Plastic Soldier Company Pz III (50mm short)

The Panzer III was designed to be the prime German MBT (although I acknowledge I use this post-war modern term in a historical sense, perhaps "cruiser" would have been better) of the Second World War, but the Pz III found itself compromised right from the outset. Slow to get into production and hence only playing a minor part in the Polish 1939 campaign (A-D versions), it was found lacking in the France 1940 campaign (E) against the better French tanks. Up gunned to the short 50mm (F/G) it optimistically went into the Russian 1941 campaign only to met the shock of the KV I and T34 monsters.

The PSC models (along with the 4 x HaT models I have) nicely finishes off my Panzer Battalion for the early-mid Russian campaign (1041-42) now with a max of seven Pz III F's to field (see below):

As the Pz III tanks were improved via workshop upgrades as well as new factory additions the Panzer battalion was always a mixture of types up until the end of 1942.

The F/G model was the Barbarrossa workhorse as well as being the DAK chariot in the desert (see below):

The PSC models are perfect for company command tanks given their nice commander poses (see below):

Nice to get my hands on so many short Pz III 50mm tanks, as a kid they were nowhere to be seen, bar a broken barrel Matchbox conversion. 

To understand German tank development in WWII IMHO I think you need to know the Pz III story.

The story does not end here as the Pz III gets a final upgrade to the long 50mm gun (L-M)1941(late)-42-43(mid) that takes it to its Kursk swansong on the Eastern Front. Not forgetting the final (N) version as it was demoted from MBT to an anti-infantry "support" tank (notably seen in Tunesia supporting Tigers) with a short 75mm.

My Esci/Italeri/Matchbox/Revell/Fujimi long 50mm models will nicely fill into the final chapter of the Pz III tank battalions (a future post methinks). 

Note: The PSC Pz III's are not their simplest models but still damn good for ease of construction. 

Model of the Month: WWII HaT"StuIG 33" x 2

What a fantastic high from making this kit and I don't think it was anything to the liquid glue I was using in an unventilated room. It was a quick-fit joy to make. HaT have really sorted out their kit assembly!

It was a delightful put together in less that twenty minutes.

The only down side to this kit is thinking up an excuse to buy another box. Two models pretty well covers the requirements of a Command Decision German Division (Infantry, Panzer Grenadier or Panzer). 

In one session I managed to put together two.

The instructions were excellent, the only difference between printed and actual in the box was a simplification, using one part instead of two for the bit that goes underneath the gun.

 
All-in-all its 10/10 for a fast build, 9/10 for a scale model but it has plenty of scope for customisation (adding to stowage bric-a-brac on the rear engine cover area). You can imagine it is one of those vehicles that 'landsers' would keep jumping on for a ride, given half a chance.

The Panzer III Production Line Continued ...

Inside the heart of the Reich, Albert Speer's industrial war machine turns up a gear and starts churning out Panzer III's on a mass scale (see below, one HaT and two Frontline models) as Hitler's attention turns east towards the Soviet Union and his idealogical enemy Stalin:

A closer look at the "duo" of the 1/76 Pz III Ausf E's armed with the "37mm door-knocker" picked up at SmoggyCon (see below). It's always nice to paint a convention purchase asap:

My definition of "industrial" when it comes to kit creation is three plus ;)

The 1/72 Pz III Ausf G "short 50mm" (see back left above) shows the rapid pace of the evolutionary arms race in comparison to the 1/76 Pz III Ausf E "37mm door-knocker" (see rear right and foreground above). Two major marks of the Pz III were released within months of each other, the Pz III Ausf E becoming effectively obsolete by the start of the Russian 1941 Campaign (Barbarossa):

The Light Companies of the "Barbarossa 1941" Panzer Battalion and its Light Companies (see above). Each comprised of:

• 2 x Pz III Ausf G + 1 Pz III Ausf E

The "Command Tanks" to be nominated as needed, rather than being 'special models'. The two light companies 'spread' over the plain of my painting table (see below):

Shiny tracks, varying shades of German Grey and rusting rear radiator exhausts

Germans all done now, all I need is some Soviet opposition:

Finally its time to reappraise my "Panzer Grey Project", is it finished?

I think so, until spring 1942 when the Pz III "special" long 50mm tank (Ausf J2) appears. Technically I may need six Pz III Ausf G's models by the end of 1941, but combat attrition meant that 'full battalions' were rarely fielded and I can safely use the Pz III Ausf E's as nice ways of spotting/differentiating the "Command Tanks" on the tabletop.

Besides at this point I have also reached the bottom of the Tamiya XF-63 paint pot!

What's that Under The Bed at SmoggyCon?: Pz III Ausf E's

Well blow me if it's not a Pz III Ausf E in resin! Now I can go into Poland in style with the correct allocation and mark of Pz III's (see below, resin kit in four parts from Under the Bed Enterprises ["FrontLine kit" being the manufacturer] retailing at £4.90 on the day).

So I bought two, which means I can go proudly into France with the correct Order of Battle (OoB), if you let me use a HaT Pz III Ausf G as a command tank (or alternatively that dinky little Panzer1 Bef Ausf B). The two under coated black kits are another pair of Hat Pz III Ausf G's I already "had in the bag" (see below).

By my calculations I will be ready to rumble in "early Barabarossa" when they are finished. The process of upgrading from the Pz III Ausf E to Pz III Ausf F+ have not been completed, most battalions had lingering Pz III Ausf E's lying around. Again I may need to press the Pz I Bef Ausf B into service much to the chagrin of the Panzer Battalion commander.  

