Miniart PzKpfw III Ausf. B

[f matthews]

Bringing another long-ago-shelved project back to the workbench.  This one was started in January, 2018 and discontinued a few weeks later when I realized that the kit had accuracy issues with the engine deck and brake access hatch plate.  I picked up some aftermarket “fixes” in resin, but was nit happy with how they worked.  Miniart discontinued this issue of the kit and retooled it to make the necessary corrections.  

Miniart’s customer service is top-notch and they send me the updated sprues.  Unfortunately, I’d already built the hull with the original parts, so it took some work to disassemble and I gave up.

I’m currently on an early war/Panzer III jag and started building Miniart’s Pz III Ausf. D after New Years.  That kit is excellent and I was having enough fun with it that it inspired me to pull this one out of mothballs.

Here’s where I left it in Jan/Feb of 2018:

Getting back to the build with the new, improved engine deck and brake access plate set in place. The removal of the old back plate took some work, but I managed to get things together.

The engine compartment doors have big slots that show what’s underneath, so I added an “engine” from a 1/32 Monogram Panzerspähwagen that I built in the mid-1970s as a kid(!)-I didn’t even clean the years of accumulated dust off of it…

Moving right along, return rollers and the drive and idler wheels are added, as was the engine deck and front hull plates. The superstructure box is just set into position for the photo.

Having fun with this one finally.  

With the Miniart updates parts, this has become a joy to build.

 

Here is the tank I am planning to model:

Quote

Edited January 11, 2022 by f matthews

[vytautas]

Another interesting build! I'll follow along if you don't mind.

 

Vytautas

[robw_uk]

I built the Ausf b/D (the one with all the extra track armour and wooden boxes) last year - need to weather it still - looking forward to seeing your progress

[Lazy Modeller]

The panzer II is a very cute tank and will do a nice model. That's one I don't have... maybe I'll get the Das werk in 1/16. But as usually its only to stash grow for sure...

One thing I don't like in Miniart is that they usually have the hull divided in several parts... Arghhh!

Cheers

LM

[edjbartos]

This will be an interesting one to watch, looking forward to seeing this develop...

 

Ed

[f matthews]

9 hours ago, robw_uk said:

I built the Ausf b/D (the one with all the extra track armour and wooden boxes) last year - need to weather it still - looking forward to seeing your progress

I’d like to check that one out!  I’m also building that kit, but as a straight Ausf. D, so it gets some mods here and there.

[f matthews]

I added a primer coat to the recesses and lower hull/suspension since that will be difficult to airbrush after the wheels are added.  Fenders were installed as well.

The driver/radio operator’s front plate in my kit was warped and I slightly melted it trying to correct it under a lamp bulb.  I was able to pretty much straighten everything out with sanding and clamping.

 

[edjbartos]

looking good

 

Ed

[f matthews]

Moving along to the turret.  Detail on this kit is excellent, although there is a lot of cleanup of sprue attachment points.

Side-by-side with my companion Ausf.D build:

Turret exterior-I replaced the grab handles with bent wire.

 

[f matthews]

Been working on this and a companion build a little bit every day so far this month.  I should have the turret finished up soon.

 

[f matthews]

My current Panzer III odyssey-Ausf. B, D and F (I just realized that I set the Ausf. B’s mantlet on upside-down in the photo-the turret isn’t assembled yet!). I think it is an interesting study to see how these  changed so much after only a small handful of tanks (just 10 or 15 sometimes in the early marks) were built.

I built an early Ausf. J for the GB here last spring and it sort of fed the monster a bit.  I have an Ausf. A in line next as well as an Ausf. C on the way from Ukraine now, which I’ll likely start when it arrives.

The Ausf. J:

 

Edited January 21, 2022 by f matthews

[edjbartos]

That really does look very nice, super painting and weathering and set on a nice diorama, just excellent, well done...👍

 

Ed

[vytautas]

In short: 👍

The extended version: all looks just perfect

 

 

Vytautas

[Nenad]

Great work and really interesting thread.

 

Especially because I have my odyssey of Panzer III builds as well, that started with a pair of Dragon G and H, than I bought Miniart C, Dragon E, Academy J and Tamiya N, all waiting to be built

 

Nenad

[f matthews]

4 hours ago, Nenad Ilijic said:

Great work and really interesting thread.

 

Especially because I have my odyssey of Panzer III builds as well, that started with a pair of Dragon G and H, than I bought Miniart C, Dragon E, Academy J and Tamiya N, all waiting to be built

 

Nenad

It is indeed a worthy pursuit!

[vytautas]

I have some questions: how do you glue small pebbles and sand to the substrate and when do you paint them - whether glued or before gluing?

 

Vytautas

Edited February 1, 2022 by vytautas

[f matthews]

2 hours ago, vytautas said:

I have some questions: how do you glue small pebbles and sand to the substrate and when do you paint them - whether glued or before gluing?

 

Vytautas

I spread white/PVC glue on the base, then sprinkle fine soil (usually with a nice little assortment of small rocks) onto the glue to set.  I used to never paint at all, just using the natural colours, but I now airbrush most of the time then go back over when dry and pick out random rocks/pebbles/etc.  I’d go mad painting them first!

Edited February 1, 2022 by f matthews

[Stef N.]

The base of my Stug O must have started from this B kit originally. I've mentioned it's a bit fiddly but the detailing is worth the effort. Just getting through the tracks.

 

What colours did you use for the grey? I've a few to do in DG so I will use this opportunity to try a few different paint brands.

[Jeepboy]

Me too...I am aboutvyo start a PzIII and not sure of the best colour grey

[f matthews]

I use Lifecolor paints as much as possible straight out of the jar, rarely thinned actually.  They dry nice and flat and tight and are my favorite acrylics to spray.  On this one, I’m using their panzer grey, because it isn’t bluish like so many others (which I don’t like at all).  No blue filters either.

Edited February 2, 2022 by f matthews

[f matthews]

4 hours ago, Stef N. said:

The base of my Stug O must have started from this B kit originally. I've mentioned it's a bit fiddly but the detailing is worth the effort. Just getting through the tracks.

 

What colours did you use for the grey? I've a few to do in DG so I will use this opportunity to try a few different paint brands.

Yep-the Ausf. B and the StuG O, share the same chassis/hull as did the real thing. five of the original fifteen Pz III Ausf. Bs were pulled from production for the StuG program.  The Ausf. B turrets slated for those five and not used resurfaced again in 1940 and were added to refitted Ausf. Ds after Poland as the Ausf. D/Bs. 

[Stef N.]

4 hours ago, f matthews said:

I use Lifecolor paints as much as possible straight out of the jar, rarely thinned actually.  They dry nice and flat and tight and are my favorite acrylics to spray.  On this one, I’m using their panzer grey, because it isn’t bluish like so many others (which I don’t like at all).  No blue filters either.

Thanks for that, I will give them a trial on one. I usually use Tamiya, because they are great frankly, but as you say there is a bluish tint to their grau, which I need to keep an eye on and tweak when I use it.👍

[Milan Mynar]

It is nice serial production.

[f matthews]

Still rolling on this, even without updates posted…

I added a Bitskreig cupola and tinted the vision blocks.

Starting to look like a tank:

 

[f matthews]

Since my last post in February, I finished the Ausf. F and started my Ausf. C along with making progress on my Ausf. B and D.  Panzer IIIs are everywhere on my bench!

The completed Ausf. F:

The B and C in-progress:

And the Ausf. D also working:

 

Edited March 10, 2022 by f matthews