Panzer III kits

[Michael Leek]

It’s probably been asked numerous times, but I’d be interested to know which 1:35 scale kit of a Panzer III is considered the most detailed and accurate?

[dov]

Last yrear RFM I would suggest! Late version.

With interior.

Happy modelling

[Longbow]

Dragon and RFM. If you can still find the older Dragon Pz III J, it's considered as the best kit ever of the Pz III. 

The RFM is pretty nice, as is the newer Academy kit. I have both. 

[Michael Leek]

2 hours ago, dov said:

Last yrear RFM I would suggest! Late version.

With interior.

Happy modelling

Thank you.

[Michael Leek]

8 minutes ago, Longbow said:

Dragon and RFM. If you can still find the older Dragon Pz III J, it's considered as the best kit ever of the Pz III. 

The RFM is pretty nice, as is the newer Academy kit. I have both. 

Interesting; thank you. Will check out both the RFM and the Academy kits (my particular interest is in the early versions). Any idea where I might get hold of the older Dragon kit? How long ago was it produced?

[Longbow]

1 minute ago, Michael Leek said:

Interesting; thank you. Will check out both the RFM and the Academy kits (my particular interest is in the early versions). Any idea where I might get hold of the older Dragon kit? How long ago was it produced?

Possibly eBay, probably not available at outlets. 

[vaoinas]

1 hour ago, Longbow said:

Dragon and RFM. If you can still find the older Dragon Pz III J, it's considered as the best kit ever of the Pz III. 

The RFM is pretty nice, as is the newer Academy kit. I have both. 

I guess the 2007 Dragon 6394 kit was meant here. Most of the other Dragon Panzer III kits of any Ausf. version

are based on the same kit and build all into a very accurate and detailed Panzer III.

 

Kristjan

[Stuart Wilson]

On with my 4th Academy kit, it's quickly become my favorite kit of any tank. 

 

If probably isn't quite as good as the best Dragon kits but it's a lot cheaper (here in the UK anyway) and has everything you need to build any ausf J, L, M or N. apart from the early J engine deck without vents. shurtzen, or the very late single hatch cupola. Builds well too. Apparently an ausf L with shurtzen is on the way.

 

As far as early versions are concerned. It all depends on how early? A to D, or E to H? for the latter I suppose Dragon are your best bet. The former perhaps Mini Art? Others will know more I'm sure.

 

Stuart

[Longbow]

6 minutes ago, Stuart Wilson said:

On with my 4th Academy kit, it's quickly become my favorite kit of any tank. 

 

If probably isn't quite as good as the best Dragon kits but it's a lot cheaper (here in the UK anyway) and has everything you need to build any ausf J, L, M or N. apart from the early J engine deck without vents. shurtzen, or the very late single hatch cupola. Builds well too. Apparently an ausf L with shurtzen is on the way.

 

As far as early versions are concerned. It all depends on how early? A to D, or E to H? for the latter I suppose Dragon are your best bet. The former perhaps Mini Art? Others will know more I'm sure.

 

Stuart

They need to skip the L and go to the M, or at least supply the required different sprue for the M. 

[Stuart Wilson]

3 hours ago, Longbow said:

They need to skip the L and go to the M, or at least supply the required different sprue for the M. 

I think it's all in there. I've not tried to build one to be honest but I can't see anything missing.

 

Stuart

[Longbow]

1 hour ago, Stuart Wilson said:

I think it's all in there. I've not tried to build one to be honest but I can't see anything missing.

 

Stuart

Take a look at the transmission access hatches, on the hull front. 
Are the internal or external hinges ?

Are there two separate parts ?

 

As a side note, I purchased an extra RFM Pz III upgrade set, for the Academy kit. 👍

[Stuart Wilson]

1 hour ago, Longbow said:

Take a look at the transmission access hatches, on the hull front. 
Are the internal or external hinges ?

Are there two separate parts ?

 

As a side note, I purchased an extra RFM Pz III upgrade set, for the Academy kit. 👍

The hatches with the external hinges (J, L and Early N) are on the B Sprue. the flush hatches (M and late N) are on the D sprue. The latter sprue has a lot of M and N specific parts for the rear hull and exhaust. I tired building the N model gun and mantlet to see how it went together and the gun barrel seems to go in too far, there may be another part to go there (or I may have overlooked it).

 

There are a lot of spare parts in the kit. the instructions don't mention the later engine deck with the single hatch doors but the parts are all there, I've built two of them. There are even parts specific for the Stug III. They haven't announced one yet but the steel return rollers are in the kit.

 

As long as you have Panzer Tracts 3-3 you can work out how to use the kit to build a much wider range of tanks than are in the instructions.

 

Stuart

[Longbow]

1 hour ago, Stuart Wilson said:

The hatches with the external hinges (J, L and Early N) are on the B Sprue. the flush hatches (M and late N) are on the D sprue. The latter sprue has a lot of M and N specific parts for the rear hull and exhaust. I tired building the N model gun and mantlet to see how it went together and the gun barrel seems to go in too far, there may be another part to go there (or I may have overlooked it).

 

There are a lot of spare parts in the kit. the instructions don't mention the later engine deck with the single hatch doors but the parts are all there, I've built two of them. There are even parts specific for the Stug III. They haven't announced one yet but the steel return rollers are in the kit.

 

As long as you have Panzer Tracts 3-3 you can work out how to use the kit to build a much wider range of tanks than are in the instructions.

