1/16 Sturmgeschütz III ausf G

[Mpfiend]

Good afternoon,
I normally build cars and motorcycles but seeing as there have been a few large scale builds under way here and in the Large scale group build, I have decided to give one a go and add my progress here as well.
Here are a few photos from the build of my 1/16 Sturmgeschütz III ausf G by Tacom.
I have mainly been concentrating on the interior of this build so far and I have deviated from the build instructions to allow a better fit of the fighting compartment without the added complications of having the armour, running gear and the fenders in the way so that the correct alignment can be achieved.
The interior has been painted with AK real colours and you will also see I have added some of the AFV modeller 3D printed parts as well.








In these last two photos the fighting compartment and engine cover are dry fitted to check alignment ready for gluing.




Thanks for looking and I look forward to reading your comments.

[Stokesy44]

Thats a great looking interior. I am working on this kit myself without the additions. Yours looks really well done

[digger303]

A very well done interior.

[Tomcat64]

Nice work Keith & great to see this kitted out with the full interior as well

[Mpfiend]

Thats a great looking interior. I am working on this kit myself without the additions. Yours looks really well done

Thanks very much for looking in and commenting, I have been following your build, you are a lot further forward than I am and making fantastic progress

[Mpfiend]

A very well done interior.

Thanks very much Digger.

[Mpfiend]

Nice work Keith & great to see this kitted out with the full interior as well

Thanks for looking in Neil,
I have been looking in on you build also.
The additional parts from AFV are quite pricey, they fit reasonably well and can mostly be seen through the open hatches.
I also bought the radio conversion, but decided to go with the kit radios and just use the transformers/boxes from the upgrade kit.
I intend to have the roof of the fighting compartment removable so that more can be seen.

[digger303]

Nice work Keith & great to see this kitted out with the full interior as well

Thanks for looking in Neil,
I have been looking in on you build also.
The additional parts from AFV are quite pricey, they fit reasonably well and can mostly be seen through the open hatches.
I also bought the radio conversion, but decided to go with the kit radios and just use the transformers/boxes from the upgrade kit.
I intend to have the roof of the fighting compartment removable so that more can be seen.

You have opened my eyes a little about these bigger scale kits. In that everything is bigger and so much of the interior can be seen through the hatches unless you button it up solid. So the addition of upgrades such as interior items can be very beneficial except to the wallet of course.

[Mpfiend]

You have opened my eyes a little about these bigger scale kits. In that everything is bigger and so much of the interior can be seen through the hatches unless you button it up solid. So the addition of upgrades such as interior items can be very beneficial except to the wallet of course.

Thanks Digger,
The upgrades I have used are definitely pricey, however this kit is only just over £110 in the UK compared to other Trumpeter kits at the same scale which are in excess of £250. so extra spent on the interior isn't so bad.
As you say with this "unbuttoned" quite a lot of the detail can be seen also at this scale, so I think it is worth the extra cost and time

[DRUMS01]

I really like the interior work. Looks like it's coming along great. I sure wish they made an interior for the M4A3E8 Sherman. I read where they're coming out with a figure set for it, but an interior would bring it to a completely different level.

Keep up your good work, we are all watching and enjoying your string.

Ben

[Mpfiend]

I really like the interior work. Looks like it's coming along great. I sure wish they made an interior for the M4A3E8 Sherman. I read where they're coming out with a figure set for it, but an interior would bring it to a completely different level.

Keep up your good work, we are all watching and enjoying your string.

Ben

Thank you Ben,
Yes I too wish the big Sherman had an interior and an engine. I guess if this was the case though the kit price would be much higher.

[ForeverPlasticKits]

Huge build with all the details highlighted by a marvelous paint!

[RangerNeil]

I really like the interior work. Looks like it's coming along great. I sure wish they made an interior for the M4A3E8 Sherman. I read where they're coming out with a figure set for it, but an interior would bring it to a completely different level.

Keep up your good work, we are all watching and enjoying your string.

Ben

Thank you Ben,
Yes I too wish the big Sherman had an interior and an engine. I guess if this was the case though the kit price would be much higher.

Be nice if they were to make them and then offer both as optional extras for those who wanted them thus keeping the actual kit price down.

[Mpfiend]

Thank you Ben,
Yes I too wish the big Sherman had an interior and an engine. I guess if this was the case though the kit price would be much higher.

Be nice if they were to make them and then offer both as optional extras for those who wanted them thus keeping the actual kit price down.

Yes, agreed that would be the best solution. lets hope they read this.

[Mpfiend]

Good afternoon,
Here is a little more progress for you,
The engine deck has been assembled, the photo etch screens will be added once I have sprayed the insides of the Ducts and the tools will be added once the base painting has been carried out.



The front armour and front plate has been secured in place.



The casemate/ fighting compartment was finally fixed in place, I fitted this before adding the fenders as I found it was much easier to align and clamp it down. Once this was set I added the fenders, then the support brackets and then finally I added the suspension arms, this was done last so that they didn't get in the way of the clamps used to secure the casemate and fenders.




The suspension arms are hanging in their natural position at the moment as I am waiting for the cement to dry before putting weight on them.

I look forward to reading your comments.

