Tamiya StuG III Ausf.G Furhe Version

[Kevthemodeller]

Here's my entry, going to be pretty much OTB


(copied from Wiki)

While the StuG was considered self-propelled artillery, it was not clear which land combat arm of the German Army would handle the new weapon. The Panzerwaffe (armoured corps), the natural user of tracked fighting vehicles, had no resources to spare for the formation of StuG units and neither did the infantry. It was agreed that it would best be employed as part of the artillery arm. The StuGs were organised into battalions (later renamed "brigades" for disinformation purposes) and followed their own doctrine. Infantry support using direct-fire was its intended role. Later, there was also a strong emphasis on its use as an anti-tank gun.

As the StuG was designed to fill an infantry close support combat role, early models were fitted with a low-velocity 7.5 cm StuK 37 L/24 gun. Low-velocity shells are lightly built of thin steel and carry a large charge of explosive, to destroy soft-skin targets and blast fortifications. Such shells do not penetrate armour well. After the Germans encountered the Soviet KV-1 and T-34 tanks, the StuG was first equipped with a high-velocity 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/43 main gun (spring 1942) and in the autumn of 1942 with the slightly longer 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 gun. These high-velocity guns were the same as those mounted on the Panzer IV for anti-tank use but the heavy steel wall high-velocity shells carried much less explosive and had a lower blast effect for use against infantry or field fortifications. These versions were known as the 7.5 cm Sturmgeschütz 40 Ausf.F, Ausf. F/8 and Ausf. G (Sd.Kfz.142/1).

Beginning with the StuG III Ausf. G from December 1942, a 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun could be mounted on a shield on top of the superstructure for added anti-infantry protection. Some of the F/8 models were retrofitted with a shield. Many of the later StuG III Ausf. G models were equipped with an additional coaxial 7.92 mm MG34.

The vehicles of the Sturmgeschütz series were cheaper and faster to build than contemporary German tanks; at 82,500 RM, a StuG III Ausf G was cheaper than a Panzer III Ausf. M, which cost 103,163 RM. This was due to the omission of the turret, which greatly simplified manufacture and allowed the chassis to carry a larger gun. By the end of the war, ~11,300 StuG IIIs and StuH 42s had been built.













I'm going to build the Russia 1943 version which is where the concept of the StuG 111 to tank hunter started

[Quax]

Looks good Kev and with it being Tamiya you'll have most of it built by Sunday! Apart from the 200 wheels of course!
Paul

[Kevthemodeller]

I'm hoping for a quickish build I'm also hoping this one will get my mojo going again, after my last two builds both piling in

[alextheblue]

Best of luck Kev, looking forward to following this one come together. Not built this one myself, but being Tamiya it shouldn't give you any problems.

[Kevthemodeller]

Best of luck Kev, looking forward to following this one come together. Not built this one myself, but being Tamiya it shouldn't give you any problems.

Thanks mate hopefully not

[Tomcat64]

I built this one for the Winter GB a couple of years ago Kev - it's a cracking kit!

Hoping it behaves itself for you too

[Stokesy44]

Love those Tamiya Stugs. Built a similar one about 4 years ago, lovely thing it was.

[Kevthemodeller]

Love those Tamiya Stugs. Built a similar one about 4 years ago, lovely thing it was.

Fingers crossed

I built this one for the Winter GB a couple of years ago Kev - it's a cracking kit!
Hoping it behaves itself for you too

Yes I remember

[Kevthemodeller]

Sorry I've been a bit lazy in up dates but the build is progressing very nicely, typical Tamiya it's falling together


[url=https://flic.kr/p/SUTxC3]

Wheels

[TheNordus]

Wish I'd been keeping up with what's going on here in the forums, I just started this very same kit, but I got some resin accessories, winterketten and tamiya's photo etch for it.
It's a really nice kit to build, definitely much easier than the Dragon offerings. Would recommend to fill the injection pin marks on the machine gun shield and to fill the sponson holes with some plastic card if you have it. Those are the only two problems I have with the kit.

