Post-Flu update and FINISHED PICS page 5--NeoGrade Bergepanzer III WIP

Modeling Subjects Armor
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Hi Guys, Well, here’s the new project–the NeoGrade Bergepanzer III. NeoGrade is a new South Korean company, and i saw this on eBay when I was searching for a Pz III. I decided to give it a go. Even though it’s resin, and I hate working with resin…well, not really…just resin tracks! (nightmares of Jagdpanzer Kanone build! )

In 1944 all remaining Pz III’s were ordered to be converted to Bergepanzers. So I’ll be using the M/N model as a base model.

And here is the NeoGrade kit.

Here’s how it builds up…

The parts, in a stiff plastic double-bag…

ANd what you get–there was some minor warpage, mostly in the floor panel, and the crane jibs but remarkably, no breakage in some of the delicate parts. Yes, you also get the nice little chain…

Here’s all you get for directions–the shortcoming of most resin kits. The small diagram is to assemble the pulleys.

I started by heating up some water in a cup in the microwave, and dipping the resin piece in to straighten them; 10 seconds is plenty enough to make them pliable.

Now, in the floor of the wooden base, there is a hole that goes down to the hull.

Well, you know what that means…

…some bugger is going to look down into it! [:O]

So, I had to put something down there…I thought about an entertainment center and a fridge, but then decided I’d best do a reasonable interior–here was Verlinden’s Pz III set–nope, I didn’t buy this, just used the photo…

Inspired by our own Hans Von Hammer’s frugal, creative approach, I figgered that I could build a reasonable facsimile for the limited field-of-view that you would have looking down there…I started cutting…

And here’s where I am with it before painting…I’m really kinda both flying by the seat of my pants, according to what I can make out there, and improvising; in fact, I haven’t decided yet on keeping the seat in there, but I figured that they wouldhave stripped out some of the ammo storage, and added mods; at least there are no interior shots that I could find to prove me definitively wrong?

I improvised with some scrap PE, and scribed in the doors…

The little toilet-hole ([:O]) you look down into–I’ll also be adding a tube-ladder down into here, but with the walls of the superstructure as well, you won’t be able to see much–but enough to say “There’s something down there!!”

That’s it so far! Any suggestions? Do you think I should keep the seat?! [:D]

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Wow, doog—you are getting good with that sheet styrene!..doing that kinda scratching that quickly w/ sheet styrene would have made you a Grand Master just 15 years ago. Nice work !!! I say, leave the seat…doesn’t look like it can be seen from the angles anyway…I did notice that the wood-grain on the resin parts looks a little heavy-handed…Have you considered using real wood as a replacement—basswood or balsa strips? Cool project…

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WOW! doog, this is just like your other work, amazing! this is truly wonderful, and I absolutely think that you should keep the seat!

Jim

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doog,

That is really sweet! I really admire your courage (and credit HvH for the inspiration) to tackle that interior - although I think you coulda got away with a recliner, widescreen, and bowl o’ pretzels…[}:)]

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I’ve been curious to see some of the Neograde stuff in use so will be following this one with interest. They have a pretty good line of offerings for a wide range of subjects and the Berge III ought to be just right in your hands Karl. [tup]

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Looking very good so far! Love the scratchbuilding! As for the seat, save it for another project, as I highly doubt you can even see it, without the use of hightech spy-equipment [swg]

One thing however…

You sure about that? I doubt all Panzer III’s were converted… And I don’t mean that as in 3 were left original. But here in Norway, even Panzer I tanks were left with their original MG turret till the end of the war. As I’ve said numerous times, Norway isn’t suited for tank warfare (Todays Norwegian Royal Army got just 10 Leopards, other than that, some IFV’s) and the only German tankdivision that was stationed here was the Z.B.V. 40. There were another one, but they left summer of '42.

So I’m asking, hence the Z.B.V.40 left even Panzer I’s alone troughout the war, were all Panzer III’s converted? Or did these tanks in Norway get some kind of exeption?

Looking forward for more!!

-Lasse

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Huxy, not all Pz IIIs were ordered for conversion into Berge IIIs but all Berge IIIs were built from reconditioned Pz III hulls as opposed to new vehicles. There were still Pz III gun tanks in use in Norway at the end of the war as you mention as well as others serving as Beobachtungswagens, munitionspanzers, etc. However quite a few of the older Pz III chassis were converted into Berge IIIs in 1944 and I think that’s what Karl means in his post. Only 176 were built between March '44-May '45.

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Thanks, guys!

Manny-- I think I’ll just go with the resin pieces–I actually like the grain on the parts. Plus, oneof them has some kind of wire/rope on it that has a certain look I like.

Thanks, too, Jim and Boyd!

Bill–they DO have soe nice stuff, huh? I am tempted by some of their other offerings as well! Thanks for stopping in!

Huxy–Bill is correct; of course, there would be some Pz III’s left “as is”–in fact, probably a mojority of them—but the order was given–not necessarily carried out in full.Thanks, Bill, for your input!

Well, I’ve laid down some paint inside–black, then neutral gray for an undercoat.

Then white in the panels and from the right, “top down” angle.

I tried to think of the natural light diminishing in appropriate places,and painted accordingly, eathering it to black toward the front of the hull. Honestly, most of this you’ll probablynever see…[sigh]

I’ll be finishing the weathering tonight, I’m sure. And adding some things like fire extingusher, and yes, the seat will stay.

Stay tuned for more! [:D]

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Great looking conversion project so far, doog, gotta love the scratch interior![tup] Dang these small companies that produce conversion and aftermarket parts seem to spring up like weeds, never heard of NeoGrade.

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looking good Karl.

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Outstanding idea, even if I do say so m’self, Doog… I love the sound of scribing & snapping styrene in the mornin’… Looking forward to this one…

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You guys are like machines as where modelling is concerned, lookin good Doog[tup] .I thought i did quite a bit of modelling but you guys on the forum here are like robots. Does modelling take up all your spare time?[:-^]

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Karl nice to see some more of the work horse panzers getting built. I’ve got the Bergtiger E that I plan on doing soon.

The interior really is well done its to bad so much will be hidden. Looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us in terms of cammo.

Don’t know how some of you guys can work so fast[%-)].

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Karl, Inspirational stuff !! Just Great !!

I have seen some NeoGrade stuff on e-bay, notably their IV Lang and Ferdinand 1/16 kits. But, at $500 + its a bit out of my league.

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Mmmm cool.

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Thanks guys, to all who have taken the time to comment, and who are following this build! [:D]

I worked on some of the weathering for the interior last night–I think I’ll call this “done” and start working on the outside. Weathered with MIG oils–not much really; a lot of it was a result of the painting helping portray the look you see here.

Thanks again for looking in guys!!!

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That is very, very nice!

Hope this model is a gift to me for letting you get to this magnificent country to play? [:-,]

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Dood, you sir are a machine! That interior looks as good or better than many kit-supplied stuff. I’ve never seen a Bergepanzer III, so this will be interesting to see completed.

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Hi, Karl, the build looks great so far. Nice bit of scratching. Should have saved quite a few bucks there.

Terry.

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Karl i would like you to stop now, put down your brushes and hang up your modelling skills. enough is enough, your just takin the p11s now. that is lookin far to good for the likes of me to come close to achieving. Just leave it a couple of years,No wait i will let you Know when to start again. (10 years later, oh sorry mate i forgot to tell you you can start again)[;)][:-^]