1/16 PzKpfw III Ausf M - Trumpeter/Heller kit with Taigen hull integration - Build

[lmcq11]

Hello,

The following posts are for the AA machine gun and mount.


Although very rare on wartime pictures and never provided on 1/35 kits, the Panzer III can be equipped with an AA machine gun, as per the Achtung Panzer book below.

This is the type of mount on a Panzer III ausf L. It can be seen on some museum tanks and wartime pics.

1/16 PzKpfw III Ausf M - Trumpeter/Heller kit with Taigen hull integration - Build

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And for the Panzer III ausf M, the book shows the same AA mount as used on the late Panzer IV, TIger and Panther. I like to have a cupola machine gun on my models and it is a good opportunity to make the model even more interesting.

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I looked around for the best deal, including some 3D printed offerings of various quality and accuracy, available on eBay and elsewhere. With my experience with 3D printed fine items, i know that just touching the thin wire mount would probably break it, and if mounted with a MG-34 at the tip, it would not last long.

I therefore selected the Schumo MG mount in metal, available from Axel. It is about the same price as the others.

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Some assembly skills are required.

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Looking good, very accurate compared to the achtung Panzer image, and absolutely unbreakable. I am impressed.

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I am equipping it with a regular MG-34, as seen on this museum image.

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Reedees miniature has a nice one in resin available for a few dollars.

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I am replacing the resin barrel by the ABER 16L-02 brass barrel that comes with photo-etched details and AA sight.

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However, assembling this barrel is probably not for everyone. The photo-etched details are tiny and require concentration and some skills and luck to put together.

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continuing on following post

[lmcq11]

I had to put two pairs of glasses on top of each other to even see what i was doing. Parts are so tiny, the bending needs to be done over the sharp edge of a knife... This is an example of one of the part next to the Reedees discarded resin barrel.

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Need to be extra careful building this. If an etched part flips in the air and falls on the floor, it is guaranteed you will never see it again. With some luck and patience, i was able to build the barrel over a couple of hours at a basic acceptable level, far from perfect but better than before, with some cooling off break in between.

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And here is the Reedees resin MG-34 with Aber brass barrel mounted on the Schumo MG metal mount on a Heller Panzer III ausf M...

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Next step, the 7.92mm ammo belt...

Regards, Louis

[Kaczor]

Schumo nickel silver accessories are worth every penny.

[HERMAN BIX]

Here’s me thinking your .50cal works are mind blowing, your ‘34 version is even better
Welcome back from vacation Sir, I’m sure we are all glad you’re back

[lmcq11]

Hi everyone,

After a good recovery period from my trip to Vietnam where i seem to have picked up a few Covid strains among other local illnesses, it's time to finish this model.

This is a good view of a late Panzer III equipped with the armored barrelled version of the MG-34. For my MG-34 on the cupola, i have selected the more interesting regular MG-34 with Anti-Aircraft sight. Notice the ammo bad called Gurtsack that fits the two pin bracket on the mount.

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A good Gurtsack picture of a replica selling on the web.

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This is the "1/16th detailed MG34 ammo belt, bag and drum" sold on shapeways. It is a good detailed representation, with open bag and it fits the
Schumo mount. However, i will not be using the ammo.

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This is a MG-34 ammo belt.

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The links are quite intricate.

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For those, like me, who want to torture themselves, Aber has a MG-34 ammo belt kit in brass and photo-etched, this is kit number 16 102. It is complicated to assemble and the parts are really tiny, i had great difficulty seeing what i was doing even with two pairs of glasses.

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If you thought the M2 .50 cal ammo were small, the 7.92mm Mauser cartriges are way smaller in comparison.

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After bluing the brass fret with a gun bluing solution to turn it black, the links are cut from the sprue.

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I used a 0.5mm brass rod to help me fold the lips of the links around the rod. i disregarded the instructions about keeping the base of the links flat or bending the belt where the ammo should be glued to. I did not see how it could be done.

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continuing on following post

[lmcq11]

Attaching the ammo links to the belt is the trickiest task because it is difficult to align the ammo and to keep the proper distance between each of them. It was done on a best effort basis.

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And here is the finished Reedees resin MG-34 machine gun with Aber brass upgrades, Schumo metal mount, Shapeways Gurtsack and Aber 7.92mm Mauser brass ammo machine gun belt.

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With extreme close up, (these are really small), we can notice variations on the placement of the ammo, but that is the best i could do with the tools that i have. It was the first time i was using this ammo kit, i am sure it will be better next time with the experience gained on this one.

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The model was given a base primer coat of Tamiya enamel.

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Next step, painting the model.

Regards, Louis

[Panzermechaniker]

Oh man that MG34 is beautiful. I have with my old eyes and sausage fingers managed to cobble together some Schumo guns with BattlegroundModels ammo belts and sacks and they pass the field test but what you are doing there is beyond belief

[Kaczor]

Wonderful detail.

[Marco Peter]

First of all: WOW! What a hell of a job!

Butt ehhh... I don't want to be a critic, but isn't the MG34 supposed to be other way around in the belt? The links should be on top?

Easily corrected if you have not glued the ammo to the gun yet...

[Marco Peter]

Well I checked tonight shooting a real one: @lmcq11 I was correct!