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Sturmhaubitze 42 Ausf.G with10.5cm howitzer


Retired Bob

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4 hours ago, Jasper dog said:

Aiming for two in the GB?

Funny you should say that, following the rule ...."what would Andy do"  I just ordered some AM from Poland and some AM, decals and paint from Hannant's.  The AM is metal gun barrels, buckets, tow cables and boxes for stowage. :fraidnot:  (and so the stash grows even bigger)

I might start a Stug III Ausf. F8 now there is a gun barrel for my Dragon kit on the way.  I know that I said I would be building the Das Werk StuG 75mm next but since it has the waffle zimm that was only applied by Alkett I will have to make the other changes like on my StuH,  For those I have to wait for the new kit that I have ordered from China, according to the reviews, that has all the parts to build either an Alkett or MIAG StuG so there's no stopping me now. :wicked:

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8 hours ago, Hewy said:

Winter white wash, 🙄

I was going for a winter whitewash finish when I was going to fit the winterketten, then I got diverted looking at photos so at the moment it's going to be tri-coloured camo.  I've seen a photo where they have sprayed a red-brown pattern over the dark yellow and counter shaded it with green.  Just need the weather to pick up so I can get spraying, later this week is looking promising. :thumbsup: 

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2 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

I was going for a winter whitewash finish when I was going to fit the winterketten, then I got diverted looking at photos so at the moment it's going to be tri-coloured camo.  I've seen a photo where they have sprayed a red-brown pattern over the dark yellow and counter shaded it with green.  Just need the weather to pick up so I can get spraying, later this week is looking promising. :thumbsup: 

Sounds good bob would  that be a soft edge field applied scheme?

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On 17/02/2021 at 20:29, Retired Bob said:

I started today with the idea of getting some dark yellow paint as a base coat on my StuH, however a couple details that Dragon have got wrong have been bugging me.  The machine was built at the Alkett assembly plant, only there was the waffle pattern zimmerit applied but they haven't done all other differences that should be made.  The first is easy, leave off the domed cover over the starter connector, part B29.  The second, the interlocking joint on the engine cover can be ignored because of the zimmerit coating.  Here is how it should be, but Dragon have just done a straight joint.

IMG_1531

 

The third and final difference between machines built by Arkett and MIAG is the trackguard supports.

MIAG built ones are supplied in the kit, 2 near the front and 2 near the back.  Here is the right rear one dry fitted, it and the detail within the tape needs removing.

IMG_1527

 

Here all the non-slip plate and the support brackets have been removed.

IMG_1532

 

Here the Alkett type of trackguard support, a one piece casting with 8 bolts has been fitted. they have been borrowed from an old Gunze kit.

IMG_1533

1 down, 3 to go.  I wish I had done this before I attached the trackguards to the hull.  Next is the schurzen brackets.

Hey Bob

Absolutely clean work and perfectly implemented after research!
The edges look like milled 👍 👍 👍

MD

 

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3 hours ago, THEscaleSHOW said:

The edges look like milled 👍 👍 👍

I did most of the work with just a new pointed scalpel blade, a vertical cut along the edge of the masking tape, then I just sliced outwards from the center of the material that needed removing,  a small sanding stick smoothed off area for the new track guard support.  If I had realised I needed to do this before attaching the track guards it would have been easier. :winkgrin:

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As I haven't had any decent spraying weather I have been catching up with my other build so they can both get some Mr Surfacer black 1500 as primer at the same time.  I had ordered some resin stowage for the rear deck and some of it arrived today, these are two packs of stowage from Eureka, I have cleaned off the pour stubs, it should look good when painted up.

IMG_1544

 

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4 hours ago, PlaStix said:

Hi Bob. That stowage does look very nciely sculptured! And I hope you get some decent painting weather soon.

Hi Stix, yes, the stowage is very nice, far better than I could make, and no air bubbles or imperfections.  The airbrush is all ready to go this weekend. :thumbsup:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well a week later than my last post but it is winter after all, not that it's the only time the weather prevents spraying.  I have attached all the brackets for the schurzen plates, some several times and so far all the individual bolt heads that I glued on are still there.  The cupola and top hatches are just taped into place for now, ready for a coat of dark yellow paint tomorrow if the weather stays mild.

