RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Is this true . Been having a look at KT builds and painting to get ideas for the camo . Stumbled upon this , the mg on the Kt is modelled on the one fitted to the Leopard tank. Who does a correct version , don't want to pay silly money .

You mean getting an MG34 instead of an MG42?

ronnie42 wrote:Is this true . Been having a look at KT builds and painting to get ideas for the camo . Stumbled upon this , the mg on the Kt is modelled on the one fitted to the Leopard tank. Who does a correct version , don't want to pay silly money .

do you have an image of the Mg you are looking to replace?
also here is a comparison image of the Mg 42 and Mg 3

German WW2 cupola mounted MG's are not MG42"s.
They are '34's with armoured barrels.
As such, the hull MG is interchangeable with the Cupola MG.
No point having 2 different MG's that could not interchange.

Reason for the 34 over the 42 is the barrel changing methodology.
The 42 comes out the right side of the jacket by working a barrel release handle, sliding the barrel out to the right-and reverse to fit-handle forward=barrel changed.
That would not be possible in the hull MG position.
The 34 has the entire breach& receiver hinge away from the barrel, thus exposing the chamber to the hand, pulled straight back to remove, slide new barrel into the armoured cover, swing the receiver back over the barrel face & lock.
Lift receiver cover, lock feed tab & cock.
Real quick, Ive done it on real weapons (both hot)and it can be done by an experienced hand in less time than it took me to type this !!
The Jagdtiger did have the 42 on a post on the rear deck, but by that time, the rules of design had well changed !
No doubt there may have been the odd 42 put to use out of expediency in tough times, but of note is that many of the very late KT's were not even fitted with the MG ring on the cupola...........

Hi Opened up my trumpeter 1/16 Panther to check . Modern one/ later version is rectangular section , MG34 is tubular section. Might use the trumpeter one for now. Herman summed up the reasons why 2 different Mgs, often wonder why the Germans were always looking to improving the product rather than churning out the goods.

Actually the 34 was an machined engineering work of art, and cost of manufacture in time & money accordingly.
The 42 was a stamped/pressed weapon with an ultra-reliable service and horrendous rate of fire.
The 34 was ideal for a tank hull, the 42 ideal for man-portable firepower, and on the tripod in its sustained fire role, even better.

As a gun collector in NZ we imported a lot of both, and some that were rechambered & barreled to 7.62 NATO(ammo easy to get & much cheaper than the 7.92 Mauser round)to "enjoy "

I would for sure go with that magnificent trumpeter one

Here's a couple of pics of the MG42. This example appeared in a field near me in 2017, accompanied by a troupe of jolly WW2 re-enactors. They also brought along a working T34 (with a blank firing cannon- boy was that LOUD!) together with static examples of the Spitfire Mk 1X, ME Bf 109, and lots more. The WAAF singers appearing in the evening, with the period band, were also quite eye-catching
This MG is a licence-made example, as far as I can tell. Maybe it was made in Romania.

Roy, when you say static versions of the spit and the BF 109, do you mean full-size static models or were they scale? A full size model of the BF 109 or the me-262 would look just excellent in my front yard.

Max-U52 wrote:Roy, when you say static versions of the spit and the BF 109, do you mean full-size static models or were they scale? A full size model of the BF 109 or the me-262 would look just excellent in my front yard.

Yes, Gary. They were the real McCoy; just not airworthy anymore. I understand it would an awful lot of money to restore them fully to flying condition. The Spitfire needs an engine, and much more, for example...and a pristine Merlin would require a Merlin to magic one up.
Still, there were parked only 10 mins walk from my house..and I have room in the garden for a brace of stunning gate guardians


I couldn't get a decent shot of the Messerschmidt, as it was cordoned off, and plane-addicts were milling round (had to edit them oot...and that also chopped the wing tips off)

Both are static replica's - check the website on the placard infront of the spitfire for info. I think these guys were at Wicksted at War last year.