I want to build a Stug III C or D. I have the old Dragon Stug III C/D kit which is not too bad, but having seen the new F8, I was thinking that it might actually be a lot less work to start with that kit and just replace the side panniers.

Am I way out in left field on this, or does this seem reasonable? I figured I would use the old Dragon kit as a guide.

Comments?

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Chuck Rothman
Former AMPS Webmaster
Former AMPS Boresight Editor
Now just a regular AMPS member

Not really sure about the Ausf C/D but last year I built one after the other the old DML Pz III Ausf F and the new smart kit Ausf E. I don't know exactly what you're looking for and if you want to add tons of PE parts or any other after market stuff but all I can say is that with a minimal investment in scratch building you can easily bring these old kits to the same standards as the old ones.
The "surgery" you talk about is not necessarily an easy job.
of course it's just a matter of personnal taste.
There are slight differences in shape and size between the old and new kits. Ask me about the day I tried to put the engine deck of an old DML pz III on the hull of a "smart kit ausf J". Now that was no easy task, believe me.

Considering that the hulls are different on a C/D and an F8 I think you would be better off using Tamiya's StuG III B and the DML superstructure.

- John

I'm pretty sure the Ausf F was built on a Pz III Ausf H chassis. According to what I've been able to determine, the Ausf F was an Ausf E with a new gun and mantlet, roof ventilator, and bolted on armor. The Ausf E was a D with the side panniers instead of sloped sides and slightly smaller transmission hatch hinges. The Ausf F, E, D (as well as C and B) were all based on the Pz III Ausf H hull. The Stug III Ausf G was based on the Pz III J hull, which was different.

Given this, and also since the Dragon Ausf F kit's side panniers are separate pieces, I figured I can just scratch the sloped sides of the Ausf D, leave off the ventilator and bolted on armour, and use the gun and mantlet from the old dragon kit ( I'm hoping I can ignore the different hinges, but if not, I'll shave the hinges from the old Dragon kit).

When I look at the Achtung Panzer drawings of the Ausf D and Ausf F, the hull and engine deck look the same to me (except for the tropical mods which I think became permanent on the Ausf F, but since my Ausf D will be part of Sonderverband 288 in Africa, those will be used anyway).

Is this correct? If not, where are you getting that the hulls are different?





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Chuck Rothman
Former AMPS Webmaster
Former AMPS Boresight Editor
Now just a regular AMPS member

The problem I had was that I had assumed the Ausf F and Ausf F/8 were the same vehicle with a different gun. Had I turned to the next few pages in Achtung Panzer, I would have seen that.

Thanks for clearing it up.

Since I have the Dragon Stug F/8 on order (DragonUSA has it as 50% off right now), I guess I'll just have to build it as is. Was the F/8 used in Tunisia, or were those the earlier Ausf F's with the L/43 gun?



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Chuck Rothman
Former AMPS Webmaster
Former AMPS Boresight Editor
Now just a regular AMPS member

Surely that's why it was called the F/8; to distinguish it from the F, which was based on the 7/GW chassis. The gun length was not a factor in the change of Ausfuehrung from F to F/8.

Robert,

According to 'Sturmgeschutz and its Variants', the Ausf.F/8 was based on the 8./Z.W. chassis of the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J.

Regards,

Tom

No idea why GW came into my head - probably best to do this sort of thing when fully awake...