IMG_1548

The saukopfblend mantlet is cast white metal, makes it rather front heavy and the outer wheels are just pushed on so they can be painted easier.

IMG_1549

Thanks for looking, any comments or questions are welcome. :like:

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23 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Is that a shell/shot deflector in front of the commander’s cupola ? 


Yes ...
 

Quote

However, combat experience showed that [the cupola] was vulnerable to enemy fire as it could be penetrated, torn off and on occasions would fall into the fighting compartment.  To provide protection Alkett introduced a cast armour plate deflector, which was welded in place just ahead of the cupola in September 1943 with MIAG following suit three months later.

Source: Haynes Stug III Manual, p 79

 I'm not sure from the context whether fixed, rotating or both types of cupola were vulnerable to enemy fire.

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Bob, your Sturmhaublitz is coming along nicely.
 

2 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

it is winter after all, not that it's the only time the weather prevents spraying

I'm with you there, even further south, the weather can put a stop to spraying.

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3 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Is that a shell/shot deflector in front of the commander’s cupola ? 

Robert has answered that comprehensively, the cupola was not armoured like on Panthers and Tigers, there were 6 periscopes that could be raised for viewing with the hatch closed and a small flap in the hatch to raise a binocular periscope, but has Robert quoted, a deflector was added to protect it and some crews faired it in with concrete to add to the protection.  The most interesting addition was using T-34 track links welded to the superstructure and covered with concrete, the triangular track guides poked through the concrete like scales on a dinosaur.  That is an interesting thought for the late StuG kit that's on it's way to me from China. :hmmm:

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Hi Bob. Great to see the primer on this one and I hope you get chance to paint soon. Looking very impressive even now! :thumbsup:

Kind regards,

Stix

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After problems with spraying my other build I used up the paint that I had thinned in a quick coat over my StuH, no problems with Tamiya paint, so I do not have a black tank anymore.

Earlier I had sprayed Mr Surfacer black 1500 over the stowage items, as usual that stuff goes on beautifully smooth, a lot more painting in my future. :winkgrin:

  

IMG_1554

The large piece of stowage is too big for this tank, not sure what I will use that on.  More painting tomorrow.

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Great to see the paint going on on this one too. Shame the big stowage is too big - it looks interesting. I'm sure you will do an impressive job with whichever items you end up using.

Kind regards, 

Stix

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6 hours ago, PlaStix said:

Shame the big stowage is too big - it looks interesting. I'm sure you will do an impressive job with whichever items you end up using.

I added it to the model to see how it looked, as you say it's interesting and well moulded.  But it was so high, it looked rather ridiculous, like an overzealous scrap collector on his way to the tip. :fraidnot:  

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry for the delay in updating my thread, but I was trying to get the paint how I wanted it and between the weather and other problems spraying it has taken a bit longer than I expected.

I have applied a tri-tonal camouflage and painted the wheels and tyres,(the wheel outers are still loose) a coat of future with some leveling thinner has sealed everything with a gloss finish and now for the pin washes and weathering to start, I have already applied some oil paint and pigments to the area under the mudguards for a muddy, used look.

IMG_1556

And from the rear side:

IMG_1559

I need to do some more with the gun shield, I camouflaged the front but when it's not being used front cannot be seen. :doh:

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1 hour ago, Retired Bob said:

 

IMG_1559

I need to do some more with the gun shield, I camouflaged the front but when it's not being used front cannot be seen. :doh:

 

Your gun shield is fine, you just have it folded the wrong way - it should overlap the hatch. Opening the hatch raises the shield via that curved bracket sticking up like a shark fin.

 

Andy

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23 minutes ago, Foxbat said:

Your gun shield is fine, you just have it folded the wrong way - it should overlap the hatch. Opening the hatch raises the shield via that curved bracket sticking up like a shark fin.

Thanks Andy, I knew the shield was locked into place by the front half of the gunners hatch but I thought the shield lay forward until needed.  Your description makes much more sense.

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