Having just built Tamiya's Panzer II, I fancy now working my way through Airfix's Panzer III, IV & VI to complete the set. There are no fewer than 11 runners in this Panzer III kit, more parts than you can shake a stick at and it looks like the tracks are made up of individual pieces distributed across 4 runners, so this isn't going to be one of my sprint builds!
This kit can be built out of the box in one of two Eastern front schemes, so to be different, and as my preferred Afrika Korps scheme is not an option, I'm going to go for the long barrelled Scheme B, finished in White. I've not done one like this before, so will be a nice challenge. Also, with hindsight, this decision is a fortunate one, as the first task in the build is to pre-drill multiple 1mm holes in the 9 seemingly random pieces and if you get carried away, as I did, Scheme B requires one to drill all 20+ holes!
I’ve built the chassis and running gear. I even blasted through the building of those tracks which I thought would be the end of me; just shows how the more you do something the easier it gets!
One interesting feature of this later Panzer III is the inclusion of the additional armour on the front vertical plate. Something that my Haynes Panzer III Manual - essential reading - covers in detail.
On seeing the reference pictures I have actually opened the visor, shown closed here, and will use some canopy glue to add some armoured glass in the gap Airfix have left in the kit.
I’ve loved building this kit … to me, it's definitely on of the better Academy mouldings I've seen … it’s superb. The only thing missing is a figure, however, for once one of my 3DGizmo German tank commanders does actually fit in the cupola; this one is way roomier than Tamiya's Panzer II. So I'm very happy with that!
This is a very interesting kit and probably deserves building in both markings as it covers the evolution of the Ausf J Panzer III. Following the instructions for Scheme B, the later 1943 Kharkov Offensive variant, I get to fit the spare set of wheels, and the additional spaced armour, on the front vertical plate and 'Vorpanzer' (front armour) to the turret. The order to add extra armour came from Hitler via Field Marshal Keitel on 7 July 1941. It was the combat in North Africa, rather than Russia, that was the driver behind the order.
In addition to more armour I also get to fit the later 50mm KwK 39 gun, increased in length from the KwK 38's 2.1m (L/42) to 3.0m (L/60). Having previously been rejected, fearing that the longer barrel would restrict manoeuvrability if it protruded beyond the front hull, it increased its AP performance by around 30%.
The detailing of the gun's breach is a really nice touch and while there is an opportunity to have the turret's side hatches open, the lack of additional interior turret detail and being able to see my commander suspended in mid air had led me to close mine. There is however, a good opportunity for someone out there to do some nice interior scratch building, as Airfix (Academy) have started us off with a good bit of breach and inner hatch detailing.
Continuing with the detailing, I love the crisp moulding of this rear hull area. Those hatches could very easily be modified to reveal the Maybach engine beneath (scratch builders take note) and the accuracy of the later fitted mushroom air inlets introduced to improve cooling in North Africa is excellent.
Now, I move onto the fun bit … the colouring in. I have left the main wheels unglued so that, if I desire, I should be able to remove them with the tracks to paint separately, however, I have become more inclined recently to paint and weather them in situ, similarly the tools and boxes. My reasoning here is lightly spraying, as I do, the final camouflage colours over a good black layering of primer, I think provides for some nice shadowing, giving the model a better 3D look about it, and this includes the wheels and tracks. But that's just my view. I will then aim to complete it in the winter markings of SS-Panzer Regiment 2, Kharkov Offensive, Russia, February 1943.
After a good covering of Black primer, which getting into all those nooks and crannies took quite some effort, I applied a layer of German Grey. I was almost tempted to leave the painting here, but the plain red tank number decals required would be probably not be visible against the dark background and I had promised myself the challenge of trying out a white wash winter camouflage scene. Oh yes, and as a last minute change, I added a bucket left over from a recent Fury Sherman build, something I'd seen in an archive photo and there were those hanging chains at the back just crying out for something to hang from them!
I then sprayed on a layer of diluted Vallejo chipping fluid across the whole tank. I had seen hairspray used in the same way before, but as I had the fluid thought using the correct medium would be OK. As it was, it did take a bit more white than I had anticipated to then evenly cover it owing to the paint forming, in places, into a bit of a crazy paving effect. Although dry, perhaps it needed longer to cure? I'm always a bit too hasty. As you can see from these two pictures, I painted the solid colours with all ancillaries fixed, al be it I did remove the turret.
Once the White wash was dry, I pulled out my stiff Humbrol weathering brush and with a bit of water I worked on the edges and some of the flat areas which would perhaps get knocked, rubbed or walked on to remove some of the white. I had a number of winter Russian front archive pictures to work from and went for recreating a lighter bit of weathering for this one, it having only recently been painted.
I think those individual track pieces form a quite realistic line over the upper return wheels, the way they sag. They take quite an effort to build but I'm starting to warm to them in favour of the rubber tracks.
The 3DGizmo figure fitted in nicely, but I may have another go at detailing his uniform; I'm feeling his all black covering is lacking something.
I do like the crisp detailing on this kit, I found the suspension arms, particularly interesting as that was a unique feature of this model of tank. I decided also to leave a little of the white wash over painting on some of the tools, like the jack, as I am sure they would not have removed everything when applying the camouflage.
Finally, I decided to leave the numbers off of the side of the turret and just affix them to the rear. I really did not fancy working them over the raised detail and again, reference pictures I've seen often omit them, as I am sure that after frequent reapplication of the white wash, the crews would soon tire of re-stensiling them back on!
I hope you like the final effect. I can see some things I'd do differently next time, but that's the beauty of this hobby, I don't think we ever stop learning
