ska2d2's Panzer III Build(II)

[ska2d2]

Back again with some more to show!

First of all i removed the molded on hinges and rubbed down the mudguards.

I've remade the convoy light and reflector brackets using some brass strip taken from a photo etch sprue. In order to get a good representation of the shape i've been studying the photos of the Bovington panzer III on the following link.-http://jtrowbridge5.smugmug.com/German- ... 3832_U95zQ
I decided to make new mudguards from plasticard and then glue them over the existing ones. This means that they are a lot stronger than fully scale replicas. Some scale thickness is achieved around the holes in both mudguards for the convoy light etc by making them this way.

The plastic strip pictured forms the inside flange of the mudguard.

I made two more hinges as explained earlier.

The lugs from the convoy light and reflector were cut off and the parts cleaned up.


Then all the parts were brought together.

The mudguard stays were also made from photo etch left overs. Some care is needed with the positioning so that the spare road wheel will still fit.

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[ska2d2]

This time i am going to correct the two front hatches.

As you can see the two hatches are of equal size. On the real thing this isn't the case. The driver's hatch is approximately the right size but not quite in the right place and the machine gunners hatch is too big. Referring to the scale drawings in the 'Photosniper Panzer III J/L/M' book i set about marking out the correct position of the hatches. By my calculations the Heng Long model is 6mm wider across the hull than it should be. Consequently i adjusted my measurements outward from the center line.
The next problem was how to remove the hinges without damaging them. I did attempt to remove them using "thread", as demonstrated on the 'hints and tips' page, but couldn't get it to work. I don't think i bought the right type of thread! The solution i came up with is a little extreme but it "got the job done"! Using a pair of tin snips i cut away a 2" section from a razor saw. Cutting a piece from the saw like this enables the cutting edge to be held flat against the model. As you will know the spine of the saw ordinarily prevents this.

This was quite a time consuming job but i managed to remove all four hinges without any problems. Once cut away i added some 0.4mm 'plasticard' to the bottom of each hinge to make up for what had been cut away. This was then sanded to the required thickness.

The next job was to transfer all the measurements for the new hatches onto a piece of 'plasticard' and cut out the two openings. Once you have done this its a good time to use this as a template for the hatches in order to get a good fit.

Once i was happy with the gap around the hatches i glued the parts into position.

At this point i realized i had left the front edge short and could have saved myself some work. Some filler fixed it!

I figured that adding the weld bead at this point would be a lot easier without the hinges in place! When the 'milliput' was dry i added them.


Moving on! Next up i have made some front mudguard clamps using photos from-(http://jtrowbridges5.BovingtonsLightand ... walkaround) They are made from plastic rod thats drilled out at one end with brass rod glued in. I then drilled a hole into the edge of some 2mm 'plasticard' and attached that to the plastic rod. Over two nights these are the results.

They could have done with being a little smaller but then so could my fingers!

Some additional detailing.

I haven't been able to get them to look right attached to the mudguard so they may just have to stay like this.

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Thanks for looking!

[ska2d2]

Carrying on with the detailing the lights and horn on the front fenders are next.

I cut off the locating lug and the light base and added brass wires. I later changed my mind about the wires as you will see later. Its worth keeping all the lugs that you cut off to use as ready made plugs for all the locating holes in the fenders.

I then made some new mounting brackets from spare photo-etch sprue.

I then glued them together.

Moving onto the horn, i spent hours trying to find a photo of the mounting bracket without any luck. The scale drawings i have are so small its very hard to see any detail and i nearly gave up until i found a web site for 1/6 scale tank upgrades. There is a white metal horn and bracket available that i used the pictures of to scratch build a bracket.

Again i removed the lug to plug the hole on the fender and removed the bracket so that just the round part of the horn was left. A round piece of 'plasticard' made using an office hole punch was used to cover the hole in the back of the horn. Small strips of plastic were added along with some rod to start building it up.


I've left the rod long to ease handing.

The finished horn and bracket.

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The 'Notek' light was a lot more straight forward to improve.

For this i removed the lug and opened out the middle of the mounting bracket+removed the round central part of the light. This was replaced with some finer brass tube.

With a sanding block and needle file i thinned out the bracket base. The cone structure was made by sanding down some larger brass tube which was then cut to length.

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Time to add them to the tank.


The cable housing is fuse wire with 'photo-etch sprue' stays.


The light on this side was drilled out to make it look damaged.

For the purists out there i may have inadvertently modelled the fuse wire in the position of the Panzer III J rather than the L.

[Wildboar44]

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Truly stunning detailing there Ska.... I take my hat off to you

[Red Devils]

I'm with Gordo, excellent detailing...

Derek

[MAUS45]

I wish I had seen this before I bought the replacement hatches for the front access hatches. I like you method of making the plastic template and using the existing hinges. I also like your more realistic mud flap/fender hinge detail. Great use of plastic bits and brass to create realistic detail.

[ska2d2]

Thank you for the messages! If only the 'good lady' was so understanding! I just received 'Panzer Tracks, Panzer III 3.3' in the post and after double checking my placement of the lights etc, i have come to the conclusion they are not in the right place. Unless anyone has a method of removing 'super glue' i may have to redo them using some 'Aber' tread plate. The lesson learnt being, always cross reference!+if your thinking of reworking the 'Heng Long' Panzer III, spend your money on the 'PT 3.3' book. In the long run you will save yourself some cash!

[doc larsson]

superglue ? surely a scalpel with a couple of angledl cuts then some gentle prising ! still got my friends milliput and superglue to put it back together !

[ska2d2]

True! I will have a go at repositioning but i'm not convinced i can replicate the tread pattern if its damaged in the process!

[buckeye36]

They make debonder for CA/Super Glue, I use Zap Debonder and it works great.