"The Hunters GB" (2/1/08 to 6/1/08)

Nope, I'm talking about these guys:

I've seen quite a few finished builds with these type mounting brackets, but the photos don't show a lot of detail.  Can't find photos of the real thing on the internet either.  I was thinking about scratchbuilding them. 

Hey....here's an idea:  I think the Dragon kits and MAYBE the Tamiya kits have these type mounts.  Would anyone building these kits be willing to take a couple of close up photos of the parts and post them for me?? I just need to get a better idea of what they look like and where they get mounted on the hull.

Here is the best I could do without my macro lens. I think this is what you need, there with thier prominent ejector pin marks and all their glory. Hope this helps.

My bad Ernest. I see what you're talking about now.

Eric, thanks for hopefully reconfirming my beliefs that the long 75 had schurzen. Actually, I notice that the kit includes the shorter 75 also.

Alright, cracked into the Zvezda box last night, getting mentally prepared for Friday night.

The outside of the box (i.e., "supposedly" what this box of plastic will turn into):

The EXTENSIVE sheet of directions: 

They must have a paper shortage in Russia, because this is all you get. The other side has some vaaaaague color directions in cyrillic (luckily for me I learned a good bit in the Army) as well as directions on how to apply the two wrinkly "seven" decals. I'll be applying those with paint by hand, thank you very much.

I won't post a pic of what's actually inside the box, it's quite horrifying. Lots and lots of bright green flash, mostly. Should have an update pic sometime on Saturday!

Bufflehead - I've done the Schurzen brackets several times before so I can post some pics of mine when I do them...

I also decided to change my build slightly - a little history necessary though...

The Jagdpanzer IV A/0 was designed as a driver training vehicle, lightened by using aluminum armor (and a dummy wooden gun on some examples) to make it easier for novice crews to handle the otherwise-ungainly vehicle. Towards the end of the war, a handful were pressed into service (obviously a desperate measure considering the amount of protection offered by aluminum)

One was used for sure by Panzer Lehr in Normandy (a unit assembled from the elite instructors of the training schools). At least three others were seen in late war combat photos.

The one I plan to build is a somewhat-hypothetical very late war vehicle used by Panzer Division Clausewitz (another ad-hoc unit with many training and experimental vehicles) It was originally "armed" with a dummy gun and was pressed into service less than a month before war's end, after production of the L/48 gun had ceased. Of course the wooden gun wouldn't do (duh), so it was armed with the L/70 gun of the later Jagdpanzers. I don't have a picture of this vehicle but I've heard such a conversion is described (in German) in some late-war documents regarding PD Clausewitz.

So, no real change, just I get to do the much-cooler long barrel

I'm also toying with the idea of doing a Dragon ISU-122 as well (or 152, since the only difference is the gun and mantlet, both of which would be AM parts...)

But I will finish the Jagdpanzer first. And this time I will finish on time...it's my entry for a show on March 1st

Hermesminiatures wrote:

The Jagdpanzer IV A/0 was designed as a driver training vehicle, lightened by using aluminum armor (and a dummy wooden gun on some examples) to make it easier for novice crews to handle the otherwise-ungainly vehicle. Towards the end of the war, a handful were pressed into service (obviously a desperate measure considering the amount of protection offered by aluminum) One was used for sure by Panzer Lehr in Normandy (a unit assembled from the elite instructors of the training schools). At least three others were seen in late war combat photos.

Huh. Glad you mentioned the aluminum armor - I have that DML A/0 kit, and I'm assuming I would have gotten yelled at if I added a bunch of rust to something that wasn't entirely made of steel. Seem to remember those Panzer Lehr markings on the decal sheet...

Hermes, where do you find all this good historical info? 

Mostly the internet...Google translate helps so you're not limited to English pages.

I think I spend more time researching than painting...

Oh, about the aluminum armor - the sections that are aluminum are those added to the Panzer IV hull to make the Jagdpanzer. The lower hull (less the nose armor) an the engine deck are still steel.

