Pz.Kpfw.III ausf G 1:25 GPM

  • Hi,


    Since I finished my PAK 40 diorama (pictures I will post in a few days), I started with a new build, again a vehicle of the DAK.


    This model of GPM can be build in several ways (only the exterior, with interior, hatches that can be opened)


    I'm going to build the complete model with interior in such a way that all the hatches can be opened but also with a removable top because through the hatches only a small part of the very detailed interior is visible.


    Yesterday I started with the hull of the tank, pictures I will post later this week.


    Even though I just started the build, I'm already thinking of a diorama to put this model into :rotwerd:. This time I will build a bigger diorama than these of the PAK and T34/76. The next diorama will hold 2 vehicles, the Pz.Kpfw and the Sd.Kfz. 250/3 Greif which I will build after the Pz Kpfw.


    The diorama is inspired by this diorama:


    http://www.missing-lynx.com/gallery/dio/tigerdio_dopp.html


    The picture below will give a first impression. The story behind it is that the Pz Kpfw was following the greif and runs into a burried mine. Because the Greif is driving a bit more to the right, it has just missed the mine.


    The diorama gives the situation after the accident. The soldiers are checking and repairing the damaged wheel, while the commander is using the radio of the Greif to radio for help.


    This is all going to be a lot of work (building two vehicles, soldiers and the diorama), Don't be to unhappy when my building process is going slow because I have to squize the building work in between my normal work and family life.


    I will post now and then some pictures to keep you all informed.



    Xander

  • Hi,


    After building the hull, I first builded the oil-cooler and glued it into the hull. After building the engine I realised that I was really lucky, the engine barely fitted between the oil-cooler and bulkhead.


    Because the engine is really detailled and in the finished model allmost completely covered by the oil- and fueltanks, I builded these tanks in such a way that they can be removed from the model so that the engine can be taken away.


    Now the engine side of the interior is finished, I will probably first carry on with the outside. Because when the exterior is finished, I know the exact size of the tank in order to start with building the diorama. Once the exterior is finished (or at least progressed quite far) I will build the rest of the interior and the turret.


    Regarding the engine, it needs some paint on the edges to remove the white color of the paper. Although it is already wheathered a bit, I will wheather the engine a bit more. I already started on top to simulate some oil spill.


    Xander

  • It took a while because I was very busy with work, but I found some time to work on the model.


    I finished the bottom part of the hull. Now this is finished, I will continue with the suspension, wheels and tracks.


    Once the tracks are on, I'm able to start with building the diorama, because I have to know the exact position of the tracks in order to make the trackmarks in the soil of the diorama.


    After the tracks I will mount the fenders, because I found out with the T34 that it is much easier to put the tracks on when the fenders are not yet mounted.


    When the complete bottom part of the tank is finished, I will start with the upperpart and the turret.


    The innerpart of the tank I will build completely at the end. Because once the tank without the interior is finished, I can already put it into the diorama.


    This is still possible because I make the interior in such a way that it can be taken out. This is an advantage in showing the model on a exhibition. The outershell of the tank can than be on the diorama while the interior stands next to it showing the amazing details of this GPM model.


    The edges of the parts are already painted for the first time with a dark brown/yellow color. When the complete model and the diorama are finshed, all the edges are matched to the color of the diorama with dust pigments. After this treathment, all the small regions that are now still white will be colored.


    Xander

  • Hi,


    First, all the pictures are made in macro setting of the camera using the flash, which is very nice to make closeups, but all small imperfections are extremely visible. In real, while looking by eye it looks way better :evil: maybe I can show it one time at a meeting.


    I continued with the backrollers of the tank, because these determine the distance between the track and the body. Next step is to build the cog wheel and the idler wheel. Finally I will put on the road wheels, because due to the suspension they are easy to damage but also easy to adjust to make the track really run parallel with the tank hull.


    I allready found out that the cog wheel has to be adjusted because the GPM laser cut tracks are a bit wider than the printed tracks. It is only one mm but they will not fit if I don't make the shaft of the cog wheel 1 mm wider.


