Looking for a Panzer III...

I want to buy a Pz.Kpfw. III from Dragon… but I’ve seen that there are too many variants… as I only want one of them, I want to know: Which variant is the most known or more used variant?.. Thanks in advance.

L?

The Pz III N was widely used as a support tank in the early Tiger companies.

Not really sure about the others, they all look the same to me.

My favorite, but Tamiya produces it, Dragon doesn’t. Most common version built in the war was the H. Dragon does have an H version. I have the Afrika Korps G.

Maybe I’m a traditionalist, but IMHO, the short-bbl’d 50mm PzIII comes to the mind’s eye as the most “seen” PzIII. Especially in terms of a DAK PzIII or panzer-gray Barbarossa PzIII.

You can’t go wrong with Dragon’s PzIIIG or H, both OK for DAK, East Front.

Or consider the Dragon PzIIIJ, same as above and also with the short 50mm. I think it also includes the long bbl - or vice-versa. The PzIIIJ (aka “PzIII special”) with the long 50mm came later to the DAK and to East Front, but I could never warm up to the “look” of the longer bbl PzIII.

you can choose DML

9032 PANZERIII/G AF

9032 PANZERIII/E

9015 PANZER/M/N

could’ve sworn i saw a dragon pz3 L box in my local hobby shop, i can even picture what it looks like (the box illustration). maybe it’s out of production. in that case i vote for J, first long-barreled one (although the stubby gunned ones were cool too).

i built a dml pz3 M. the kit was pretty good, with a few glitches here and there but i’d sort of advice against it because a) they weren’t the typical ones per se since they were the wading version with the different muffler and b) if you build it with the side-skirts they look like a shoebox and you can’t see anything (unless of course you leave the sideskirts off).

I build the Tamiya L model, flawless, no problem at all.
Dunno about the Dragon thou, but I know they have some models for the pz3

Ben

The PzIII Ausf M fought in the battle of Kursk, so that might give you a better idea if you are thinking of a theme to base it.

…just to give some perspective to the Pz.Kpfw.III variations, and updates,… here are some trivia facts.

There were approximately 550 early Mks.built with the 3,7cm gun.

The Germans fielded some 700 Mk. Ns armed with the short 7,5cm for support roles. Virtually all of these were converted, or rebuilt from earlier Mks. ( 447 from Ausf. L and near all Ausf Ms).

Total 5cm L60 were some 1,971,… this would have include up-gunned earlier Mks. (These vehicles were termed “specials” by the Brits.)

Total short 5cm gun were 2,390,… again, this include up-gunned E, F, etc. models.

Most numberous types by Ausf. were the F(435), G(600), H(308) J(2,600), L(653) and M(213).

The Africa Korp fielded primarily Fs, Gs, and some Js later in Tunisia. Keep in mind the DAK never carried Pz.III Ns, or Tigers in their TOE. Those vehicles belonged to independent heavy tank battalians frequently attached to, but never part of, the DeutchesAfrikaKorp. (When Dragon, or Tamiya label their kit " DAK Tiger" they do so in ignorance.)

Hope all this is more help than confusion.

Dragon’s Panzer III J is a very good kit. It’s got a couple of minor accurracy problems that are easy to fix and each track block has two ejector pin marks, but it builds into a great little tank.

Tell us, Zero,… Have you decided what time frame/theatre of operations you wish to model ? Making that decision will narrow your selection process…

I have both the J from DML and L from Tamiya - although I am yet to build either. They both look pretty good in the box. I don’t think you would go wrong with either.

Oh yeah… I forgot!.. A friend of mine told me that there is a “classic” Panzer III, from the Operation Barbarossa … He told me that this is one the most known versions, but the problem is that he didn’t know what version is…