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Messages - EarlyWarGamer

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1
General Discussions / Re: Panzer 38t
« on: July 28, 2023, 01:54:43 pm »
The nice bit about having a Panzer 35(t) is that once you have one, you have all your bases covered. There was the single basic design. The Germans captured something like 218 of them, and while they were certainly used, they did not enter production, So there is not a parade of Ausf "X" models to deal with.

Whereas the Panzer 38(t) was produced to the tune of just over 1,400 of them, across 7 models (Ausf A to Ausf G).  Not to mention several thousand being produced after the basic 38(t) stopped to be made into SP vehicles like the Marder III and Grille. And that doesn't count the thousands that were the basis for the Hetzers.

As for conversion possibilities, the "problem" is how much effort do you want to put into it.  The A through D had small changes and adaptations between them. Where we enter trouble is with the Ausf E. It had 25mm armor plates added to the front and 15mm armor plates added to the sides.  So if you are starting with an A thru D you can turn that into an E. But if you are starting with an E, removing those extra thick armor plates becomes an issue.

According to my own non-exhaustive list:

Ausf A = 100% riveted. Call this the base
Ausf B = Mostly riveted, a bit of welding.  Small changes (Notek lights, gun sight cover modified, smoke grenade launchers)
Ausf C = Mostly riveted, some welding.  Small changes (turret ring splash, German radio aerial, higher exhaust muffler)
Ausf D = Mostly riveted, some welding.  Straight front plate, large stowage box on left middle fender
Ausf E = More welding, less riveting.  Armor plates added.  Changes include new driver and gunner visors, two smaller stowage boxes
Ausf F = Very similar to Ausf E
Ausf G = Nearly 100% welded. Very similar to E/F but both storage boxes have been eliminated.

So an Ausf A can become a B, C or D with minor tweaks.  And an E can easily pass for an F or even a G with little effort.  But crossing from those early versions to the later versions is the rough patch. I'm not sure what to make of the WG model, because it sure has a ton of riveting on it, and the E/F had more welding present, and the G had almost no riveting at all. So the WG really isn't a stand in for the final G version unless you snip/sand off all those rivets!

2
Work In Progress / Re: Project of the Month - Dec 2021 - M3 Lee & Grant
« on: December 10, 2021, 04:12:22 am »
Fantastic news!!!  I know many, many people have been waiting ages for this very thing!

3
Wish Lists / Re: Early model StuG III
« on: June 06, 2021, 02:24:05 am »
I absolutely support your wish for an early war Stug III.  Absolutely. I am simply voicing my belief that it's not going to happen, because a single kit cannot cover the wide range of changes that took place between Ausf A and Ausf E.  But I would love to be wrong about that.

I was actually trying to list off a summary of why a single kit will not work to cover the Ausf A through Ausf E models. Too many changes to have a single box cover the lot.  (And really, no big reason to make an Ausf F/F8 because those are long-barrelled versions, and we already have that with the Ausf G).

While I would prefer the Ausf A (because it served in France 1940), an Ausf B would also make me happy.  They made 300 of them in 1940-1941, and this was the version that saw service in many theaters, including the Eastern Front.  And like many others, I would have no issues dropping an Ausf B onto the table for France 1940 action, and calling it an Ausf A.

The important thing would be that we have a short barrelled Stug III to field.

I agree that production numbers don't always translate into what drives making a model kit.  I can't imagine why anyone would ever want a Maus ... but those kits are out there, and if they sold even 2 then they have sold more than were ever produced in real life.  But people enjoy "what if" scenarios, and I cannot blame them for that.

Anyway, to reiterate, we do NEED an early war Stug III because the one we have on offer has a long-barrelled weapon. And all those early war versions had a short barred gun.  So for that reason alone, we NEED one.




4
Work In Progress / Re: NEW PROJECT - M24 Chaffee Drawings 210604
« on: June 04, 2021, 03:31:59 pm »
Very nice!

5
Wish Lists / Re: Early model StuG III
« on: June 04, 2021, 01:40:44 am »
I would love to have an appropriate/accurate Stug III for early war gaming, but I doubt that will ever happen, from any model-making company.

Stug III A = 36 built. Saw service for the first time in France 1940.

Stug III B = 300 built.  The tracks are wider, the drive sprocket and idler wheel are different, and the return rollers were repositioned.  MAYBE a complete track replacement kit could be offered up to turn an A into a B. But that would mean first their needs to be a Stug III A offered up. And with only 36 built (and many people far more interested in mid and late-war models) I don't see an Ausf A ever being offered up.  But they could do an Ausf B kit.

Stug III C = 50 built. Superstructure changes. Which means that the Ausf B kit would not work for the C. MAYBE they could offer a new upper hull replacement kit for the Ausf B kit. But there must first be an Ausf B kit.

Stug III D = 150 built.  Externally identical to the Ausf C. So Whatever replacement superstructure kit that was offered up for the Ausf C to turn an Ausf B kit to the next version, would also work on the Ausf D.  Or ... they could offer up a new kit that covered the 200 Ausf C/D versions.

