badger Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Hi All, Digging in the stash for something else found this which I bought at a show last year just before lockdown 1.0. I figured it would be a simple enough build for this GB and be a nice counterpart to the complicated Panzer III ausf E. No box as I binned it, but the kit is untouched. More soon Ben 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Hi Ben. I haven't heard of Attack Kits as a manufacturer so it will be interesting to find out what they are like. Good to have one of the Russian variants too. Kind regards, Stix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted February 6, 2021 Author Share Posted February 6, 2021 27 minutes ago, PlaStix said: Hi Ben. I haven't heard of Attack Kits as a manufacturer so it will be interesting to find out what they are like. Good to have one of the Russian variants too. Kind regards, Stix Hi Stix They've come on leaps and bounds over recent years as some of their early kits were very rough. They are now akin to UM in quality in my opinion. Their panzer iii is quite nice - I built the standard gun tank a couple of years ago and it was a fairly enjoyable build. I've had an hour or so on this so far and the main body is together. I've encountered an issue with the fit of the mantlet which I'm currently trying to resolve. More soon Ben 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Hi Ben. Thank you for the info. Hope you manage to get sorted with the mantlet. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted February 6, 2021 Author Share Posted February 6, 2021 This is as far as I've got on this so far. Have decided to swop the cupola for a spare Revell one so I can have it open and a figure in it. Having a few issues getting the mantlet plate to fit. This seems to be caused by the kit being the standard Panzer III with just a sprue of parts to turn it into the SU-76i. This means various bits have to be scraped off for everything to fit. A good case in point is the fenders. These should really have all the tools removed to fot two stowage boxes (this isn't mentioned in the instructions), but doing so will destroy the nice tread plate detail. I'll probably work a compromise by leaving some of the tools and just removing the ones I need to fit the boxes. I also need to fill the join on the nose. I knew this would be there from previous builds of the Attack panzer III and have minimised it as much as possible this time by trimming the hull sides for a better fit of the hull top. More soon Ben 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Sounds like the kit definitely has a few issues but it's looks like you have it well in hand! Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted February 6, 2021 Author Share Posted February 6, 2021 Not so sure I have it in hand sadly! The mantlet is on, a stiff trimming sorted that out fairly well in the end. More dramatically I've decided to remove the fenders. The kit has a full set of tools moulded on (rather nicely actually), which interfere with the stowage boxes that were part of the SU-76i conversion. Checking references it appears that tools weren't fitted and the fenders were left clear. As removing the tools would have meant destroying all the moulded on detail anyway, I've opted to replace them with a Part photo etch set (actually meant for the Revell ausf M, but I'm hoping it will fit!). This has duly been ordered from Jadar models in Poland and will take a couple of weeks to arrive based on their previous (excellent) service. Luckily I discovered this right at the start of the GB so have time for things to arrive. In the meantime, I carry on cleaning up the hull, fill that gap in the front plate and clean up all those roadwheels! More soon Ben 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Nice choice Ben and fantastic progress all ready 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 Hi Ben. Well it looks like you have a plan for the fenders and I hope the replacements turn up in good time. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted February 7, 2021 Author Share Posted February 7, 2021 1 hour ago, PlaStix said: Hi Ben. Well it looks like you have a plan for the fenders and I hope the replacements turn up in good time. Kind regards, Stix Cheers Stix. Yep - it's a bit of a pain but at least I'll hopefully be much happier with the end result. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 Another one on the go Ben. I have only built the one model from Attack, a Marmon-Herrington and it scrubbed up okay. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted February 8, 2021 Author Share Posted February 8, 2021 6 minutes ago, Courageous said: Another one on the go Ben. I have only built the one model from Attack, a Marmon-Herrington and it scrubbed up okay. Stuart Cheers Stuart Yep - I fear I may have over reached myself somewhat with 4 consecutive builds and my completion rate in GBs is not great! Having said that the M60 has been built and is in the process of being painting, the Hummwv ambulance is nearly built and the Panzer III has the majority of the construction done. Both the GBs run for a few months yet so maybe, just maybe I can pull this off. The SU76i is stalled awaiting fenders, although I might clean up the road wheels if I'm really bored in the meantime. I've built a couple of attack kits - the early ones were pretty dire, very typical short run mouldings and a lot of work to make decent. Their newer kits are much nicer. I've also got the Marmon in the stash to do one day. I'm awaiting their Humber MK III which I have on watch at Hannants as it looks very nice indeed with the profi pack having resin wheels and metal barrels. https://attack-kits.eu/en/humber-armoured-car-mk-iii-british-army-africa-italy.html More soon Ben 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted February 11, 2021 Author Share Posted February 11, 2021 Being a bit washed out from a busy week at work, I didn't feel like working on the Ausf E tonight so instead started a job I've been putting off on this build: The wheels! Panzer IIIs have six road wheels a side (well the later ones anyway). Each wheel is two parts and each part has six holes in it. Add in the two spares and thats 168 holes, all of which were filled in on this kit. Using a 0.6mm drill bit in a pin vice I have been drilling all the holes. Makes a huge difference to my eyes! Have done just over half of them, but calling it a night now as my wrist is somewhat sore! The plan is to then get the road wheels on whilst I wait for the fenders to arrive from Poland. More soon Ben More 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Nice touch with drilling the holes. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted February 12, 2021 Author Share Posted February 12, 2021 28 minutes ago, Courageous said: Nice touch with drilling the holes. Stuart Thanks Stuart. I finished the last of them off tonight. Much better!! Sadly I have three more Attack kits based on their Panzer III so will now have to drill holes in all their wheels as well! More soon Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 4 minutes ago, badger said: Sadly I have three more Attack kits based on their Panzer III so will now have to drill holes in all their wheels as well! Call it therapy. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 Hi Ben. Drilling out the holes in the wheels is a good idea and well worth the effort. It will certainly add to the overall appearance. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 Sadly no progress on this as am still waiting for the fenders which are somewhere in the post from Poland. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 Hope they turn up soon Ben. 🤞 Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted March 6, 2021 Author Share Posted March 6, 2021 2 hours ago, PlaStix said: Hope they turn up soon Ben. 🤞 Kind regards, Stix Thanks Stix I hope so but plenty to do until they appear though Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 Hi Ben. I hope you are well. I am just checking if there is any sign of the fenders yet? Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted March 22, 2021 Author Share Posted March 22, 2021 Hi Stix Thanks for dropping in. Fenders arrived last week luckily but sadly I have had no time recently to progress any of my group builds as work has gotten ridiculously busy since the college reopened. Hoping to get some more done over the Easter holidays as i have some time booked off. Cheers Ben 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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