1941 StuG III Ausf B

PainlessWolf · Post by **PainlessWolf** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 4:10 pm

Good Morning, Alpha,
I do remember the brouhaha about that Kit. I am glad to see that you moved past it and are determined to make it a workable model. While the casting on this resin is clean in many areas, it has sections where the angles are strange and the fill is not complete. For instance, the angle from the front to back along the Drives' side casemate, rises slightly so that it appears as if the casemate is not seated completely in the deck. I'm not quite sure how to deal with that but I have a couple of ideas. Another is that the interior of the casemate that can be seen from the open Commander's hatch will need a lot of fill and sand. This is so that anyone looking into it while the commander is out and the hatch propped open will see some basic bits of StuG interior, not a hodgepodge of Caligarian angles. Resin is not a perfect medium but if it wasn't there, things like this early StuG would be almost out of the pale for guys like me. So I am happy to work it when it shows up a little weird. ( remember the broken rear armor plate when this one came in? )
regards,
Painless

PainlessWolf · Post by **PainlessWolf** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 4:23 pm

Ed,
There will be a heck of an Estate Sale one of these fine old years so starting saving your groats and ha' pennies now!
regards,
Painless

edpanzer · Post by **edpanzer** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 5:55 pm

PainlessWolf wrote:Ed,
There will be a heck of an Estate Sale one of these fine old years so starting saving your groats and ha' pennies now!
regards,
Painless

Would Greek Euros suffice?

ALPHA · Post by **ALPHA** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 6:42 pm

PainlessWolf wrote:Good Morning, Alpha,
I do remember the brouhaha about that Kit. I am glad to see that you moved past it and are determined to make it a workable model. While the casting on this resin is clean in many areas, it has sections where the angles are strange and the fill is not complete. For instance, the angle from the front to back along the Drives' side casemate, rises slightly so that it appears as if the casemate is not seated completely in the deck. I'm not quite sure how to deal with that but I have a couple of ideas. Another is that the interior of the casemate that can be seen from the open Commander's hatch will need a lot of fill and sand. This is so that anyone looking into it while the commander is out and the hatch propped open will see some basic bits of StuG interior, not a hodgepodge of Caligarian angles. Resin is not a perfect medium but if it wasn't there, things like this early StuG would be almost out of the pale for guys like me. So I am happy to work it when it shows up a little weird. ( remember the broken rear armor plate when this one came in? )
regards,
Painless

My suggestion is don't worry about the Interior yet...fit all your internals first...My L70 is pretty packed in there even after going 2.4gig...barely have enough space for the Battery ...you'll be surprised how quick the space will disappear in one of these assault tanks
Yeah that was a mess with the issue of that hull...Still stick by what I said though...the resin is total junk ..if this one takes a header
...it's a goner for sure

ALPHA

ALPHA · Post by **ALPHA** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 6:45 pm

edpanzer wrote:Painless don't like to do it but I have to point out something wrong with the stug...I don't own it!!!!
Great work!!

Are you related to Cannedheat Ed

ALPHA

PainlessWolf · Post by **PainlessWolf** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 5:13 am

This afternoon, I started on one of the Fun-Fun-iest parts of the build!

... The Electrics!

Anyway, I needed to scope out a way to mount the headlights with their armored covers and still make the deck removable if required. I figured it out during a brain cudgeling session. I need to let the epoxy dry on the LED mounts then I can solder the wiring back together and test them tomorrow night. Pictures:

P.S. Alpha, I took your words of advice to heart and am making sure that there is room for everything without any clearance issues.

ALPHA · Post by **ALPHA** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 6:04 am

Nice Job Painless....Those gearboxes you acquired are pretty sweet if you have clearance for that electrical pod ...just noticed something...did this model of the Stug not have those Armor plates on the top and lower Glasis ?

ALPHA

PainlessWolf · Post by **PainlessWolf** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 6:18 am

Alpha,
Oh yes, the gear boxes are basically one tier of gears. Plenty of room for the mini board and associated wiring loom. This model of StuG, the 'B', did not have the extra armor plating bolted onto the glacis or the front of the casemate. As the Heer ran into heavy Soviet armor later in Operation Barbarossa, the plates were added then.
Regards,
Painless

ALPHA · Post by **ALPHA** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 6:22 am

Just another note on my Stug build....I think you are lucky Painless...you could drill the resin to mount your lighting...I had to keep my HL engine compartment ..because drilling that junk stuff would have ended in disaster...as it probably would have shattered...it's also the reason giving it away wouldn't have been prudent...especially to a first time converter working with resin...the experience should be like what you are experiencing ...working with the junk stuff might end in frustration...and perhaps not attempting another
With that said....I would like to cut open the Co Commanders hatch that is molded shut...on mine I know there will be complications...if you decide to do yours...it will be a breeze...almost like working with plastic

ALPHA

PainlessWolf · Post by **PainlessWolf** » Tue Aug 04, 2015 6:15 am

Alpha,
I know that you will turn out the best possible build from the kit, substandard resin and all. Speaking of substandard, my eyes are fried from trying to get the Tarn lighting from An-Bri-RC to work. The wiring was a spidery metal strand which is, no doubt, wunderkind in use over there since it incorporates the solder as it's covering. Nothing I could try would get either the front or rear to work tho'. The headlights?, no problem. Nothing special about the Taigen board and I've done these lights before but not this particular brand. I'll sleep on it and perhaps swap them for a pair from Asiatam or just go with the headlights which look very cool! Pics: