Andrew's PSC 1/72 2x StuG III G & 1x StuH 42 - Bob's StuG GB

[adt70hk]

Hi all

So this is my submission for this most auspicious of GB's - ok maybe not that auspicious but it sounded good in my head!!!
As usual with the Plastic Soldier Company you get three kits per box and of the four possible variants I'm going to do two late III Gs and one StuH 42. I've ordered some metal barrels (still to arrive) but they will otherwise be OOB, except for a bit of stowage.

It's a good job they are nice and simple because one page of the two page instructions were missing (very odd for PSC) and only ones I could find online line were for their 15mm kits that have a slightly different sprue.

Usual nice quality moulds from PSC and so these should look nice once finished - assuming I don't make a hash of them!

ATB

Andrew

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[BattleshipBob]

Look foward to these, have no idea about them

 

[Jakko]

I built these some years ago, and quite like them as wargames models. The parts are far too thick for a display model, IMHO, but they’re quick and simple to build and sturdy enough for handling, yet look good finished.



The loader/machine gunner is from PSC’s Sd.Kfz. 251 kit, and I cut off the front shield plate on the right. Oh, and I put on some steel wire antennas that look good but turn out to be a hazard to the wargamer’s fingers

 

[Steve Jones]

More miniature madness Andrew. Great to see you will be doing all three. Looking forward to seeing how they go together

 

[adt70hk]

I built these some years ago, and quite like them as wargames models. The parts are far too thick for a display model, IMHO, but they’re quick and simple to build and sturdy enough for handling, yet look good finished.

View attachment 365344

The loader/machine gunner is from PSC’s Sd.Kfz. 251 kit, and I cut off the front shield plate on the right. Oh, and I put on some steel wire antennas that look good but turn out to be a hazard to the wargamer’s fingers

Jakko

Good call on the loader/MG operator. Will have to remember that as very fortunately I have some in the stash!

ATB

Andrew

 

[adt70hk]

More miniature madness Andrew. Great to see you will be doing all three. Looking forward to seeing how they go together

Thanks Steve! I'm not so sure my son likes the idea as that means my TD count has more than doubled and mine have much better armour than his Brit Achilles! :D

ATB

Andrew

 

[Jakko]

Good call on the loader/MG operator. Will have to remember that as very fortunately I have some in the stash!

I was looking for a way to make the models a little different from each other, and you rarely see one with someone actually using the machine gun, so when my eye fell on the spare figure I thought I had hit on a good idea. Maybe the gun should really be an MG 34, not an MG 42, but I didn’t feel like trying to cut down a spare weapon and line it up with the man’s arms

 

[adt70hk]

I was looking for a way to make the models a little different from each other, and you rarely see one with someone actually using the machine gun, so when my eye fell on the spare figure I thought I had hit on a good idea. Maybe the gun should really be an MG 34, not an MG 42, but I didn’t feel like trying to cut down a spare weapon and line it up with the man’s arms

Hi Jakko

I'd already done some research on the use of shields and come across some unusual mounts (see below) and so I think I might have a go at one of these. As for the MG 34/42 point can you really tell at this scale without a magnifying glass - and besides it is only for wargaming! Just don't tell the rivet counters I said that!!!

Also, out of interest how did you achieve the finish on your MG?

It looks like what I'm aiming for but have yet to fully achieve - that black that perfectly matches the slight sheen (but not glossy) effect you get from a black metal barrel. Flat/matt black is not right but I've not quite hit on the perfect way of recreating it and yours looks near on perfect.

I also meant to say that for antennas I use some black nylon bristles hacked off our kitchen broom. I hacked of a small bunch about six years ago and have still not finished it!

ATB

Andrew

 

[Gauge1TrainsDK]

I will follow these miniature builds with interest, too. Do PSC make 1:56?

 

[BattleshipBob]

I have seen a metal shield on the side as well

Field mod not factory

 

[Gauge1TrainsDK]

Hi Jakko

I'd already done some research on the use of shields and come across some unusual mounts (see below) and so I think I might have a go at one of these. As for the MG 34/42 point can you really tell at this scale without a magnifying glass - and besides it is only for wargaming! Just don't tell the rivet counters I said that!!!

Also, out of interest how did you achieve the finish on your MG?

It looks like what I'm aiming for but have yet to fully achieve - that black that perfectly matches the slight sheen (but not glossy) effect you get from a black metal barrel. Flat/matt black is not right but I've not quite hit on the perfect way of recreating it and yours looks near on perfect.

I also meant to say that for antennas I use some black nylon bristles hacked off our kitchen broom. I hacked of a small bunch about six years ago and have still not finished it!

ATB

Andrew


View attachment 365464

View attachment 365465

Cool pictures!

 

[Jakko]

As for the MG 34/42 point can you really tell at this scale without a magnifying glass

Yes? The MG 42 has a square profile barrel shroud, the MG 34’s is round; on the MG 42 there is a row of rectangular slots on the
left side and a long slot on the right, while the MG 34 has rows or round holes in the shroud. All these details are visible in 1:72 scale just fine (though PSC have taken their usual shortcut here and made both sides of the gun identical).

Also, out of interest how did you achieve the finish on your MG?

I think that that is just a layer of GW Boltgun Metal (no idea if that’s still being made) and the matt varnish from a can I put over the figure, but which turned semi- or quarter-gloss instead.

It looks like what I'm aiming for but have yet to fully achieve - that black that perfectly matches the slight sheen (but not glossy) effect you get from a black metal barrel.

Remember that the finish on guns varies depending on country. German WWII guns are often more a dark steel finish, IIRC, while American ones for example should really be a dull medium grey — not metallic, even though most people paint them like that because they don’t know the guns were parkerised and/or what that looks like

I also meant to say that for antennas I use some black nylon bristles hacked off our kitchen broom. I hacked of a small bunch about six years ago and have still not finished it!

I’ve been making them from 0.3 mm spring steel wire for about fifteen or twenty years now, both for display models and for wargames ones. Works really well if you drill a deep enough hole that they’re properly anchored in the model, but you will end up pricking your fingers on them if you look at a model from above and want to pick it up

 

[adt70hk]

I have seen a metal shield on the side as well

Field mod not factory

You had to go and mention it didn't you!!!

 

[adt70hk]

I will follow these miniature builds with interest, too. Do PSC make 1:56?

Make: no. Sell: yes. Just checked. All there 28mm stuff is by Rubicon models.