. With production only begining in Sept, thoug it may very well have been in the Stalingrad sector in the drive to relieve the city.

It could be that Ausf L's seen in thye city could be confused with M's. From what i can tell, mainly through Panzer Tracts, the main differances between the 2 revoved around fitting it for deep wading, most of which would not be visible.

Dan - really liking how it's shaping up.

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Bish - look forward to your Pz II build.

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ManCityFan and the Pz IIIM - I think Dwayne meant the colour callout on the instructions did not fit the intented setting for this GB?  The M variant ended production just as Dark yellow was being introduced, but the intial Dunkelgelb paint had been around for a while in civilian use for farm machinary - so who knows.

There is some opinion that the IIIM never made it to Stalingrad, the battle being too deep in enemy territory to make it there in time.  When you think about it, there really is a small window of a chance that it would be available as a reinforcement.  Around the third week of November Stalingrad was completely surrounded.  Might be an idea to ask the folks over at missing-lynx as many are up to speed on the latest literature/research.

regards,

Jack

Dan, great job on that one.

ManCityFan

Did some research on the pzkpw III ausf M and the decal markings for the Tamiya kit.  Comes with two options, and I have chosen the 14th Panzer Division markings.  Based on the history I read, the most likely scenario for those markings would be the Summer campaign in Russia that eventually led to the destruction of the 14th at Stalingrad.

The color callouts in the instructions are for dark yellow and red-brown, but since this is a 1942 build, that can't be right, since dark yellow wasn't introduced until 1943, correct?  I plan to use panzer dark grey.

Further research into this version of the pzkpw III was a little confusing, but from what I can gather, the early version of the M did not have schurzen installed at until after the time period we are modelling.  

If any of this is incorrect, I would appreciate your comments.

Thanks,

D

 

The colour call out on that does seem a bit odd, but then it is a very old Tamiya kit. My build for this GB, starting in a day or so, is a Pz II also in the Stalingrad sector, and the paint scheme is grey with some patches of yellow. As jack pointed out, this was the southern sector and i even seen to recall reading years ago that some tropical kit was sent to that area because of the climate and conditions.

So it could be possable that what tamiya are caling yellow and red brown could be Pz Grey with patches of yellow, posable the type used in Africa, applied over it. But this would be done in the field, so when it arrived at the front, it would have been grey, so you can't go wrong with that.

Thats in addition to the possability they were re-routed from Afica as you mention.

And your correct, no Schurzen.

One very sharp looking panzer, Dan.  The paintwork is gorgeous!

Thanks MancityFan: Welcome aboard, looking forward to your Panzer III build.

Thanks Checkmateking.

Have most of the painting done, just adding on parts to the hull. The road wheel's fit so tight that I did not have to use any glue, a little bit of paint gets on them and the fit it nice and tight. Only the return wheels I had to glue. I'll be gluing the tracks to the top of the return wheels tomorrow. Also will be including a figure from a Tamiya Panzer II kit.

36 by Daniel Smith, on Flickr

jgeratic

Hi Dwayne, can't offer much more on the Panzer IIIm than what has already been stated.  Only 250 were produced between October '42 to February '43.  The Schürzen were issued as kits in the spring of '43, so obviously none of the panzers left the factory with the extra armour, rather being fitted at field workshops.

Haven't been able to find anything in he way of an allocation table for the M series, so can't say either way if they were present at Stalingrad.  If they were, it is possible they were sent in the same tropical colours as the DAK vehicles, since the sector was considered as a southern climate.

regards,

Jack

 

Hi Jack.  I checked kits from other manufacturers, and Dragon has front cover art for a III ausf M in panzer grey and no schurzen, so I will consider that as confirmation that they existed.  

I did read somewhere in my research that some were painted in the tropen scheme and then re-routed to Russia, so you are correct that this is a possibility.  

Just finished a DAK kit, and want to try panzer grey on this one.  I think this will be accurate. 

Thanks for the reply,

D

Hi Dwayne, can't offer much more on the Panzer IIIm than what has already been stated.  Only 250 were produced between October '42 to February '43.  The Schürzen were issued as kits in the spring of '43, so obviously none of the panzers left the factory with the extra armour, rather being fitted at field workshops.

