I would have answered Januse sooner but I have been fighting a Virus on my computer.
Hola Janusz
First let me thank you for the complements, but you are making me blush.
I haven’t built a GPM Armor model for several years and was looking forward to building the Stug III. My reference standard is the Halinski models, which are the only models I have built in the last 4 years with the exception of a Modellik model. All I can say is that Halinski reputation is justly deserved.
I purchased the model with the etched brass sheets for the model this made the model one of the more expensive that I have purchased. I am only stating this because I don’t think GPM did as good as they could have in the design of the model.
Small issues:
I thought I would make the hatches on the bottom of the hull open so that you could look at the interior from the under side. But when I compared the outside to the inside bottom of the hull I realized that they were not mirror images they were Identical. So the hatches would not line up. This is a minor thing and I can see myself making the same mistake.
Assembly 4a-e does not fit very well don’t bother cutting out the curve in part 4 a just butt glue parts 4e to it. The assembly does not quite fit the way I would like it to but when finished it looks OK.
I cheated on parts T14 and used a lolly pop stick and wrapped the paper around it. If you cut the stick length wise you can peal off the layers of paper and have just about any size diameter paper rod you need.
Part 18 is marked to be lamented to 1mm stock and then rolled into a rod, good luck with that one. Don’t laminate it just use the paper as printed or my stick suggestion.
Bigger Issues:
Part #18f the transfer case for the transmission is to be rolled into a cylinder with a connecting tab along the edge… Don’t the part is under sized by 3 to 4 mm (will post a photo in my album) use the end parts 18i as your guides. Not a big problem but if you do not trial fit the parts you could have a problem. While we are on the transmission, build the sub assemblies up but do not glue them all together. It is hard to see but part 24e that mates up the front of the transmission and is also secured to the front glacis plate by parts 24. I haven’t finished this but my thinking is that with all of the potential for a bad fit it would be best to align every thing as I am assembling the front of the hull.
The positioning marks for the engine compartment bulkhead are not just incorrect but look like they are for a different model (Pzkw III?) if you follow what appears to be the right place for the bulkhead Part 5b with the stick Grenade rack is blocked by part 4H.
The tension assembly for the track Idler on the rear of the hull is nearly impossible to build with the supplied parts. I redesigned the rod to make it smaller in diameter so that it would fit and look right.
As for etched brass I don’t think Ill be using very many of the parts. I can cut the small parts out of paper and I think they look better. Several of the brass parts are hinges for all the hatches this I liked very much. I have scratch built hinges out of paper but they are too delicate. The idea of using brass shim stock to make the hinges is a winner. You could copy the base of the hinges and glue the copy to shim brass .010 in (.25mm) cut the hinge with good scissors and make your own hinges. I used a .015 in (.3 mm) brass rod for the pivot and glued it with Cyro.
I also redesigned the radio and the power supply it’s the wrong radio and the wrong color. Most of the interior is white and this is not correct. First the interior color is hotly debated by the modeling community but most think that it is an off white not a bright white. You would also find a lot of the anti rust red paint in the bottom of the tank late war tanks had a lot of the red in them while early tanks would have less. The equipment is often painted black so that it would stand out in the dim interior of the tank. This would include all the electrical boxes, parts boxes, handles, latches and perhaps cables. As for the radios I have never seen a white radio they were dark gray or late war tan. Now I know that one of the fine modelers on this list is going to send me a photo of a white radio and I would be happy to have the photo.
I had hopped to finish the model for IPMS Orangecon but I have put it aside for now. Janusz, if you would post your comments and photos on your build maybe we could compare notes while we build the model together in the forum.
I’ll post some photos of the “issues†later this evening or tomorrow.
Jim Nunn
