HL StuG III Build

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I took delivery of a Heng Long StuG III from MilitaryMight UK just before Christmas (thanks Andy). This is what I decided (and managed!) to do with various modifications to improve the model. The StuG is probably one of the best model AFVs that Heng Long have produced to date and (like their Panzer III) certainly ranks quite high on the historical accuracy scale.

I found the build quality to be good and the new RX18 multi-function board a great improvement over the older boards. The gearboxes are low-profile but not 3-1 gearing. Instead, it appears HengLong have fitted low-speed high-torque motors to the gearboxes which does give a more realistic speed performance but still too fast for my tastes.

Below are some photographs of my (almost) finished StuG.

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The mods I made were :-

1. Schurtzen and brackets made from metal sheet.
2. Added Zimmeritt using Milliput and "Crispy's" melted plasticard technique.
3. Metal tracks, sprockets and idlers.
4. TamToys low-profile brass 3-1 gearboxes.
5. Added Track Tensioners.
6. Used Pete Wright's gun recoil mod.
7. Removed the smoker and repositioned the HL speaker for better sound.
8. Removed the inaccurate side light and made the centre hull light functional instead.
9. Removed the hull side hatches by sanding down with a Dremel.
10. Scratch-built tank commander
11. Relocated On/Off switch and added a charging socket.
12. I also have Darkith's DBC/DBU unit on order.

The whole model was sprayed with Tamiya XF60 Dark Yellow with XF64 Red Brown patches. I mixed a little cellulose thinner in the paints before spraying to help adhesion to the plastic. Due to the difficulty of getting Tamiya spray paints here, I used ordinary Tamiya jars of paint which I thinned and sprayed through my Aztek airbrush

Afterwards the model was given a thin wash of burnt sienna oil paint and white spirit to emphasise the recesses. Some areas were picked out with further washes. The lower hull, wheels and sprockets were given stronger washes.

Then highlights on the StuG were picked out by dry-brushing with a lightened version of Tamiya Dark Yellow made by adding white to XF60.

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...And here are some photographs of the accessories I've added:-

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Schurtzen

I largely copied Pete Wright's method of making schurtzen from sheet steel.

[grompix]

Zimmerit

I used a mixture of good old Milliput and "Crispy's" Soldering Iron & Plasticard technique.

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Recoil Mod

I copied Pete Wright's mod to make the HL StuG recoil more realistic. The standard HL recoil has a motor that pulls the barrel backwards, then releases it so it springs forwards. Pete's mod changes this so the barrel springs backwards and the motor brings it forward again.

[grompix]

And here's a video link to the finished StuG's first outing :-

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lNoif8EyKtk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Many thanks to Pete and Nic.
Hope you all like it.
Cheers

Chris

Other Mods :-

[AndyD]

Taking note of what you have done, looking to get mine sorted in a similar fashion...

[tiger205]

another cracking build chris, how long did it take?

          Tony

[Crispy]

Now that is a great looking Stug Grompix and a useful build thread too. Its good to see people trying out that melted zimmerit effect, it blends well with your milliputed areas.

On  question I have, I've noticed a few guys mention "Jump points" and i assume this means you can leave the battery in the tank and charge it inplace. How do you wire this setup into your Stug? Do you need to disconnect the battery before charging it?