The "Frontline" resin kits slipped together nicely with a generous dollop of super-glue. Despite their relative cheapness (comparable to the HaT offerings) they are nicely detailed with a rotating turret. The gun barrels are cheap metal, finished in a rounded fashion (better than I remember the first Frontline kits). So I am very happy with them. The resin seems good to reasonable in quality with only a few air bubbles I'll need to fill in later (certainly much better than my Faust Miniature Panzer I Ausf A's with their 25mm Breda Gun).

My one reservation is the tracks as they are ambitiously also cast in resin, other manufacturers use metal to avoid brittle chipping disasters. Mine are fine at the moment but I intend to "finally" mount them on small scenic bases as I suspect longer term use will "degrade" them after the first if "drop". Fortified with a 'cup of char' the Panzer III fleet gets its base colours (see above and below).

A final close up of the two Pz III Ausf E's from Frontline shows their 1/76 scaling next to the larger 1/72 HaT Pz III Ausf G cousin. The Frontline kit is about the same body size as the old Matchbox Pz III Ausf J size for comparison.

Note: In the background you can see my 25/28mm Perry Renaissance Mercenaries still in "stasis" waiting their turn patiently on the painting tray

HaT ArmourFast Panzer III Ausf G: The Second One

The second HaT ArmourFast Panzer III Ausf G gets the same Tamiya XF-63 Panzer Grey (or after reading the label again I stand corrected it's actually German Grey) painting scheme. The fighting pair (see below):

As we are amongst friends we can pretend that the short 50mm is really a 37mm "Door Stopper" and drive across Poland (1939) and into France (1940) before entering Russia (1941-42):

Compared to the later war tanks the "length" of the barrel does not impress, but at least it can fire a decent enough HE charge to knock out infantry strong points (MG bunkers) and exposed anti-tank gunners.

Note to self: Painting recap Tamiya XF63 German Grey, with successive amounts of Tamiya NXF-53 Neutral Grey, leading to a final thin highlight on leading edges of XF-53 with a "touch" of Anita's Acrylic Cream to whiten it up.(As seen in the side-shot below):

Crying out for some decals and clutter, but that can come later!

HaT Panzer III Ausf G catwalk over, next stop the "medium company" of the early war Panzer Division's battalions ;)

The Panzer Grey Production Line Continues: The Panzer III Main Battle Tank

The previously broken (as in a snapped rear axle) 221 Armoured Car (which is an old Airfix conversion of mine) and a HaT ArmourFast Pz III Ausf G (with the short 50mm gun) appear on the painting table. To those in "the know", where you see one Pz III Ausf G from HaT you know there will be another because they sell them in packs of two. Seen from the front (see below):

Note: I am trying not to get distracted with painting the armoured cars just yet. The idea is to be painting 'all' the required German tanks for a Command Decision II/III early war (1939 to early 1942, when they were still just "grey") Panzer Battalion. Hence the 222's armoured cars I got out of the box because they were sitting next to the Pz I's and Pz II's in my previous posts have gone back into the box (sniff). The stuff on tyres can come later, tracks first. Seen from the back (see below):

The HaT model comes fairly clean (and is a "big" 1/72 rather than a small Matchbox 1/76) and begs to be cluttered with bric-a-brac picked up on campaign, individualisation shall we say. Jerry cans and bits of wood, as well as national flags are queuing up in the spares box but like the decals that will be done in a "battalion flurry" some dark winter night. A closer look at the Pz III Ausf G (seen below):

The HaT model sadly comes without a front machine gun sticking out of the RHS side, so that is another "spares box" request for yet another winter's night. meanwhile the 221 armoured car drives off into the distance (see below). It's nice to finish it but I do worry about a recurrence of the "broken axle" before too long. 

What I need to do to complete my "project" with the Pz III:

Pz III Orbats: 

• Poland (1939) I need just 'one' Pz III in a pure combat role (i.e. no command tank variants). The Germans were just so, so short of their expected Main Battle Tank (MBT), they were largely equipped with training vehicles. 
• France (1940) I need 'two' combat tanks and 'one' command tank (although I am tempted to use my little old Pz I Ausf B command tank, much to the displeasure of the proud battalion commander I am sure). The Germans were actually little better off in French Campaign from an indigenous MBT perspective. Luckily for them they had a good supply of stop-gap Czech (35T's and 38T's) to supplement their MBT stock.

(Note: Technically for 1939/40 they should be the Pz III Ausf E, with the even shorter 37mm AT gun, but for the time being it's a case of "close enough", at least it's not the long barrelled 50mm Italeri/Esci models)

• Russia (1941) This gets interesting, I need 'four' combat tanks and 'three' command tanks. The command tanks are 'one' battalion command tank and 'two' company command tanks (again what's wrong with using a Pz I Ausf B command tank for the battalion commander I ask you, it's only for show not combat after all?). The gun varieties become "diverse" too, the 37mm of the Ausf E is on the way out after its poor performance in France against the French and British heavy tanks. Therefore every Pz III from the Ausf F gets a 50mm short gun and the old Pz III E's (and below) are up-gunned in battlefield workshops. The tanks in the panzer battalions have a "mix" of types when they go into combat, but by Xmas 1942 everything is pretty much a 50mm short or special units are seeing the long 50mm appear to try and combat the T-34 tankers "tank fright".
• Russia (1942) The Pz III tanks that have their short 50mm guns are upgraded to long 50mm guns as soon as possible to stand a chance in combat against the T-34's and KV I's.

In Summary: The HaT Pz III Ausf G (see above) is a quick and easy build and paint. It also is the most inexpensive way to upgrade to a 1941 German Panzer Battalion Orbat without breaking the bank buying expensive metal and plastic kits. I am not too keen to be forking out lots of cash for expensive metal/plastic command tanks either (the radio/aerial assembly looks quite daunting too)!