    The teeth of the cog wheel are painted with metal paint, to make them appear like the paints is removed while pulling on the tracks.


    Finally I have one tip (also for the STUG III): when you build the return rollers, do not reinforce part 72 and 72a by doubling the thickness of the paper but by glueing it to 0.8 mm thick cardboard. This makes the rollers more stiffer and will help you when you fit the tracks, because the track need a bit of sag. When you bend the tracks to make this sag, it creates quite some force on the rollers which might bend them.


    I even drilled a hole through the complete return roller and glued a toothpick (red in the picture of the GPM manual) inside to serve as a axle. The protruding part of the axle is then glued into the hull of the tank.


    Part 4 is completely filled with glue. The glue dried during a few days, and now the return rollers are really stiff. I can't bend them any more with respect to the hull of the tank.


    Next time when I find some time to work on the model, I will show the progress on the idler wheel and the road wheels.


    Xander

  • Hi,


    Today I had some time to work on the model.


    I finished the tension wheel and tension adjustment mechanism (picture without and with protection cover).


    I also builded two shockabsorbers, a short one for the last roadwheel and a long one for the first roadwheel. In real life, both shockabsorbers have the same length when the weight of the tank is on. But because I will remove the first roadwheel (blown of by a mine), there is no weight on this absorber and the sping inside, will drive the absorber down. The second roadwheel will be over the gap in the road caused by the mine, so this will also be a bit lower than the rest.


    All these adjustments to match the model to the diorama, take some time but on the end it will be worthwhile because the model will fit nicely into the diorama.


    Next time I will post the results when all the roadwheels on the left side are finished.


    Xander

  • Hi,


    I finished the complete suspension on the left side of the tank and already 3 roadwheels.


    Although the fitting is again really good as we know from GPM, the roadwheels take quite some time. This is because I dont want to glue the different parts overlapping, but head on to avoid the seam to be to much visible. So I have to remove the glue tabs and glue them under the joint, which takes twice the time (glueing on one side, drying, glueing on the other side).


    As you can see in the pictures, the first road wheel is broken off, due to the exploding mine. Because there is no force holding the suspension up, the suspension is pressed down by the spring in the damper. The second roadwheel is a bit lower than the rest, because this is in the shallow part of the mine crater. Besides that, it has lost the rubber on the outward wheel (this rubber will be in the diorama somewhere around the crater). The last two roadwheels have not finished yet, but to give you an impression, I photoshopped them into the picture, so on top is the real situation and on the bottom is an impression of the final diorama.


    Xander

  • Looks very nice and realistic so far. For no overlapping I use the same technology as you, but I don't wait for the glue to dry, just glue both sides and clamp it with pincers. I use superglue though..

  • Hi,


    I'm still struggling with the road wheels, but there is still some progress :D.


    Because my good mood was a bit disappearing, also because of the wheels, I started with a diorama.


    halfaya pass (WW2 German Afrika Korps)


    I will still carry on with the wheels, and once they are finished, and the tracks are on, I will post the pictures.


    Best wishes and a happy new year,


    Xander

  • Hi,


    Finally I completed all the parts of the road wheel. I only need to glue them together.


    In the mean time, I finished both air inlet ducts (only one is glued to the model because the other one is still drying).


    In the GPM model, the mesh is just printed on the paper which I did not like so much. Therefore I bought some mesh and glued that into it.


    I'm not sure about the orientation of the mesh (parallel or under 45 degrees with respect to the inlet duct) because I found pictures (of real PzKpfw's and STUGS and of plastic models) in which both situations are depicted.


    Finally I have choosen for the parallel orientation because the piece of mesh I bought is rather small and parallel orientated. Cutting it under 45 degrees would waste to much material.


    if people are interested, I will send the link of the supplier in a PM or mail.


    Finally I painted the mesh and wethered it to blend into the model.


    Xander