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Ugly little kit - Sturmpanzer II


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Hello folks,

 

Happy New Year, whish you all the best in 2023.

 

Sometimes, you have to indulge your masochistic needs, and I think that this kit is perfect for the job :)

I've heard stories about Ark Model kits and how disastrous they are, but I wanted to check that myself. And I can say that stories are true :)

 

Here it is. It's the cheapest kit I ever bought (don't remember exact price, but it was definitely bellow $10), but I'll throw so much AM parts and time in it that it will probably end us as the most expensive :facepalm:.

 

 

PXL_20221224_123328083

 

And here are some goodies that I'll use for this build:

 

PXL_20221224_123353857

 

Those pin marks...

 

PXL_20221224_123651856

 

Tracks are single link, but they are almost impossible to clean up and not much details. I'll replace them with Friuls.

 

PXL_20221224_123549576

 

Some more "details":

 

PXL_20221224_123727798

 

And of course, everything is warped:

 

PXL_20221224_130718386

 

No comment on this.

 

PXL_20221226_091422926

 

Had to sand the seam lines on wheels completely, because they are off-center.

 

PXL_20221227_144455694

 

And the fit is... well... not perfect:

 

PXL_20221228_112719002.MP

 

OK, so everything is there for an exciting and challenging build 😆

I'll ignore the accuracy, especially dimensions, because I can't do much about that. But 'll try to fix some details and at least make it look not that ugly.

 

There are quite a lot of reference photos around, which is surprising having in mind that there were only 12 of these vehicles built (all of them sent to North Africa). I am aiming to something like this:

 

15cm-sig33-spg-driver

 

post-595111-0-48537300-1460862206

 

That's it for now. I'll stop ranting about the kit, I promise :)

 

Cheers,

Nenad

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Good start to what looks like a challenging kit to assemble. 

 

Challenges like this are part of what makes this such an interesting hobby. How challenging would this hobby be if all kits fell together like a Tamiya kit?

 

And such an interesting subject.  I do not have that much interest in Second World War armour subjects but I was aware of this vehicle used in North Africa but was not aware that there were only 12 built.

 

cheers, Graham

 

 

 

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It's a pity that you cannot find a way to warm the swinging arms and put some load on the leaf springs that would give it some realism it's not a bad kit, it's a very good starting point for mods and detail.

 

Should be good when finished.

 

Pete

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Hi Nenad,

Without a doubt, it is an interesting vehicle, I have seen the offers of this brand, and they really have a very interesting catalog of options, but, you confirm what I already feared with another similar brand that I tried (a T-34 85) from EASTERN EXPRESS... .it is a brand of lousy quality, which is going to require an immense effort just to make the biggest pieces fit as they should... Thanks to your exposure, it is a brand that I will totally avoid no matter how cheap it is.

I am sure that you will achieve a more than decent result.

Cheers and TC

Francis.👍

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Hi Nenad,
This is interesting and intriguing - I see two extremes in this build: the first - the kit is really scary, and the second - you are a really brave person!
If you could make models badly, this build would be a very funny event, in which we would see how a crooked, terrible monster is born, but unfortunately, you can make models only well.

Well, once again, instead of a crooked Quasimodo, we will be content with one more beautiful tank.
:D

 

Vytautas

P.S. With all this in mind, the build should be very interesting.

Edited by vytautas
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I'm trying to decide if you're brave or mad!   The quality of the mouldings looks about as good as steel cutting for a T-34  🤣

 

I'm sure with patience, your skill and time, it'll turn into a decent finished product .... keep us posted! 

 

Keith  

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Thank you guys for the support. I'll need it for sure :)

 

On 1/5/2023 at 1:14 PM, sardaukar said:

An interesting vehicle, bit of a glass cannon in war thunder where I remember having fun with it.

 

I'd be tempted to cross kit with a better kit. interested to see how you get on with it.

 

Read some field reports about this vehicle and it seems it was not much better in real life compared to WT :)

And not much better than this kit :)

 

It had to be turned off every few hours in order for engine to cool off. Sand was getting in the engine very easy, causing all kinds of problems. Gun range was not that great, requiring constant relocation, which was almost imposible to do with all the engine problems involved. So basically, it was just some additional weight added to the otherwise good infantry gun, making it harder to move around :facepalm:

 

I'll be crossing this one with the leftovers from few other kits, mostly Dragon and Academy.

