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Dragon 1/72 Pz.Kpfw III Ausf. M w/Schurzen +++finished+++


sardaukar

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Hello, my first group build, I have a kit and I now have an image host for the first time ever, so lets post some pics.

 

I picked up this Dragon 1/72 Pz.Kpfw III Ausf. M w/Schurzen a few months back from ebay while building out the stash, looks like a decent kit and even comes with some Photo Etch, I may add an after market barrel if I can get my hands on one. 

 

I've used the Dragon DS tracks before and they seem ok, plus the join can go behind the Schurzen, will see how it goes.

 

Some pics before I get started.

 

A goovy box

20210207_023637.jpg

some instructions

20210207_024126.jpg

Sprues still bagged

20210207_023911.jpg

Sprues unleashed

20210207_024643.jpg

 

Happy modelling. 

 

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Hi sardaukar and welcome to the GB. Looks like a great kit. I've made a few 1/72 Dragon kits, although not the one you are planning on making, and found them an enjoyable build. Looking forward to seeing yours in progress.

Kind regards, 

Stix

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 19/02/2021 at 17:40, PlaStix said:

Hi sardaukar. I hope you are keeping well. I was just wondering if you have had chance to make a start on your build yet?

Kind regards,

Stix

Thanks for the reminder, time is ticking :frantic:

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Time for an update.

 

While the instructions look pretty slick they arent. Ive built a couple of dragon 1/72 churchills and they were fine but there is missed steps, parts mislabelled and just unclear instructions in this kit.

 

However I have made some progress. Off course I'm building it out of order, I tend to leave the running gear until last, upper hull is also still not attached.  That single bit of photoetch had me confused for a good 30 mins.

 

I havent attached the barrel yet and I just bought a metal one from RB Models.

 

20210221_001139.jpg

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Hi Saudaukar. I'm really pleased you have made a good start on your Pz.III M. Seems like Dragon's instructions are just as bad in 1/72 as they are in 1/35! Yours looks excellent so far.

Kind regards,

Stix

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  • 2 weeks later...

Some more progress has been made, although other projects have distracted me, (what tiger? :huh:)

20210301_234629.jpg

 

I finally got the metal barrel from RB models, running gear is now in progress and then I need to add the schurzen brackets before undercoat/ basecoat etc.

 

The instructions continue to annoy me the box art and the painting guide clearly show an upright antenna and spare track links on the bow.

20210301_234127.jpg

 

the kit comes with neither, and not only that but the instructions seem to contradict themselves.

20210301_234009.jpg

Part A37 above is actually the top piece in the image below, (that's some trimming I'd need to do) which is actually not needed according to the first page

20210301_233940.jpg

the step above also contradicts with a later instruction to use the horizontal antenna.

20210301_234107.jpg

 

I'm sure I will get over it and make it work with the antenna but the kit looks strange without the spare track links on the bow.

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Hi saudaukar. Yeah, your Dragon instructions are rubbish!! You do have to wonder! On the other hand your build looks excellent and I'm pleased your barrel has arrived. :thumbsup:

Kind regards,

Stix

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Further progress has been made. The lack of the bow spare track was really starting to irritate me, it just didn't look right with the empty bracket. But it occurred to me that the Pz III shared track with the Pz IV and i have a few of them in the stash. So a Revell Pz IV donated some of his spare links. I did briefly consider replacing the DS rubber band tracks with the revell Pz IVs link and length track however that would cause future problems and the DS bands dont seem too bad. Side schurzen brackets are also attached with horizontal antenna in place.

 

The side schurzen brackets arent too bad to deal with, however the turret ones are something else. I'll post once Ive sorted them, they are fragile and awkward and then of course they have to be mated to the PE, much swearing has ensured so far, but I am getting there.

 

20210304_213314.jpg

Dragon PzIII with Revell PzIV spare track links.

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something different, I was looking at diorama bases to display the finished tank on, and bought a couple of resin bases. I dont currently have the appetite to scratch build one so I bought a couple of ready made ones.