Stug III E = 284 built. More superstructure changes. A replacement superstructure kit could be offered up to turn an Ausf B kit into an E, or the same replacement kit could turn an Ausf C/D into an E. But first we would need either an Ausf B or an Ausf C/D kit.

Stug III F = 366 built + Stug III F8 = 250 built.  Superstructure changes, and the addition of two different long-barreled guns.  There are probably too many parts that would be different to allow for an upgrade kit to one of the earlier kits to turn it into an F or F8. This would probably need to be a separate kit.

Which leads us to the offered kit of the Stug III G.  7,810 of these were built, and another 1,299 of the StuH 42.  Which represents 86% of all Stug IIIs built during the war.

Again, if they offered up a kit of ANY of the Ausf A through Ausf E models, I would love it.  But unfortunately, I don't see how a single kit could be used to produce all five of those versions. And once you produce a kit to only cover one (or two in the case of the C/D) very few were produced, and I suspect that makes their usefulness as a model kit very limited.  And given the numbers built, of all the earlier versions a kit could be made for, the F/F8 is the most likely, and that doesn't help at all for early war accuracy.


6
Ooh La La!!!  What a beautiful Bucket of Bolts!!!  Early war gamers will be thrilled!

7
Work In Progress / Re: German Stowage Set #2 TS1 Sprue 210522
« on: May 23, 2021, 12:21:24 am »
Loving the variety of bits and pieces! What a fantastic set!

8
Work In Progress / Re: NEW PROJECT - German Stowage Set #2 210409
« on: April 10, 2021, 02:50:35 am »
Wonderful!

9
Work In Progress / Re: Soviet Stowage Set #1 - 3D Renders 210219
« on: February 22, 2021, 10:33:45 am »
Love the look of this set!

10
Work In Progress / Re: US 75mm Gun on Carriage M2A3 - TS1 Plastic 210205
« on: February 06, 2021, 11:54:35 am »
Glad this is plastic!

11
Work In Progress / Re: SdKfz 10 - SdKfz 10 TS1 Assembled 201023
« on: February 04, 2021, 12:31:46 am »
Very much looking forward to this kit!

12
General Discussions / Re: 2020 Our Work in Review...
« on: January 04, 2021, 11:55:42 am »
Well, the BA-20 was designed and built in the 1930s, with several thousand available to fight in the Spanish Civil War, Poland 1939, Winter War, against the Japanese in the far east, and against the Germans in 1941-1942.

The BA-64 while designed in late 1941 was not actually produced in any sort of numbers until the early part of 1943, so it is a mid-war vehicle.  Soviet units didn't start receiving these as replacements for older vehicles until 1943.

So as an early war guy, I am happier that the BA-20 is coming first.  For pure numbers, however, I can see why some would like the BA-64 first.

The BA-64 is based on the GAZ Jeep.  I don't know if Rubicon have a GAZ 64 jeep, but if they do, then the BA-64 would be a natural continuation of that line.

13
Work In Progress / Re: Steyr 1500A/01 - TS1 Painted 201030
« on: October 31, 2020, 10:58:46 am »
Wow! Comes witht he Flak 38 conversion bits. Impressive!

14
Work In Progress / Re: SdKfz 10 - SdKfz 10 TS1 Assembled 201023
« on: October 23, 2020, 10:50:01 pm »
This kit has an amazing number of extras that allow for a wide variety of build possibilities!  Going to need a fistful of these to serve as tows and gun platforms in various campaigns. Lovely!!!

15
Work In Progress / Re: SdKfz 10 - SdKfz 10 TS1 Sprues 200515
« on: October 13, 2020, 03:54:44 pm »
@Tracks ... you should be totally fine if you want to tow a Pak 40 with an Sd.Kfz 10.  There were plenty of instances where an AT Unit was issued their new Pak 40 guns, replacing their old Pak 38 ... but they didn't receive any new vehicles with which to tow them.  So those units continued to use what they had ... their old reliable Sd.Kfz 10s.

Late 1941 the Pak 40 was trickling out to various AT units. Throughout 1942 thousands more were issued. By 1943 they were the standard anti-tank weapon in the Wehrmacht.  So it is quite likely the Sd.Kfz 10 would still be towing the Pak 38 and then later the Pak 40 throughout this year of transition / mass deployment,  And beyond.

Also a thing to note: the Sd.Kfx 10 was originally developed and tagged as the 1t towing vehicle. But it was later decided this vehicle was far to useful to be so limited. So they underhull was strengthened, as was the towing panel.  It could easily tow a 1.5t gun.  There is photo evidence that it towed things much, much heavier than 1.5t as well.  Photos where you spot a long cylinder across the rear panel is the compressed air tank used for air-brakes. This helped the "little" Sd.Kfz 10 tow things weighing as much as 2-3t.

Anyway, the hull shown by Rubicon is this reinforced hull.

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