Cyberhobby Panzerjäger Sd.Kfz. 164 Nashorn

[John Mohnen]

Hi
I still figuring out how to start this new post.
I am currently working on a Nashorn Panzerjäger. I started with an old kit I still had in my cabin but after some research on the web decided to update the kit and ordered Cyberhobbies Command version of the vehicle. I still had an old Modelkasten aftermarket upgrade kit (Suspension and metal Gun parts) for the old Dragon (6001) kit but haven't decided yet which if any of these are an improvement over the cyberhobby kit. Thats when I found that AFV had also an upgrade kit for their model of the Nashorn so I did give this also a try but was a little bit disappointed with this kit. Thought innitially that it was an PE kit but its mostly styrene. Disappointed I did some further research and ordered the 3 Voyager PE sets in for the Nashorn. These arrived quickly from HK and they indeed look promising. At this point I had started to order in some specific reference books and ionce they started to arrive the bug had bitten me. After 3 months of searching online and through my library I managed to only get a few pics of the interior. (drivers, Radio Ops and engine Compartment).
What the heck I wanted to know more now and decide to give the beast a full interior and started to dig in my heels. Slowly my questions were answered but it looks that with every answer I receive there are two or more questions developing. I ordered two interior kits from CMK (STUG drivers compartment and Engine Compartment) to form the basis of my Interior. Currently I am transforming info out of the few available pictures and transferring them in a AutoCAD drawing which hopefully become my template. I will see how to upload some pics because as always 1 pic is worth 10 words.
I still have many questions and hope some of you can maybe help me.

[Allan Williams]

G'day John,
Welcome aboard and I look forward to watching your build progress.
If you don't already have them, there's some nice photos of the interior of the fighting compartment in Allied-Axis Nr. 16 and some good details of the Pak 43 in Waffen Revue 37.

Cheers
Allan

[John Mohnen]

Thanks Allan
Have Allied Axis #11 which shows some nice pics of the Hummel but didn't know of Nr.16. Will have a look for that.
Have some Waffen Reveu's and will check out if nr.37 is between them.
I have in my Library:
- Nuts&Bolts Nr. 10 (Hummel) and 14 (Nashorn)
- Panzer Tracts 7.3 (Nashorn) & PT nr.10 (Hummel)
- Ryton Hummel Book
- Panzer at Saumur (Nashorn & Hummel)
- AFV Interior Hummel, 3 page web site from Mike Kendall
- AFV G2 magazine Nr.2-1 (hummel)
- Allied Axis #11 (Hummel)
- Concord Armor at War 7022 German Self-Propelled Guns
- Вече Самоходное орудие Nashorn (Good Russian source for Nashorn)
- Osprey New Vanguard 034 Sturmartillerie & Panzerjager 1939-45
- Schiffer 05 - Panzer IV and its Variants
- Schiffer 03 - Panzer III and its Variants
- Squadron Signal Armor 2005 Nashorn Hummel Brumbar
- Tornado 33 & 34 (russian source Hummel)\
- Tornado Technical Series Nr. 135 (russian source Hummel)
- Waffen Arsenal 003 Nashorn Hummel Brummbär
- Waffen Arsenal 060 Panzerjäger
- Waffen Arsenal 172 Laufwerke und Ketten Deutscher Kampfpanzer 1935-1945
- Waffen Arsenal 178 Funkgeräte in gepanzerten Fahrzeugen der Wehrmacht
- Waffen Arsenal 182 Motoren und Getriebe Deutscher Panzer
- Wydawnictwo Militaria 016 P Hummel Nashorn Brummbar
- Wydawnictwo Militaria 178 PE Hummel
These are the references I am currently using for the project. I have ordered and eagerly awaiting from Germany:
- D 653/42 8,8 cm Pz.Jg. 43/1 Hornisse Handbuch für den Panzerfahrer. This Vorschrift is missing figure 3 (Bild 3'Innere Trennwand) so if anyone has this manual with this figure I would like to know whats on Figure 3?

I am also desperate trying to locate a copy of another german manual: D9020/45 Das Funkgerät in der PAK 43 (Sf) Hornisse 01.03.1944 so if anyone knows where I can obtain a copy please send me a hint.

Further I believe there are some books from Trojca and some from Japan (Groundpower?, Delta?) so if anyone has some more info I would appreciate it.

In the above listed books in my possesion there are a lot of pics of the vehicle exterior and Fighting Compartment but only a handfull of the engine Compartment and/or Driver/Radio Operator compartment. I actually only have one shot from Mike Kendalls Hummel AFV Interior which shows the Radio operator side so if anyone knows of any shots Please let me know.
I would appreciate any further information about books/magazine/pictures which are available.
Cheers
John

[John Mohnen]

Just seeing what the process is to upload some pics of th start of my built.

Nashorn (9 of 57).jpg

I started with a floor from Styrene as shown here. Transferred maintenance openings with bolts holes from floor exterior.
Next make a temporary Firewall from an old floppy disc with maintenance openings dimensions from a sprueview from the AFV Nashorn kit.

Nashorn (5 of 57).jpg

This will be replaced with a styrene built firewall with more correct dimensions.

Next added the rear divider where the rear idler adjuster tensioner will be added later with some scratchbuilt support for the floor boards from the Voyager detail set.

Nashorn (13 of 57).jpg

See how these upload

[John Mohnen]

Wel that was easier than I thought.
The built is a bit of a slowmo job.
I building the model at work during my lunch breaks so it won't be going to fast.
Still in the process of getting some research done which eats up most of my time at home.
Any way here are some more pics.
Nashorn (49 of 57).jpg
Here I test fitted floor and front firewall and addded first of the rear firewall.
Next I made up the front support beam from some scratch copper to add some weight to the model with the side extension filed from styrene.
Nashorn (2 of 57).jpg
Here's the first of the rear firewall between Engine and Fighting compartment, Test fitted Airfilter to the wall with bluetac but reference showed that the 3 bottom support need to be removed. The filter is from CMK Kit and I only have a sketch of the Hummel which showed a similar airfilter in this location. If anyone can shed some light on the location of the filter that would help. I believe access to the Airfilter was through the little scquare lid which was located in the fighting compartment.
Nashorn (29 of 57).jpg
Here is a pic which shows this lid at the bottom left.
Rear Firewall.jpg
On the moment I am not 100% sure if this is correct but will keep you updated when I reveive the dienstvorschrift which hopefully give me a bit more insight in location.

[Tim Coulson]

Hi John,

Don't know if you've seen the photos I took of the Nashorn at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, in the gallery here on Armour Workshop?

gallery/album.php?album_id=108

Only one interior shot I'm afraid, hope they might be of some help.

Tim

[Dan Reed]

John,
Big start and looks to be a big project!
Dan

[Allan Williams]

John,
The photos of the Nashorn fighting compartment in Allied Axis 16 are better than those of the Hummel in number 11. There's also 4 issues of Waffen Revue that cover sections of the Hummel. Numbers 103, 104, 105 and 106.
I'd be very surprised if there's not a good walkaround of the Munster Hummel with interior photos. The photos of it in the Ryton book were hardly worth including. I'll try and find the photos I took of the Saumur example and see if I stuck the camera inside at all. Unfortunately I didn't take many photos of it.
Allan

[Jamie Tainton]

Hey John -a big welcome aboard! Great to see your joining in and posting images of your work. Sorry that it took me so long to pipe up but been working long days on a show with a tight deadline, but once I get a chance I'll try and contribute any info I can.

[John Mohnen]