 

Stuart

Thanks for that, Stuart. I think I’ll have to take a closer look 👍

[f matthews]

For Ausf. B, C and D, Miniart is the only game in town, but the kits are excellent-just be sure to get the second-issue Ausf. B with crew as the original release has errors that were corrected in the reboxing. I am just finishing up the Miniart B, but am also pretty far along on the Ausf.C and D.

Bronco makes the only Ausf. A. Looks ok in the box, but Miniart and Dragon are better kits I think.

Dragon is the only maker of the Ausf. E, F, G and H variants (37 or 50mm gun with 38cm tracks).  The Dragon kits made after 2007 are spectacular.  Here is a build of the Ausf. F I finished in February-an awesome and fun kit.

Dragon and others make the Ausf. J, L, M and N. RFM’s J looks extremely well-done in the box-maybe a shade more detailed than Dragon, but not by much. Academy makes one or two, but the kit quality isn’t what I expect in a kit anymore, so I sold mine and bought the RFM. 

The Dragon Ausf. J has a couple of versions.  I built the Initial J here for a GB last year and it was a very nice and fun kit to do and it builds up great.

Tamiya and Dragon make an Ausf. L.  I have Tamiya’s kit, but like the Academy kits, I’ve become more selective in the kits I build, so the soft detail on the Tamiya kit means I’ll probably ditch that one too.

Dragon makes the M and N in several versions, which are all superb.  I have a couple, but haven’t built any yet.  The old classic Tamiya kit from the 70s is more toylike, but builds either an M or an N. Tamiya also makes a newer M and N which are far better than the original old 1970s kit, but those are outclassed by the Dragon or RFM kits.

Dragon kits are apparently tougher to find, but I’d choose them first (NOT the pre-2007 Dragon kits based off of the 1980s Gunze-Sangyo hi-tech kits).  RFM kits are only 2d because I have’t built mine yet, but it looks extremely well-done in the box.  

Miniart’s kits can get a little fiddly because of the intricate running gear of the early (B-D) marks, but build up beautifully and accurately.

Finally, Dragon also makes Tauchpanzer, Befhelswagen, Panzerbeobactungswagen, Flammpanzer and other Pz III versions.  

Again, avoid the older Dragon Imperial Series (9000 series) kits. OK in the 1990s, but far outclassed by the newer kits

There’s a very long-winded answer to your question, but I’m in the midst of building one of every Panzer III variant, so I’ve been able to build or at least inspect a kit of every mark by most makers.

 

Edited May 3, 2022 by f matthews

[Michael Leek]

Impressive models ‘f matthews’! The subtle weathering looks excellent, as does the scale-looking ground (too often, in my opinion, such ground bases look over-scale). Thanks for sharing! And thanks very much for the advice - not long-winded at all, but very useful!

 

I’ve already started a search of relevant Dragon kits that are still available via online outlets such as eBay. One problem is trying to identify year of manufacture. Since I opened this post the latest RFM kit’s arrived. It certainly looks good, and it seems very accurate too. However, I would like to get hold of the Dragon kits you mentioned…

[f matthews]

4 hours ago, Michael Leek said:

Impressive models ‘f matthews’! The subtle weathering looks excellent, as does the scale-looking ground (too often, in my opinion, such ground bases look over-scale). Thanks for sharing! And thanks very much for the advice - not long-winded at all, but very useful!

 

I’ve already started a search of relevant Dragon kits that are still available via online outlets such as eBay. One problem is trying to identify year of manufacture. Since I opened this post the latest RFM kit’s arrived. It certainly looks good, and it seems very accurate too. However, I would like to get hold of the Dragon kits you mentioned…

If you check out the kits on Scalemates, you can see which are the better, newer ones and which come from the old lineage.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/dragon-6394-pzkpfw-iii-ausf-j--108504

 

[Michael Leek]

On 08/04/2022 at 13:24, f matthews said:

If you check out the kits on Scalemates, you can see which are the better, newer ones and which come from the old lineage.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/dragon-6394-pzkpfw-iii-ausf-j--108504

 

Thank you.

[FG2Si]

What are people's thoughts on the Takom kit that came out a couple years ago? My LHS had some on clearance for $30 CAD so I picked a couple up. I've started one and it's going together nicely.

 

Carl

Edited April 13, 2022 by FG2Si
Fix typo

[Longbow]

2 hours ago, FG2Si said:

What are people's thoughts on the Takom kit that came out a couple years ago? My LHS had some on clearance for $30 CAD so I picked a couple up. I've started one and it's going together nicely.

 

Carl

I have the Takom M and the Stug III. 

Pretty nice kits, a little over simplified, but definitely worth the cost. 

[Ned]

Which Panzer III kits are the best? Why, all of them of course!

There was a Panzer II GB last year, you could maybe have a look through that for research - https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/722-panzer-iii-stgb/

Like f matthews, I plan on building all of them (9 in my stash so far), but I haven't got very far. In fact I've only built one, The Bronco 'A'.

[Redcap1960]

On 07/04/2022 at 11:20, Michael Leek said:

Interesting; thank you. Will check out both the RFM and the Academy kits (my particular interest is in the early versions). Any idea where I might get hold of the older Dragon kit? How long ago was it produced?

Michael,

 

I am in the process digging through my stash/stock in the coming weeks. If memory serves me I have a slew of Dragon Pz.Kpfw.III's including earlier Ausf variants. The kits are in store in London but I live in North Cumbria, so if you are interested and I have what you want, a quick trip across the border should save you P & P. 

 

Regards and Good Modelling

 

Gary.