Haven't been able to find anything in he way of an allocation table for the M series, so can't say either way if they were present at Stalingrad.  If they were, it is possible they were sent in the same tropical colours as the DAK vehicles, since the sector was considered as a southern climate.

regards,

Jack

D:  I haven't built any armor in years, but I found this on militarymodelling.com:

Here's a link to the page:

http://www.militarymodelling.com/forums/postings.asp?th=49777

I have no idea about the Schuertzen, but no doubt one of the armor experts knows when they appeared.

Did some research on the pzkpw III ausf M and the decal markings for the Tamiya kit.  Comes with two options, and I have chosen the 14th Panzer Division markings.  Based on the history I read, the most likely scenario for those markings would be the Summer campaign in Russia that eventually led to the destruction of the 14th at Stalingrad.

The color callouts in the instructions are for dark yellow and red-brown, but since this is a 1942 build, that can't be right, since dark yellow wasn't introduced until 1943, correct?  I plan to use panzer dark grey.

Further research into this version of the pzkpw III was a little confusing, but from what I can gather, the early version of the M did not have schurzen installed at until after the time period we are modelling.  

If any of this is incorrect, I would appreciate your comments.

Thanks,

D

Welcome to the GB, Dwayne.  Glad to have you joining in.

Your build is a blast-from-the-past.  I remember having this panzer back in the 1970's. And it came with that great looking group of soldiers.  

I look forward to watching your project! 

That's going well, Dan.  Paint work is looking great.

That Panzer iii looks so good, I am going to have to do one.  LOL.  Actually, I would like in on the group build, as my next armor project is another from my "vintage" stash.  Tamiya PZKW iii ausf M.

I've had this for at least 30 years, so I think it is about time I built it.

Please add me to the GB list.

Thanks,

D

Thanks Checkmate.

Thanks Bish.

Excellent job Johnny, a job well done. White wash looks great.

This Panzer III has been a quick and easy build, I pre-shaded yesterday and applied a coat of Model Master Afrika Grunbrau '41 #2099.  Part's where dry fitted on for photo's.

26 by Daniel Smith, on Flickr

27 by Daniel Smith, on Flickr

28 by Daniel Smith, on Flickr

29 by Daniel Smith, on Flickr

30 by Daniel Smith, on Flickr

31 by Daniel Smith, on Flickr

33 by Daniel Smith, on Flickr

34 by Daniel Smith, on Flickr

Looks great, tj.  I really appreciate how that winter camouflage effect turned out.

If it's OK with you, I'll use the last photo for the completed build roster.  Show off your work very nicely.

Thanks for being part of the GB.  "Forty-three" will be here before you know it; and in the meantime, I'm sure you'll find plenty of other subjects to exercise your talents with.

TJ, that looks right on.

Really captured the worn appearance of the field applied white wash, cool work.

regards,

Jack

My build is done. Thanks for letting me in this build. Can't wait for 1943

That is very effective, tj!  I like how you got the camouflage colors to peek through the white.  Nice!

Airframe is complete with decals. Skis on

I think for the type of white wash you have gone for, airbrushing was the best option.

Don't think I could either.  Tried a white overcoat on a Bf 109 flown by Erich Hartmann.  Didn't turn out so well.  Going to give it another go sometime in the future.

I like your technique, tj.

checkmateking02

So I take it you applied the white coats with an airbrush?

 

tempestjohnny

 

checkmateking02

That looks very effective, tj.  How did you apply it?

 

 

 

 

painted the regular camo first then gloss coat then went over with a very light coat of white and a dirty white basically added a little beige to it.  Lightly sanding to bring out under color. Will also add streaks of the under color

 

 

Nice idea, the dirty white is a nice touch.

So I take it you applied the white coats with an airbrush?

checkmateking02

That looks very effective, tj.  How did you apply it?

 

Thats really coming along well there Dan, painting soon from the looks of it.

tempestjohnny

Started the beat up winter camo

 

I like the white wash, great effect, and ditto to checks question.