SimonT - 1/35 Tamiya Sdkfz.223

[SimonT]

This Tamiya golden oldie along with its brother the 222 have long been a favourite and I have made quite a few over the years

Rather inaccurate, as are most of the earlier Tamiya kits and missing a lot of detail but I still like it and have a few 222/223's in the stash

(I do have a few of the much newer and better detailed Hobbyboss examples in the stash which I intend to get to eventually)

This one was bought from John as a damaged box item at a slightly reduced price - the kit itself only suffered from very minor damage on the lower hull and nothing that can't be fixed

I have slowly been working away on this in the background to clean up all the parts

it has now progressed to assembly so I decided to bring it to the forum

The insides have had a few tweaks but only enough to fill the void and make it look like there is a full interior - got a bit carried away with the radiator but reigned it in with the rest of the details. Once there is a crew figure inside it will mostly be obscured so it just has to convey the impression of interior

I have corrected the basic internal layout from what Tamiya provide so the radio is now on the left side, the large round post from the 222 has been cut out and replaced with a scratched cone shape, basic map box added in front of the cone and a basic seat/table/storage box added on the right side - all based on the remains of a 223 in the Nuts and Bolts book

I also added a basic representation of the bolted flanges that hold the front and rear body halves together, mg ammo racks, first aid box etc

The largest mod was cutting out the hull top so that the Eduard etch mesh can be installed

A couple of windows have been cut in the upper hull and all the body seams have been 'welded' with the pyrogravure after scraping in the basic panel edges - still need a quick rub with scotch pad to remove the wispy bits

All other mods so far are just the normal scraping and sanding of all edges and flat surfaces to remove mould flare and square things up and thin things down as required

Enough waffle, here are the pictures, in totally random order chosen by the computer

 

[papa 695]

Some very nice work Simon.

 

[SimonT]

Cheers Ian - could have spent more time on detailing it but hopefully this will be enough to make it look busy inside

 

[rtfoe]

I like old stuff being refurbished and brought up to higher standards Simon. This is looking good with just enough and not overboard.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[SimonT]

Thanks Richard - I usually go way too far with detailing stuff that can not be seen so this is quite restrained compared to usual

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Sweeeet

 

[Jakko]

Have you seen this?

 

[SimonT]

That’s cracking Jakko

It’s the vehicle that is in the Nuts and Bolts book but looking a bit smarter - been cleaned out and repainted at some point by the look of it

Good view of the engine compartment as well

 

[Jim R]

Hi Simon
I enjoy watching you "upgrade" an old kit. As Richard says you're doing just enough although you may revert to type and end up scratching stuff that won't be seen. That film of Jakko's is good. Claustrophobic isn't in it. I saw an episode of Combat Dealers with Hilary Doyle in it - certainly knows his stuff.
Jim

 

[Jakko]

It’s the vehicle that is in the Nuts and Bolts book but looking a bit smarter - been cleaned out and repainted at some point by the look of it

I didn’t watch it again this morning, but they mention this one is under restoration, don’t they? Which is probably a very good moment to make a video like this, as all the stuff isn’t in the way

I saw an episode of Combat Dealers with Hilary Doyle in it - certainly knows his stuff.

Certainly he’d be more bearable than the rest of the people in that show, I would think. But if you want more short explanations of his on German armour, there’s other videos with him on Sofilein’s YouTube channel.

 

[scottie3158]

Simon,
very restrained but nicely done.

 

[JR]

I'm in.

 

[SimonT]

Jim - started getting carried away with the radiator but managed to step back away from the brink before things went too far
Very tight space and even more so when fully loaded with kit - radios in the racks, ammo in all the side racks, mess tins, gas mask cases, water bottles all mounted in side racks, an MP40 on the right side and the cone shaped pedestal with seat in the centre below the small turret. Very cosy indeed. I've seen that CD episode as well where he identified that half track from the chassis number

Jakko - yes they do. The book was printed 1996 and the 223 was in a very sorry state, missing lots of bits and in a general state of disrepair, probably just as plucked off the battlefield. In the video Mr Doyle says he found them the turret for it and it now has the roof aerial and fittings that are all missing in the book

Scottie - thanks as ever

John - sorry, won't be green


Morning all,

added a few bits of etch last night



both missing inner wing sections that form the side plates of the stowage bins


the front mounted jerrycan rack - have some nice Miniart cans for that. Should look a bit better than the crappy old Tamiya attempts at cans


the front deflector for the hull roof - there are a couple of shorter side ones still to add

the Eduard set, as usual, doesn't give any positioning info but luckily there is a good 35th plan in the Nuts and Bolt book

 

[SimonT]

From the link Jakko posted above this is a bit of a walk around - the aerial can be seen better in this one. It is not actually mounted, just sat in place

 

[SimonT]

exhausts assembled and the gaping holes filled - still need to drill the ends out and fit the outer skins to the silencer boxes


made a cover for the spare wheel from Duro

I then assembled the aerial

these are the kit mounting points on the aerial - rectangular blocks


so I filed them down

once glued to the mounting poles I finished filing them down to match the diameter of the poles


the poles had the solid ends scraped out and pivot pin ends added


the top ends should pivot as well so that it can be lowered so pin ends added


and how it looks overall with the aerial installed

 

[Jakko]

You’d never think it’s the old Tamiya kit by the time you’re done …

BTW, I always found it odd that the 222 kit has a covered spare wheel but the 223 comes with a bare one instead.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Looking good Simon.
I'm disappointed the aerial doesn't actually fold-I mean, you went so far.................
I like the wheel cover too-you're no slouch with the Duro, are you?

 

[Jim R]

Hi Simon
That's a labour of love but it has paid off and looks great.
Jim

 

[SimonT]

Jakko - that's the general idea The spare wheel is an oddity - you would expect them to use the same one like they did with the other parts. Still, it gives us the chance to do a bit of mix and match if we want

Neil - could have done but what's the point of having moving features on a static model
I think I am slowly getting to grips with the Duro sculpting putty - has taken a while. Wasted the first reel I used as just couldn't figure it out. Once you realise it is only for sculpting and not filling and that it works best with a smear of vaseline it makes more sense

Jim - thanks


the exhausts after a bit more work

the kit tailpipes are incorrect so they were sliced off and replaced with aluminium tubing bent to a U shape so that it returns below the silencer box

the silencer boxes are wrapped in pewter sheet 11.5mm wide so that it overlaps the ends on the box to create the correct flange


the cut outs in the rear mudguards are rather large so I filled them with plastic card and re-cut the openings


to leave a slightly narrower aperture


that gives a closer fit to the silencer box


hinges added to front wing stowage boxes


etch fasteners added to side stowage boxes - bit more work still to do on these


added the kit half figure as a driver - not a brilliant figure but he can hardly be seen so not a problem


may just see an outline through the window


top deck in place - needs a little fettling but not too bad

you can also see the cable grommet bottom right for the aerial cable - cable runs from grommet to the adjacent aerial post and connects at the top

have decided not to use the etch door hinges as the chunkier kit versions look more like the real thing

 

[Jim R]

Morning Simon
All coming together and up to your usual standard. How do you bend the aluminium tube without it just kinking?
Jim