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

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? 

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

bufflehead wrote:

Well, I'm thinking about not putting schurzen on mine.  I noticed that the Italeri kit includes schurzen but has no schurzen mounts at all...they just glue onto the fenders.  Some finished builds show a strange angular type mount for the schurzen, something I have not been able to confirm via the internet.  Does anyone have a recommendation on a good reference book or books on the Jagdpanzer IV series??

Unless I misunderstand you, are you talking about the tubular style bracket that was used to hang the mesh schurzen? I've found refs to be lacking unlesss you want to shell large $$'s for a book. Tanks in Detail might have good pics.

Jeff, only 4 more days bud. Got your build down.

Yay, got my transfers today. Way more than I'll need. Sad part, is that all my future builds seem to not have these kind of numbers.

Tigerman,

I've finally decided what I'm going to build for this one - a 1/72 Dragon Su-100.  Can't wait til Friday!!

Jeff

jthurston wrote:

frangkly wrote: I just started my jagdtiger this weekend... You didn't start that for this GB, didja?

I tried PMing him on the matter. Someone noticed that this wasn't on the first page build list, but rather a Jagdpanther. So, there might have been some overreaction.

Thanks Mark on the schurzen info, because I can't confirm it either way.

frangkly wrote:

I just started my jagdtiger this weekend...

You didn't start that for this GB, didja?

tigerman wrote:

panzerguy wrote:   I've got a Tamiya Marder III that was next on my list so I guess this will be my first GB.Plan to do it oob except for track's.Now just need to decide Italy or Russia. Excellent choice and welcome aboard. I just won one on ebay last week. I'd go for Russia and do a winter-wash. Just my choice, because I doubt we'll see any here. Eric-Nice PE to go with your Jagdpanzer. Ernest, I couldn't tell you which is better, probably my Dragon kit. LOL It ought to be fun to compare differences between the 3 kits. Okay, now that I have your guys attention: Does anyone know if PE skirts were popular on the long-barreled Jagds? I believe Ernest asked if we thought they looked good with them and i responded that I did at that, but want mine to be accurate enough.

The Enclopedia of German Tanks shows several pics of the long barreled Stugs and Panzer IV/70(V) with shurzen (side skirts) so you are safe using them.

Best Regards,

               Mark

frangkly wrote:

time!!!, that is all I need. I just started my jagdtiger this weekend while waiting for her PE and try to finish my kingtiger at the same time.... and hopefully I will be able to start my destroyed SU 125 next march

Holy cow! That's not "started", it's almost DONE!

Hermesminiatures wrote:

Were PE skirts popular on the real thing? Um, no...I think they used steel

BWAAAAHAAAAHAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Were PE skirts popular on the real thing? Um, no...I think they used steel

To answer the question: no. They were seen very infrequently, and the only L/70 variant which commonly has them is the mesh-skirted Jagdpanzer IV L/70(A) Zwischenlosung.

Here's the only photo of a skirted (very sparsely too!) L/70 variant I've see:

panzerguy wrote:

I've got a Tamiya Marder III that was next on my list so I guess this will be my first GB.Plan to do it oob except for track's.Now just need to decide Italy or Russia.

Excellent choice and welcome aboard. I just won one on ebay last week. I'd go for Russia and do a winter-wash. Just my choice, because I doubt we'll see any here.

Eric-Nice PE to go with your Jagdpanzer.

Ernest, I couldn't tell you which is better, probably my Dragon kit. LOL It ought to be fun to compare differences between the 3 kits.

Okay, now that I have your guys attention: Does anyone know if PE skirts were popular on the long-barreled Jagds? I believe Ernest asked if we thought they looked good with them and i responded that I did at that, but want mine to be accurate enough.

Jester75 wrote:

Jester, my Jagdpanzer IV is better than your Jagdpanzer IV!!! Nah Nah Nah!!!

...of course its the finished product that counts!!  hehe!  Actually, does anyone know which kit IS better??

In my whinniest young kid voice.................

Are we there yet????

bufflehead wrote:

BTW Frankgly, the sign up list shows you doing a Jagdpanther, not a Jagdtiger.  I'm not complaining or anything just curious!

Maybe in all fairness that was his build. Too many pages to thumb back through, but you may PM if you'd like and I apologize if I'm in error on this.

Tigerman,

     Yes I typed too fast. Too much coffee I did mean JagdPanther. I will probably add some PE and a after market barrel. Maybee some aftermarket track. If not then it will be a JagdTiger. It all will be decided by my tax return. Thanks for pointing out my error.

Best Regards,

                Mark

Brews wrote:

Which part of 2/1/08 to 6/1/08 don't you understand? Or "wash sprues but don't start yet?" I don't know. Everyone else is patiently waiting, naye, eager for the build to start, and there is this one guy who has to jump the start ... and tell everyone about it. It kind of makes a mockery out of setting a timeframe.

Frankgly, I understand the excitement to start, but please refain until this Friday which is the starting time for the GB out of due respect to the other members. Thanks.

Moose, got your build.