Re: From the ground up!

AndyD · Post by **AndyD** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:31 am

Hi all

,

just seeking a spot of advice from the more experienced members. I am awaiting delivery of a HL Stug III (ordered from Andy at Military Might and I intend to make it my first "upgrade" project. I know it will have the HL IR battle system and recoiling main gun; but what other mods should I be looking at? I already have a set of tracks that I intended to put on a PzIII, along with drive and idlers. So starting from the ground up, what should I seriously look at? For example, is it important to change to an all metal running gear? i.e. all metal wheels, return rollers and suspension or can I get away with leaving some stock parts? Or will that be a false economy?

I assume that the internals are ok for the short term, what would you recommend for a future upgrade path? (to give me time to save for them and the Jagdpanther or Sherman or rumoured Comet!) Pete (971Wright) has kindly supplied the info on IR systems for me to digest slowly.

Not wanting to neglect the upper hull, that too will be subject to a bit of treatment (home-made Zimmeritt perhaps). Do you guy's shave off the tools etc and use after market ones? Is the addition of metal hatches etc a personal choice? I am also assuming here that the external MG42 will have to be replaced!

So perhaps, in a long winded way, I am asking which way to mod from the ground up? Is there a thread on here (I admit to not using the search button ::)) that covers all of my questions?

Thanks in advance guys!

Andy

Post by **Woz** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:36 am

Metal Tracks = Metal drive and ideler wheels = metal gear boxes = stiffer springs......................

and thats just the start.

Mackem · Post by **Mackem** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:55 am

Re-position and replace return rollers, fit idler adjustment mod, fit schurzen (optional but nice) ................

AndyD · Post by **AndyD** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 8:56 am

Thanks guy's; Keep it coming!

tiger205 · Post by **tiger205** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:38 am

like john said, the return rollers need to be repositioned, you can get metal return roller mounts from blueslateman and the like on ebay, the could be a weak link with all the weight you will be adding, it might pay to do the suspension also for the same reason

Tony

AndyD · Post by **AndyD** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:06 am

tiger205 wrote: like john said, the return rollers need to be repositioned, you can get metal return roller mounts from blueslateman and the like on ebay, the could be a weak link with all the weight you will be adding, it might pay to do the suspension also for the same reason

Tony

You mean to just uprating the springs or should I add the metal components? I take it that the metal road wheel option is overkill (apart from adding yet more weight!)

grompix · Post by **grompix** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:13 pm

Hi Andy

I'm about half-way through completing my HL Stug III. I've fitted it with metal tracks, sprockets and idlers and the TamToys 3-1 low-profile brass gearboxes. I didn't bother with metal wheels or return rollers though as I've never had any trouble with my HL PzIII which I've run for over a year now. I think an essential mod is the track adjustment units though.

As you can see from the pics I did zim my model using a mixture of Crispy's plastic card/soldering iron technique and good old milliput. A lot of the tools on the HL Stug are removable anyway (I think only the shovel and axe is moulded in). I also removed the blue light and fitted a bright white LED in the front lamp on the glacis.

The schurtzen are made from sheet steel (like Pete Wright's). I'll be fitting Darkiths DBC/DBU IR combat system when it arrives. I must say I'm quite impressed with the RX 18 multi-function unit. The model performs very well with good control and realistic speeds (with the 3-1 gearboxes)

I find the springs on the first and last roadwheels a bit too stiff anyway and I deliberately weakened the ones on my PzIII so the model doesn't bounce around as much. I'll be doing the same on my Stug. Oh yes, I nearly forgot - used Pete Wright's gun recoil mod too.

Cheers

Chris

BREL · Post by **BREL** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:19 pm

nice looking Stug chris

AndyD · Post by **AndyD** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:31 pm

Chris,

Thanks for the input!

That's the kind of finish/level I am looking at for mine

Cheers

Andy

Plastic scouser · Post by **Plastic scouser** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 8:14 pm

Nice Stug Chris just one question WHERE WAS THE BUILD THREAD

!!!

Cheers Ian