1sgt

Help I neeed some Hellllp when I was younger, oh wait a minute that's the start of the Beatles song ( favorite band). All kidding aside. I do need some help. I bought the PZ III turret side skirts from www.rctank.de. All the pieces are flat. Has anyone else used these parts and if so, just how did you assemble them ( there are no instructions ). If someone knows of a build thread or a tutorial, that would be great. You know, I was just going to buy the Tamiya PZ IV turret parts sprue from Karen at the museum but thought these were closer ( wish I bought the Tamiya parts, sorry Karen ). Anyway, I have them in hand and need to use them or else the unit finance officer ( wife ) will hit the roof. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Jim

EOT

Jim,

I can't help with the turret skirts but the Panzer III turret is smaller than the Panzer IV so your ahead there anyway!

Mike                                                                                EOT

A N Z A C

Hi Jim

wondering if they look like these from http://www.tank-modellbau.de

1sgt

ANZAC,
Yes that is the kit I ordered. Thanks for the pics. That shows alot more then just the one pic from the site I ordered them from. Did you use them?

Jim

1sgt

Wow, Has anyone used this kit. I guess if not, I'll have to do a mini build thread.

Jim

1sgt

Well, I gues what I'll do is to assemble the skirts flat with reenfocing strips between the sections. Mount the hangers on the turret and wrap the skirts around, pinning/gluing them to the hangers. Anyone else have a better method??

I will try and post some pics of my endeavors.
Jim

1sgt

Hey all,
In closer examination, that kit differs a bit from mine. For instance, it appears that they included side doors much like the PZ IV turrte skirts. I don't have any good pics of a PZIII turret side skirts to show if they had side doors?
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated ( espeacially before I start to cut ).

Green Amphibian

The PZiv at the AAF tank museum has the skirts and the doors in them.

Herman

A N Z A C

this example from RommelJunior from Heng Long Panzer Forum fame

1sgt

Herman,
Do you have any pic of it?

ANZAC,
Thanks and tell your friend he has a fantastic looking PZ III.

Jim

Green Amphibian

I do not, but if there is not one on the museums website check out the contact section here Home for a picture of it.

Herman

1sgt

All,
I know now what I did wrong. I ordered the PZ IV turrt kit, not the PZ III kit. So, my question is, should I go ahead and adapt it to my PZ III, or order another kit?

Jim

1sgt

All,
Well, I just ordered the PZ III apron ( side skirt) kit. I'll let you know when it comes in. Anyone want a PZ IV turret kit??
Jim

A N Z A C

Hi Jim
Hold onto that PZ IV kit yourself - Cos all you need now is the tank to add to your collection

1sgt

Hi All,
Well I'm still waiting for my PZ III side skirt kit to arrive. I did put together the smoke dischargers. Boy O Boy what a PITA that was. I had to make a wrench of sorts ( took a small piece of brass tubing and cut a slit, hammered it into the approximate shape and went at it ) for the Tinnnnnnnny nut that comes with the kit. Let me tell you, even with that aide, it was a super PITA to assemble. I managed to muddle through it but it took me a coulpl days just to engineer it. They should just include a super small nut driver with the kit to help us all out.
MAUS 45, I replied to your PM but haven't receiveid any reply? Just to let you know, for my PZ IV I ordered the part sprue from Karen at the tank museum, it comes with other items you may find usefull as well, It also fit like a glove to my HL PZ IV. Something to thing about??

Jim

1sgt

ANZAC,
It would appear by your friends turret side skirts that the door section may in fact be a lift out . Do you have any info on that?

Jim.

A N Z A C

Hi 1sgt
found this example & yes does look like the access panel is non hinged on PanzerIII



Panzerkampfwagen III (5 cm L/60) Ausf. L (Sd.Kfz. 141/1) Nr. II by deckarudo, on Flickr

Cheers for now

here double hinged access door on PanzerIV

sassgrunt

My Feedback: (1)

I don't have a reference book handy, but seem to recall that the access door on the Panzer III turret armor (it was just a one-piece door, as opposed to the two doors of the Pz IV), had latches at the sides of the top and hinges at the sides of the bottom. You unlatched it, and hinged the top of the door out and down. I'll try and look to see where I got that info. -Mike

1sgt

Thanks all,
ANZAC, that pic definitly looks like it has welded tabs ( probably same on inside of the turret skirt ) that would allow that section to be lifted out, or as sassgrunt suggested latches that would allow the panel to fall away in an escape.

Thanks again all. My fingers still hurt from building the smoke dischargers.

Jim

A N Z A C

his is alittle more detailed view

1sgt

OK Guys,
I reveived the PZ III kit from germany. Going off of the excellent pics from ANZAC. There are some parts I can't figure out ( see attached pic). The questions I have are as follows:

1. On the lower left. They are slotted and maybe for the access door to slide into. One on top each side ( attached to the access panel ) one on the bottom attched to each side of the access panel opening on the fixed turret skirts to slide into?

2. The lower middle pics. I have no idea what so ever.

3. Lower right side? again no idea other then they have have some holes half way drilled into them.

4. The small " L's" look like they would be glued to the side rails to support the upper slots in the side skirts. the longer " L's" with the notches look to be for under the running boards above the tracks. Just not sure of the two ( one for each side ) double notched hangers.

Anyone who has used this kit, I would greatly appreciate the above mentioned info. I do plan on doing the lower hangers, side rails and supports in brass to stand up to dailey running outside. Iwill copy the kit supplied supports and parts, so knowing just where everything is supposed to fit will be of great assistance.





Thanks in advance.

Jim

1sgt

On closer examination ( enlarge to 200% ) of the Pic from ANZAC, the PZIII appears that they have two latches at the top of the center panel that you could lift away for access. It Also looks like they are rivetted on the side of the fixed panels. What holds it to the bottom. At first I was thinking the kit supplied brackets were meant for top and bottom. But I later looked after sending the pic that there is only four. Two for each side. So what held the bottom in?? Any and all help here is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jim

1sgt

Just to let you all know where I'm at in the PZ III build. I have taken some pics since I had the camera out. So far, I have put on metal tracks, drivers and idelers. Also put in the track tensioners , scale aerial and late modle exhaust ( does anyone notice that the exhaust doesn't go to the left far enough. With the scale part, it covers an access hatch. In pics, it's obvious that the exhaust pipes go further to the left to free up that panel before connecting to the larger exhaust muffler). I have removed some parts to faciltate in painting. I normally spray over the whole tank and when all is done, cut in the details with a brush. That way the camo flows. I have seen some videos of Germans apply camo in the field and it didn't seem like they were to carefull in masking things off.

Hope to hear comments both good and bad. I will also post some pics when I get around to doing the Side skirts. I think I'll use the palstic parts for the turret from the German kit, but reproduce the lower skirts, supports and hangers in brass. I just don't think the plastic will stand up to dailey running or battleing.

Thanks for all.

Jim

1sgt

Well I took the plunge and attached the turret skirt supports. Hope there in a good position??

ANZAC, what do you think??

Hope you approve. I'm not a rivet counter, but I do like it to look like it's supposed to.

Jim

1sgt

I just can't stop posting??? Well like the above pics demostrate I have indeed taken the plunge. I will let the glue harden for 24 hours. Then spray the supports and assemble the skirts ( kinda scary, only have one chance to get it correst).

Thanks All
Jim