StuG III F/8 - Dragon 9013

[Dario Risso]

I started this kit some days ago; it¡s the old 90's Dragon kit, so it will take some atention to details.

The first issue was the superstructure roof bolts: it must had slotted screws, but the model has hexagon bolts. I used borrowed from a friend, to make the screws. They was a little overscaled, but I can live with that



The second surgery was to open some plates in order to add the radios; I used an small electric drill to cut the side plates







Well, the patient has survived the first surgerys, so, we will see how to continue tomorrow

Cheers
Darío

[Dario Risso]

Some advances with this boy:
I added the rear grille, using a bronze mesh. It would requires 2 holes for the mufllers


I built the MP holders with copper sheet and the belts with insulationt tape



Image from the book Walkaround StuG III G, Squadron


I added some detail to the housing of the mantlet, but then I decide to put a tarpaulin


WInterketten finished (not painted yet). As you can see, I took part od the RH fender, to avoid the scar left by the wrong molded head light





I like this track colors, I will try to copy it


I stop the building until some PE cames from France
As always, any suggestion is wellcomed
Darío

[Laurent Moitrot]

when I posted my Ausf F on another forum someone pointed at the driver's vision block being "wrong" (as in "the sides are too thin") it was too late (almost ) for me maybe not for you ?

ps : I go to the post office today. Please be patient ...
pps : I too mike the color of the StuG tracks, the ole "paint them dark earth first" school. did you notice they put them on the wrong way ?

[Roy Schlicht]

Nice job, that old kit is still pretty darn good. One note. in your pics of the MP stowage you have the left one facing in but in the pic right underneith it it looks as if the left MP faced out due to the rack configuration. As for the tracks on the restored vehicle, yes they did put them on backwards but that was not unheard of. You can find alot of pictures showing this if you look for them. I don't know if this was done with the Ostketten or Winterketten tracks though.

Roy

[Laurent Moitrot]

Roy of course we have samples of tanks with one or even both tracks mounted "the wrong way". Nothing impossible there only it was noy quite as "resistant" this way.
And the Winterketten were probably less effective that way because of the "engraved line" (sorry I do not know the proper english word) that didn't bite the snow quite as well.
If you want my two cents, changing tracks under direct ennemy fire was probably that kind of moment when you do not argue about tracks mounted the right way or not.

[Tim Coulson]

Darío,

Have you seen my StuG III F/8 reference photos in the gallery?

gallery/album.php?album_id=76

Hope they will be of use to you.

Tim

[Dario Risso]

Thanks guys.
Laurent, I re-read your e-mail after I glue the visor, sorry
Roy, the reference pic is from an Ausf.G; when I made the brackets I've not discovered that pic yet, so I use a pic from an Ausf. E...my mistake
About the reverse vehicle tracks ...the guys in the museum must follow Dragon instructions?

Tim, I've see your pics, of course, but...that is not an Ausf.F/8, but Ausf.G (it has commander cupola and different superstructure)) I sent a MP to Jamie on set 22nd notifying about the mistake, but he probably was too much involved with his work, with no much time for the forum.

Thanks to all for comment.
Darío

[Tim Coulson]

Sorry its not a F/8 that is what the museum information said it was.

[Dario Risso]

Don't be sorry, the pics of APG vehicles are always useful! You just need to change the title of the folder in your PC
Darío

[Laurent Moitrot]

Dario ... look at how the visor is ...one horizontal "H" of some sort ...you can just add two thin stripes of plasticard to the extreme right and left and it'll lok like the real thing. See what I mean ?
(ps : the pe parts are now swimming acros the ocean to your door let me know when you receive them).