Panzer III GB Feeler

Modeling Subjects Group Builds
1

Guys,

I posted this in Armor forum last night and I thought I’d post it here in case you want take a break and build something with tracks. Several people have expressed interest already.

Several "Armor" Group Builds are expected to end on June 30th so I think it will be a good timing to start a new one after that. Dupes did an outstanding job leading Panzer IV and its variants back in 2009.

So I thought it would be great if we can do Panzer III and its variants GB. There are so plenty of choices for us…

  • Panzer III Ausf. A, B, C, D - Pre-production models in 1937-1938.
  • Panzer III Ausf. E, F - Production models 1939-1940.
  • Panzer III Ausf. G - More armour on gun mantlet. Produced in 1940-1941.
  • Panzer III Ausf. H - Bolt-on armor added to front and rear hull. Produced in 1940-1941.
  • Panzer III Ausf. I - Variant mentioned in Allied intelligence reports but not an actual existing vehicle.
  • Panzer III Ausf. J - The hull was lengthened. Front armor increased. Produced in 1941.
  • Panzer III Ausf. J¹ - Equipped with the longer and more powerful gun. Produced in late 1941-1942.
  • Panzer III Ausf. K - Panzerbefehlswagen command tank variant with a modified turret.
  • Panzer III Ausf. L - Uparmored to 50 mm + 20 mm plates. Produced in 1942.
  • Panzer III Ausf. M - Minor modifications such as deep-wading exhaust and schurzen. 1942-1943.
  • Panzer III Ausf. N - Armed with a short barreled gun, re-equipped J/L/M models in 1942-1943.

And its variants…

  • Artillerie-Panzerbeobachtungswagen III - Forward artillery observer tank.
  • Bergepanzer III - In 1944 some Panzer IIIs were converted to armoured recovery vehicles.
  • Flammpanzer III Ausf. M / Panzer III (F1) - Flamethrower tank. Converted from Panzer III Ausf. M.
  • Minenräumer III - Mineclearing vehicle based on a Panzer III chassis with a very highly raised suspension. (Prototype only)
  • Panzerbefehlswagen III - Command tank. Heavier armor, dummy gun, and long-range radios.
  • Sturm-Infanteriegeschütz 33B - A close-support, Assault gun. Only 24 built.
  • Sturmgeschütz (StuG) III - Assault gun / tank destroyer armed with a 75-millimetre StuK.
  • The Soviet SU-76i self-propelled gun was based on the chassis of captured German Panzer III and StuG III.
  • Tauchpanzer III - Some tanks were converted to “diving tanks” for Operation Sealion.

Since we are talking about 15 models and 9 variant (many more under StuG), the GB will go on for a full year from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. It would be GREAT if we can have each model built just like we saw in Marder Madness mini-GB earlier. So that way we can see all models and its variants at once at the end.

So I am sending out GB feeler to see if it is getting enough interest so I can get it started at GB forum. I know few buddies are already interested and it will be FUN because there are four less wheels to worry about this time! Just let me know… thanks!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-318-0083-30%2C_Polen%2C_Panzer_III_mit_Panzersoldaten.jpg

2

Andy, I love Pz III’s. My favorite is the L, which I’ve built and is in my sig. I have a G, but am unsure at this time if I’ll build it, but you do have a generous time-frame, so I’ll have to consider it.

3

Hey buddy! No worries… I figure one year GBs work best for most of us. It looks like we have plenty of interest in Armor so we will go ahead with the Panzer III GB. So far nobody has volunteered for G so maybe you can be our knight in shining armor. [:D]

I am thinking about going for Ausf M if nobody has it but it may not be easy to locate that old Tamiya kit as it seems to be the only one out there.

4

Hey Andy,there should be no reason why more than one pzr III ausf. M could be built as many div. used them,different paint schemes and such,remember this is for fun. I may do a bergepanzer I believe as m bergepanzer IV needs a companion.

Greg"Detailfreak"Rowley[Y]

5

Hey Andy,

You have pm but I wondered what the others had in mind for the next couple of months?

I’m not too far off completion of my StuG III B now so apart from Whitewashing my Hetzer I wouldn’t have a lot to do until the start date!

I hate unbuilt kits so I won’t be starting anything else and like I said in my pm I do NOT fancy going back to that Marder yet so I’d be kicking my heels for a while!

How about a June 1st start date - from what I can see that should tie in perfectly with a lot of the guys finishing current GB builds?

The Kit is now ordered from my LHS and I’m also thinking of building a StuG III G straight after as a second entry (maybe) [Y]

Cheers matey,

Ben [t$t]

6

Guys, it is looking real good. So far 16 of us have signed up in the Armor forum. [:D] I am going to post official Panzer III GB here soon. Please go there if you wish to join… thanks! [Y]

Greg- It would be G-R-E-A-T if you can build Bergepanzer III!!! Nobody else has signed up to build this variant. I hope we get to hit all variants in a year… I think it will likely happen with a good group.

Ben- For sure I got you down for Panzer III Ausf N. If you are thinking about building StuG III too and you haven’t brought a kit. It would be great if you can do either Ausf C or D. We will see alot of Ausf G in our GB. I will do Ausf F so we are very close at hitting all variants.