[digger303]

Great work and I love the interior.

[Mpfiend]

Thanks for looking in Digger.

[BigWall]

Superb work on the interior!

[Mpfiend]

Superb work on the interior!

Thanks very much Joe

[MrBowcat]

That interior is a thing of beauty.

[Mpfiend]

That interior is a thing of beauty.

Thanks very much Mr Bowcat, thanks for looking in

[Mpfiend]

Good afternoon,
Here is a bit more progress for you.
I have primed the lower part of the hull, suspension, wheels. idlers and drive sprockets with Mr hobby mahogany surfacer





Next I decided to make fitting the tracks a little easier to modify the end links to take a pin rather than trying to glue the final plate on once the tracks were fitted.


Here the R/H track is complete.



I look forward to reading your comments.

[Stokesy44]

Primer looks good and that pin idea is so much better than the way the kit says to put the tracks on.

[digger303]

Works well, so much easier

[Donkeywalloper]

Awesome work on such a big beast
DW

[Mpfiend]

Primer looks good and that pin idea is so much better than the way the kit says to put the tracks on.

Yes my thoughts exactly, thanks for looking in.

[Mpfiend]

Works well, so much easier

Thanks Digger

[Mpfiend]

Awesome work on such a big beast
DW

Thanks very much DW.

[Mpfiend]

Good morning,
Thank you all for looking in and taking the time to write a comment.

A little more progress for you.
Second track assembled.


Main armament sub assemblies built


Road wheels painted with base colours, I have also painted the idlers in the same way, but these are not shown here.


Roof details built, these are all still removable for ease of painting. I have also constructed a "Rack" for carrying the stowage I will be adding.



I look forward to reading your comments.

[Stokesy44]

Looking good.

Stowage rack looks great. Someone's been watching Andy's HHQ channel on Youtube!

[Mpfiend]

Looking good.
Stowage rack looks great. Someone's been watching Andy's HHQ channel on Youtube!

Haha yes i did watch all three of his videos before I started this build. I also used the Meng “bolts” that you used for your rack. They add quite a bit to the effect so thanks for passing that one on.

[Stokesy44]

Looking good.
Stowage rack looks great. Someone's been watching Andy's HHQ channel on Youtube!

Haha yes i did watch all three of his videos before I started this build. I also used the m’engueule “bolts” that you used for your rack. They add quite a bit to the effect so thanks for passing that one on.

You've done a cracking job. I cant wait to see how you fill it

[Mpfiend]

You've done a cracking job. I cant wait to see how you fill it

Thanks very much.

[Mpfiend]

Good morning,
A little more progress for you, the main vehicle, roof and engine cover were primed with Mr surfacer mahogany.
Once this was dry they were sprayed with semi gloss clear and then chipping medium ready for the next stage.



I look forward to reading your comments.

[digger303]

[Mpfiend]

Thanks for looking in Digger.

[Mpfiend]

Good morning,
well here is another quick instalment,
The first colour is on and the first round of "chipping" is complete, this was followed by two coats of Tamiya LP24 semi gloss clear and another layer of chipping fluid ready for the next layer.






As always I look forward to reading your comments.

[digger303]

Good morning,
well here is another quick instalment,
The first colour is on and the first round of "chipping" is complete, this was followed by two coats of Tamiya LP24 semi gloss clear and another layer of chipping compound ready for the next layer.


As always I look forward to reading your comments.

Love this bit of chipping the most it looks like more than just chipping. The paint has a worn away look to it.

[Stokesy44]

Cracking result. Like Digger said, worn as well as chipped

[Mpfiend]

Love this bit of chipping the most it looks like more than just chipping. The paint has a worn away look to it.

Thanks for looking in.

[Mpfiend]

Cracking result. Like Digger said, worn as well as chipped

Thank you.

[Mpfiend]

Good afternoon,
I have now added a second colour and chipped it to build on the initial effect, these photos were taken before the next lot of satin clear coat was added.
[



I need to paint the smaller parts now and bring them up to this stage before moving forward with the next stages.

I'm still debating whether to apply some olive green to this and make it a Yellow/green camo version or just leave it yellow, as there is only one yellow option included on the decal sheet for this kit.
I look forward to reading your comments.

[Josebagasteiz]

A magnificent job that can be appreciated through the details you have added such as removal of joints and burrs, welding lines, etc.

The paint job is a hat off too.

All the best.

[cor]

Paintwork looks very realistic

[digger303]

[Mpfiend]

Good afternoon,
A little more progress for you. I have now painted the other smaller parts to match the main armour, I have also painted the gun parts assembled and fitted it to the interior.
I have also added the decals, they stand out really badly at the moment, but once dry these will be weathered back to match the rest of the paint work. I also test fitted one side of the running gear, these also need weathering back






I look forward to reading your comments.

[digger303]

Many hrs of painstaking detail work. Top notch weathering.
Will you chip the wheels and suspension. It looks cleaner than the top hull.
Look forward to the installation of the track.

[Stokesy44]

Looking good. Wheels look a bit clean at the mo!

[KalebB]

Interior is looking amazing, as well as the weathering over the outer skin of the vehicle

[BigWall]

It's really looking great! That's a whole lot of detail work you've done so far!