 

On 1/5/2023 at 5:44 PM, FrancisGL said:

Hi Nenad,

Without a doubt, it is an interesting vehicle, I have seen the offers of this brand, and they really have a very interesting catalog of options, but, you confirm what I already feared with another similar brand that I tried (a T-34 85) from EASTERN EXPRESS... .it is a brand of lousy quality, which is going to require an immense effort just to make the biggest pieces fit as they should... Thanks to your exposure, it is a brand that I will totally avoid no matter how cheap it is.

I am sure that you will achieve a more than decent result.

Cheers and TC

Francis.👍

 

Yup... and on top of that &*%^&&$ molding quality, plastic is VERY brittle. 

 

On 1/6/2023 at 6:17 PM, vytautas said:

Hi Nenad,
This is interesting and intriguing - I see two extremes in this build: the first - the kit is really scary, and the second - you are a really brave person!
If you could make models badly, this build would be a very funny event, in which we would see how a crooked, terrible monster is born, but unfortunately, you can make models only well.

Well, once again, instead of a crooked Quasimodo, we will be content with one more beautiful tank.
:D

 

Vytautas

P.S. With all this in mind, the build should be very interesting.

 

Thank you Vytautas for your kind words. Although, with this one, I would not be so sure :)

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Here's some progress.

 

PXL_20230110_111715267

 

I made a new front glacis from plasticard. Also, made fenders thinner by scraping some plastic. Hope battle damage looks authentic, because it's in fact real damage :) One of the fenders shattered completely (plastic is very brittle) when I accidently dropped the model :facepalm:

 

Metal part holding the Friul's sprocket didn't fit (of course) so I had to make some adjustments, sanding the metal part and scraping some plastic from the socket. Head lights from the kit are unusable, so I'll use the spare once from the Academy kit. Don't know where the wires should go from the head lights, if someone have a photo, please share?

 

 

PXL_20230110_111748944

 

Removed rear mudguards and replaced them with Eduard PE version. Now that I am looking at the photos, I think that they are not attached correctly. Maybe I should remove the step and attach them directly on the rear armor plate?

 

PXL_20230110_111802859

 

Suspension... far from perfect. And some holes patched with plasticard.

 

PXL_20230110_111953551

 

Replaced this fire extinguisher abomination with one from the spares box. The biggest problem with it is that it's so oversized.

 

PXL_20230110_112023185

 

I painted the drivers compartment interior before attaching lower and upper part of the hull, because it will be pretty unreachable later. Had no idea should it be RAL 1001, because it's interior, or RAL 7021 because it's visible from the outside (I doubt that it was painted RAL 8000)? Not sure if it's that important anyway because it will be almost invisible once everything is in place. However, it will be important for the fighting compartment. Do you guys know, should it be the same color as the outside?

 

And here it is with wheels attached (temporarily). At least no issues with the alignment :phew:

 

PXL_20230110_182403400

 

Cheers,

Nenad

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Hi everyone,

 

Did some work on the engine deck:

 

PXL_20230116_155102475

 

PE pieces are mostly Eduard PE set for Sturmpanzer II. I'm not very happy with PE lifting hooks. I'll probably replace them.

 

PXL_20230116_155129061

 

Headlights and bosch siren are leftovers from Academy Panzer III J kit.

Rear is mostly completed, I just have to add muffler and spare tracks, but I'll paint them separately.

 

PXL_20230116_155142308

 

Forgot to fix those seem lines on storage box, hate when I notice it on photos :facepalm:

 

Assembled movable TMD resin jack. There's a jack block included as well. I really like it. Here's the comparison between TMD version and the one included in the kit. Hat to assemble it as well :blink:.

 

PXL_20230113_150831883

 

And some additional subassemblies still not attached: air intake covers, muffler, stowage boxes.

 

PXL_20230116_155030856

 

Best,

Nenad

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14 hours ago, Nenad Ilijic said:

Forgot to fix those seem lines on storage box, hate when I notice it on photos

Know how you feel. I do it regularly. I spend ages trying to "get it right", proudly post the pics - and there is the oversight for all the world to see! :wall:

Great progress here btw.

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On 1/17/2023 at 9:20 AM, Bullbasket said:

You're certainly beating this one into submission Nenad. Great work.

 

John.

 

Seconded  Very nice work

 

     Stay safe           Roger

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