Should be interesting, trying to weather the thing... 

Well, there would be the Swiss G-13 :)

And there are many differences with Marders. There's Marder II, IIIH and IIIM. I don't think anyone's doing a Marder II, are they? 

Wow I feel dumb, no there is no Marder II, I thought there was

That Swiss G-13 does look tempting though, It looks like a modified heter, are there any conversions or something, or would it be a scratch building project?

Ygmodeler, you might try one of the paper panzers by Trumpeter: E-10, E-20.

ONLY 2 MORE DAYS GENTS. 

Hermesminiatures wrote:

I'll be skiing all day Friday. Can I make up by starting tomorrow?

Ah, another trouble maker-eh?  Since I'll be AWOL this weekend, I will get precious little finished.

dupes wrote:

So is ANYONE planning on going nuts on their first Hunters build this weekend like I am? Or am I going into uncharted waters all by my lonesome?

Superbowl my friend...........Go Giants 

dupes wrote:

So is ANYONE planning on going nuts on their first Hunters build this weekend like I am? Or am I going into uncharted waters all by my lonesome?

Dupes, I'd be riding vanguard with ya on this one, if it weren't for the three builds I already have on the bench. This weekend (minus time for training in the dojo on Saturday and the Super Bowl on Sunday) should afford some much-needed bench time for my Tiger, T34 and PzII (Flamingo).

But if I get any one of them done and off the bench, I might start on that Dragon Jagdtiger. I'm tellin you guys, it's callin me!!!! (my g/f can't hear it, but I'm convinced the cat can)

jthurston wrote:

dupes wrote: So is ANYONE planning on going nuts on their first Hunters build this weekend like I am? Or am I going into uncharted waters all by my lonesome? Dupes, I'd be riding vanguard with ya on this one, if it weren't for the three builds I already have on the bench. This weekend (minus time for training in the dojo on Saturday and the Super Bowl on Sunday) should afford some much-needed bench time for my Tiger, T34 and PzII (Flamingo). But if I get any one of them done and off the bench, I might start on that Dragon Jagdtiger. I'm tellin you guys, it's callin me!!!! (my g/f can't hear it, but I'm convinced the cat can)

I love my  cats, but I prefer the ones like Jagdtigers and Panthers that don't mess up the litter-box. 

I have a bit on my plate, but I'll TRY to get a start on the PzJg I.

Other things I'll work on will include:

• 1:72 Ju 86 for the Airliners GB
• 1:72 Bishop for the Western Desert GB
• 1:24 Wallis Autogyro (James Bond version - You Only Live Twice)
• 1:24 Hurricane
• 1:35 Valentine for the Western Desert GB
• 1:72 Sdkfz 7 for the Western Desert GB

dupes wrote:

So is ANYONE planning on going nuts on their first Hunters build this weekend like I am? Or am I going into uncharted waters all by my lonesome?

Ok, so I have about 4-5 options, Marder II, E-10, M36 (had to put an Allied in there), and I found this, it looks cool, http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=AHK35021

It's Alan and I've never really heard that much about them, anybody know of this kit and whether it's "ok" or not?

Ygmodeler, that would be a cool choice. Alan though is not a shake-and-bake kit. They are know for generally poor fit and lots of cleanup. The subject it different and would be a welcome addition.

Michael, sorry you can't join in, perhaps on the next one.

tigerman wrote:

Ygmodeler, that would be a cool choice. Alan though is not a shake-and-bake kit. They are know for generally poor fit and lots of cleanup. The subject it different and would be a welcome addition. Michael, sorry you can't join in, perhaps on the next one.

Thanks Eric, that was what I was looking for, I think I'll go ahead with that one, put me down for the Alan, whatcha-ma-call-it, haha

...and let the build begin !

Sorry guys, in Southeast Asia is already February 1st.

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Ben