StuG III F/8 - Dragon 9013

[Dario Risso]

Well, I make little advances with the interior; I just add some details that will be visible through the open hatches.

I take this Frankestein, with Tamiya legs, unknow torso and arms...


...and make my second intent to sculpt a winter jacket (the first intent was worst )



I printed some reduced pics of the radios and glued it on a piece of plasticard; then I added some controls and wires




MPs and brackets added


I scrachtbuilt a Sturmkanone 40 using parts of an old Tamiya StuG, copper wire, sprue and plasticard


I'm detailing the exterior this week, using some of the P.E. Laurent kindly send me; mercí beacoup, mon ami!

Comments are wellcomed
Darío

[Dario Risso]

Well, this boy is almost finished; finally I don't use the PE Laurent gives me, I prefer to use it in another kit.
This is a list of the modifications I made to the kit:



1 - Side brackets for towing cables made with copper sheet
2 - Grill from another kit
3 - AFV Club fire extinguisher
4 - Modified rear mudflap
5 - I added this complementary metal sheet for the mudflap
6 - Spare track pins added (from sparebox)
7 - Spare tracks fastening added (copper wire and plastic)
8 - Some marks for the towing cable brackets filled
9 - Wood block replaced (balsa)
10 - Jack brackets detailed
11 - Towing cable added (some kind of fishing steel line)
12 - Hatches locking added
13 - Gun cleaning bracket detailed
14 - Spare antenna bracket added


15 - Front hatches detailed
16 - Gap filled
17 - Spare track links added
18 - Towing cable clamps replaced (it still need the wingnuts)
19 - Some welding made with stretched sprue
20 - Front fender deleted and support detailed
21 - Front Bosch light support replaced









Please let me know what you think

Darío

[Laurent Moitrot]

Looks good to me, Dario.
So yours is a command StuG ? the two radio sets ...
;o)

[Dario Risso]

Thanks, Laurent; yup, apparently it will be a kommand StuG
I paint it using, as always, automotive paint, trying to obtain the African colors (RAL 8020- RAL 7027). I've read some vehicles prepared for Africa were sent to South Russia and Crete late 1942.


Then I made a mix of acrilic varnish, medium sand and acrilic light brown paint, to simulate mud, and applied to the chasis and tracks:





Then came the typical hairspray technique: a coat of hairspray, a coat of Tamiya XF-2, then a wet brush, with short bristles and rubbing all over the vehicle.
It sound simple, but you need to take some experience with the drying time and amount of hairspray.
As you will see in the next pics, I applied too little HS on the front half of the StuG and too much on the rear half; that's why now is too much white at the front and too little at the rear.

Well, in the first case I think it can be solved using alcohol, diluted or not, depending of the protection you added (Varnish, floor polish, etc). I like how my Stug looks at the front, so I will let it as is
For the second case, the solution is, I think, repeat the process: HS, XF-2, rubbing. I will try this tonight or tomorrow









Thanks to all for take a look
Darío

[Dario Risso]

Well, after repaint the rear of the vehicle (2 o 3 times, I lost the count ) followed by some oil washes and the painting of tools and accesories, this is the result. I just need to paint a jerrycan and then the figures and the terrain...almost nothing









Cheers
Darío

[Laurent Moitrot]

Looks very good, Dario. i guess you checked where Stug Brigade 901 fought ?

[Laurent Moitrot]

I came back from work too late to edit this morning post. So Kharkov it is ?
I guess this is your F8 :



May I add I think your modelling skills improve ! excellent job on the lower hull and tracks.

[Dario Risso]

Thanks Laurent.
Well I'm a total ignorant about units, but this time I searched a little:
Dragon 9013 instructions doesn't mention StuG Brig 901 or StuG Abt. 901.
Dragon 6644 states StuG Brig.901 was in Kharkov , 1942-1943
According to some web pages, the existence of that Brigade was questionable http://www.stugiii.com/stugunits/heerunits.html: Listed in German OB for 1945; existence questionable
http://www.sturmvogel.orbat.com/stug.html#901: Listed in German OB for 1945; existence questionable
http://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopic ... 24&t=32003
In the 1. Panzer Army:
Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 901 with 6 Stugs (6+0) (report dated 24 March)

Others webs mentions it as Lehr Bat. 901

http://www.die-sturmartillerie.com/901.htm
Die Sturmgeschütz Lehr Batterie 901
Feldpostnummern: 19970 = Sturmgeschütz Batterie Lehr Regiment 901 (mot.)

http://www.panzer-modell.de/referenz/ab ... gbrig2.htm Mentions the emblem

http://www.feldgrau.com/stug.htm

http://did.panzer.pagesperso-orange.fr/ ... chutz.html
StuG.Lehr.Batt.901 :
Formée en 12/41 à Juterborg - combat avec le Lehr.Rgt.901 en Russie (groupe du Don) - donne ses StuGe. à la 19.Pz.Div. en 02/43.

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Per ... ellerA.htm
Names it as "Sturmgeschütz-Lehr-Batterie 901"

Anyway, my StuG will be in "Russia" in ...I don't know, february 1943?

Cheers
Darío

P.S. I just see your last edition...COOL!! Where you get the pic?

[Jamie Tainton]

Great posting Dario!!!!

[Laurent Moitrot]

Dario. Most of the confusion about theunits come from the fact that in the first place there were only StuG Batteries. They were eventually transformed into StuG Brigade later in the war. The name "Brigaden" appears only in February 1944.
How this unit was called during the battle of Kharkov (so definitely NOT StuG Brigade 901)doesn't change the fact that it fought there;.
It's only me, being your average lazy sod who used the name StuG Brigade.
So just for the record : StuG Lehr Batterie is created in December 42, in emergency, incorporating volunteers from the jüterborg school and is part of the Lehr Regiment 901 (mot). It is sent to the southern front, around the Don, and this explains the Tropen StuGs. It has only 6 StuGs at the time of Kharkov. The unit gives all its StuGs to 19. Pz Div by the end of April 43.
This pic clearly shows the Tropen camo scheme (and note this interesting detail, part of the right track is with Winterketten and part of it is with regular track links).



Another one from the same unit :



Of course we all know what happened to this Lehr Reg 901 (mot) ... LOL.