[Tomcat64]

Wheels

- I always liked @Stokesy44's theory that Germany lost the war because they eventually ran out of wheels!

[Kevthemodeller]

Wheels

- I always liked @Stokesy44's theory that Germany lost the war because they eventually ran out of wheels!

[digger303]

Wheels

- I always liked @Stokesy44's theory that Germany lost the war because they eventually ran out of wheels!
[@Stokesy44[/@Stokesy44

[Kevthemodeller]

Had a really good bench sessions this weekend
It doesn't look like much but there's a good deal of parts that had to be removed from the sprues, cleaned up and fitted. For some reason the left side engine louvre just wouldn't sit straight, I'm going to attempt to remove it and realign it.

The gun, the barrel is a two piece affair, good deal of sanding etc.

Again a lot of cutting, sanding and fitting.

I've parted the schurzen armour so as to be able to replicate damage and/or missing plates.
The before

And after

Schurzen mounting brackets and rails, quite fiddly these

[Quax]

Things are looking good Kev its coming together nicely! As for the louvre if its like that on a Tamiya kit then its probably supposed to look like that It'll be the barrel that'll drive you crackers!

Paul

[Kevthemodeller]

It's going together very easily as I'd expect from a Tamiya kit which is a far cry from my more recent experiences with others

The Louvre I think is my fault as there's a fair bit of movement, I obviously didn't have it aligned correctly.

[digger303]

You'll be knocking shermans over in no time

[Kevthemodeller]

You'll be knocking shermans over in no time

[Tomcat64]

Nice progress Kev - like the idea of separating out the schurzen plates

[Kevthemodeller]

Nice progress Kev - like the idea of separating out the schurzen plates

Thanks mate

Not had a lot of bench time so far this week, just a bit of tidying up. Hopefully get another good session this weekend

[Kevthemodeller]

Had a few hours on the bench this afternoon

Got the barrel sorted

And the primer is on thought I give brown a go so, to lighten up the top colour a little

[MarkVerploeg]

That is some nice work so far Kev
STuG's where some cool machines ,combining the small chassis of the Panzer III with quite a good gun (once they started to use the L/48 guns)
I think i made this kit once ,years ago when i came back in the hobby
It is a nice little kit but personally i find some other kits better for my way of building
Anyway keep up the good work

[digger303]

The sneaky ambush type, that'll make a tanker worry.

[Tomcat64]

Great progress Kev - that's coming along very nicely indeed.

[Stokesy44]

The sneaky ambush type, that'll make a tanker worry.

It didn't take much to make an allied tanker worry. In Max Hasting's book on Normandy his chapter covering operation Goodwood is subtitled 'The death ride of the Armoured Divisions' chilling stuff.

[digger303]

The sneaky ambush type, that'll make a tanker worry.

It didn't take much to make an allied tanker worry. In Max Hasting's book on Normandy his chapter covering operation Goodwood is subtitled 'The death ride of the Armoured Divisions' chilling stuff.

I have no doubt of that. I would have been poooping my pants everytime my tank had to come out of cover.

[Kevthemodeller]

Been somewhat busy last week or so, and got behind with posting here's 2 weekends ago work.





Thought I've give Ammo Mig another go, I had a lot of issues trying to stop needle tip drying on the Wesp a while back. Much better this time but not as good as I'd like or that I can achieve with Tamiya/Mr Hobby paints, but I'll be running Ammo Mig out and not replacing them.
Got some bench time last evening, concentrated on the schurzen plates and the wheels, wheeeeeels I tell ya

[Stokesy44]

Completely agree with you about Tamiya and Mr Hobby, I haven't found anything that sprays as well as they do.

Lovely paint job and chipping by the way. Wheels look good, all 264 of them

[Tomcat64]

Nice work Kev - was the Dark Yellow MiG as well or just the Red Brown camo colour?

[Kevthemodeller]

Nice work Kev - was the Dark Yellow MiG as well or just the Red Brown camo colour?