 

below 'desert road' from ModellTransModellbau. I was buying some conversion parts for other projects and this caught my eye. I'm thinking with a few additions it could be Kursk.

20210304_221604.jpg

 

Then a cobbled street from redog models on ebay, for maybe a more urban setting.

20210304_221610.jpg

 

Not sure which yet.

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Hi sardaukar. It looks good with the tracks on the front - splendid idea! I like both bases - have you had any more thoughts about which to use?

Kind regards,

Stix

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On 06/03/2021 at 16:00, PlaStix said:

Hi sardaukar. It looks good with the tracks on the front - splendid idea! I like both bases - have you had any more thoughts about which to use?

Kind regards,

Stix

 

Hi Stix

 

After not a lot of thought I'm planning on going with the desert road, It might need a few bushes and a road sign, maybe some static grass.

 

Anyone know what colour the soil/mud was at Kursk?

 

20210308_221314.jpg

 

20210308_221345.jpg

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Hi. That looks like it should work really well. Not sure about the colour of the earth/mud at Kursk. I have some Vellejo Russian thick mud and it is very dark - it looks almost black. I haven't used any yet so I don't know how it dries. Not sure if the mud round Kursk was like this product. Hopefully someone will know for sure.

Kind regards, 

Stix

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AK make some "Kursk mud" weathering paint, it looks very dark in the bottle but when dry it looks like....brown mud.  Do a search online and have a look but it's not very different to mud.

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9 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

AK make some "Kursk mud" weathering paint, it looks very dark in the bottle but when dry it looks like....brown mud.  Do a search online and have a look but it's not very different to mud.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, to be honest the colour of the mud at Kursk is probably a rabbit hole I don't need to go down, I probably have something suitable my turret schurzen are causing me enough hassle. 🖌️

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12 minutes ago, sardaukar said:

Thanks for the suggestions, to be honest the colour of the mud at Kursk is probably a rabbit hole I don't need to go down,

You know things have got too serious if someone starts pointing out your Kursk mud is the wrong shade. :wicked:

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30 minutes ago, Retired Bob said:

You know things have got too serious if someone starts pointing out your Kursk mud is the wrong shade. :wicked:

Geez and I thought aircraft rivet counters were bad ? At least we don't complain about the shade of mud or exhaust. 

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Hello folks,

 

have finally made some more progress actual build is complete and onto painting. I dont recommend messing with those turret schurzen brackets after a drink or two on an evening. 

 

Pziii has been undercoated with stynylrez grey primer, preshaded with some vallejo black and then basecoated in vallejo modelair dunklegelb with my with my H&S Ultra airbrush.

 

The scenic base has been primed with Vallejo black surface primer.

 

20210318_001115.jpg

20210318_164409.jpg

 

Schurzen and tracks are left off for now, phot etch doesnt hold the paint so well, I need to be a bit more careful using clips while painting.

 

Next up is some kind of camo scheme I think I'll just go for a patchy green one over the yellow

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Looks great! 

And a little more about the color of the Kursk soil. I don't think it was perfectly uniform in the whole Kursk region - this is not the case in nature. It is certainly not that the color of the soil in one meter from the Kursk region border suddenly turns dark instead of yellow, and the soil of the entire region is strict of this one color. 
Even in a few hectares, the color of the soil can be different.

 

Vytautas

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm still working on this honest. :think:

 

I took a break to complete a few other builds but also to get some weathering under my belt. But the main reason probably is the fact that I wasnt looking forward to trying to freehand the tricolour camo with my airbrush which was the original plan. Masking didnt seem like much of an option. But in the end I said sod it and have applied the camo pattern with some thin bits of sponge.

 

Camo is ModelAir RAL8017 and RAL 6003. Its also had an overall spray with a citadel acrylic wash.

 

A note on the Dragon DS tracks they do take plastic cement, Id be careful with this as my Tamiya Extra Thin worked fairly aggressively on the tracks to the point they are a bit deformed where I clamped them but it should be fine as they will be hidden by the Schurzen.

 

Some detail work and weathering to come and maybe finish the base or less said about that the better at the moment.

 

20210414_223043.jpg

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