Thanks mate

All the paint is Ammo Neil, the primer is A.Mig-2006 rust primer, the yellow is A.Mig-010 RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb (early- mid war), the brown A.Mig-015 RAL 8017 Schokobraun.

[Kevthemodeller]

The weekends bench time
Worked on the schurzen plates still some way to go yet

Kit is pretty much assembled now and varnished ready for the weathering

[Kevthemodeller]

Had some quality bench time this afternoon
Schurzen plates are now on the the StuG




And with Cammo added, still not really happy with the Ammo Mig paint but it will do for this build. I went for the painted in the field look, as all my research told me that's what happened in most cases.




The model has now been varnished and will be ready to start the weathering stages hopefully tomorrow

[Quax]

Looking good so far Kev and the weathering will bring it all together so don't worry about the paint.

Cheers
Paul

[Tomcat64]

Great progress Kev - you're right about the camo being field applied so it's completely random in a lot of cases.

Looking forward to seeing it come together with the weathering.

[Kevthemodeller]

Great progress Kev - you're right about the camo being field applied so it's completely random in a lot of cases.

Looking forward to seeing it come together with the weathering.

Looking good so far Kev and the weathering will bring it all together so don't worry about the paint.

Cheers
Paul

Thanks guys sorry for the delay but work is unfortunately up to my neck in work but next few days and the weekend are looking very bench friendly

[Kevthemodeller]

To days little up date, decals this morning and varnished this afternoon



Now the weathering can start tomorrow

[digger303]

To days little up date, decals this morning and varnished this afternoon



Now the weathering can start tomorrow

[Tomcat64]

I always love the way the addition of a handful of decals brings a model to life somehow.

Looking good Kev - interested to see how you weather it up now.

[Kevthemodeller]

mate

I always love the way the addition of a handful of decals brings a model to life somehow.

Looking good Kev - interested to see how you weather it up now.

It sure does

[Kevthemodeller]

Got a few hours after work, the weathering has started
I'm going for a Kursk period look, from my research many III G at Kursk were either new off the production line fitted with L/48 gun or recently converted/overhauled to the L/40 & 48. So hadn't seen at the time of Kursk offensive much action.

[Hawkmoon]

Looking good and nice work. I always thought the Stug was almost a lost tank as it never got the fame of other German tanks but that maybe down to it always being classed as a mobile artillery weapon and crewed by artillery men too rather than a tank. I did the Dragon kit a few years back with the aftermarket full interior, gun ,engine and crew compartment.

[jmurphy18]

Nice build kev. Coming along nicely

[alextheblue]

Great work Kev, that's building up into a really nice StuG. Love the plates and you've done a cracking job on the camo. Looks very authentic.

[Kevthemodeller]

Looking good and nice work. I always thought the Stug was almost a lost tank as it never got the fame of other German tanks but that maybe down to it always being classed as a mobile artillery weapon and crewed by artillery men too rather than a tank. I did the Dragon kit a few years back with the aftermarket full interior, gun ,engine and crew compartment.

Thanks mate, that's a good looking StuG

[Kevthemodeller]

Great work Kev, that's building up into a really nice StuG. Love the plates and you've done a cracking job on the camo. Looks very authentic.

Thanks mate

[Kevthemodeller]

I've been working away but I've not had time to edit and post, work is just crushing at present but here we go I'm calling it done

[digger303]

Great build, nice paint and you'v got that weathering popping those bolts nicely. I can almost see all the threads...

[jmurphy18]

This looks sweet Kev! Awesome

[Kevthemodeller]

This looks sweet Kev! Awesome

Great build, nice paint and you'v got that weathering popping those bolts nicely. I can almost see all the threads...

guys it was a very enjoyable build Although over 20 yrs old the kit just fell together none of the frustrating issues I've had with my recent builds, one of those was 10yrs newer Just shows you how good Tamiya were at the time and still are

[Quax]

Knew it would look great after you waved your magic weathering wand!
Super job, well done mate!
Cheers
Paul