PANZERKAMPFWAGEN III Ausf.N Sd.Kfz.141/2 GERMAN MEDIUM TANK TAMIYA 1/35

I’ll make this Tamiya German type III tank. This kit is unusual in Tamiya which is included the photo-etched parts and metal barrel. The illustration of the package is the coloring seems to be cold, but we can choose a tank of the Afrika Korps, too.

The lower body is being assembled. There is no difficult part in this area.

It was a turret that can be assembled quite easily compared to modern Russian tanks that were built several times.

This is photo-etched parts of the grill. Many kits need to be purchased separately in other Tamiya kits. It is saved to be attached from the beginning.
(20-January-2019)

I don’t know well the selection criteria of Tamiya, the proper use of belt caterpillar and partially connected caterpillar. I think the type III tank is an item of perfectly matched for the connected caterpillar. The backside of the belt caterpillar is well molded and it seems not to be so bad.

It is a caterpillar for the late type of the III tank released from the AFV Club, which I had owned for several years. III tank can be used after J type, IV tank can be used from type G to H type. Or this caterpillar was seen in Hummel and Nashorn a lot. There are exceptions in maintenance on the way, so we may not need to worry too much.

This separately sold track parts must be detached from the runner.

The condition of the sag of the caterpillar was reproduced well. The direction should not be wrong…
(22-January-2019)

Well, the assembly was completed. I used Aber photo-etched clamps for the exterior accessories.

Because the inside is not much reproduced, the hatch open state is suitable to be leaning out position crew set up.

The kit of this III N-type tank includes a metal gun barrel, and the rifling is molded on the inside of the gun barrel.

The hatch on both sides of the turret and the round hatch on the top of the turret were changed movable with metal wire loaded. It was pretty difficult.

(24-January-2019)

A tank soldier of a usual black uniform was attached.

This tank soldier is a signal pistol shooting pose.

There was another tank crew of the Afrika Korps with goggles and wearing an M43 field cap. At this stage, I am thinking that this III type is the Afrika Korps tank. I tried to make both figures.

I just blew a surfacer.
(26-January-2019)

I’m now painting them Vallejo Acrylic with a brush. The face is sprayed Tamiya acrylic fresh at the moment.

Generally, the uniform was over when I avoided the painting of the face. And only face detailed painting unfinished.

Tamiya’s painting instruction is recommending the two-color camouflage of buff and 5:2 fresh, red-brown. I cannot imagine a tank color in North Africa. I wonder whether a painting of orthodox dark yellow or sandy yellow is better.

I tried using the hair spray technique for the first time in a while. When spraying too much, it is difficult to control in the stage of peeling off. The rust becomes more like the destroyed vehicle as soon as the adjustment was overdoing.
(28-January-2019)

The Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf. N was completed. Equipped with a 24 caliber 7.5 cm cannon, it had the main task of supporting infantry. Type-N is a model developed at the end of III tanks. As the IV tank changed the role of the main vehicle of the antitank weapon, the III tank became insufficient in terms of performance and changed to a tank of infantry support.

There were many diversions from III tank type-J, type-L, type-M. Around 700 tanks in total have been produced. Many tanks have been converted rather than production.

According to the instruction of Tamiya, it was also used in the anti-tank combat by using the high-explosive anti-tank warhead besides grenades. 150 tanks of Type-N fought in the Kursk tank battle of 1943.

I like this photo taken from this point looking like the most realistic.

It might be incorrect to paint a fire extinguisher in red. If it is in the tank, it’s OK, OVM will be too noticeable. But I painted it in red, dropped the tone to dark color with a little weathering.

Rather than being orange, it became a dark yellow like a little bluish. I didn’t mix cool colors…

Marking was chosen from Leningrad, Kursk, North Africa. This tank was in 1943, North Africa, the 8th Panzer Regiment, 15th Armored Division in Tunisia. The mark of the spade is characteristic. I painted it dark yellow with my preference.

This is a Germany tank crew wearing a regular black jacket.

And here is a tank crew of the Afrika Korps with a signal pistol. African corps uniforms are the same color for both infantry and tank soldiers. However, it seems that the fading condition of clothes is different between veteran and recruit. This may be similar in the field gray uniform of the Eastern Front.

Even as Afrika Korps tank, I wonder if it will suit well for the black uniform crew.

I did not exchange it with the resin head, but maybe the face could be painted as well…

Even though they wrapped a scarf around the neck on the North African front, I heard that the whole body was full of tiny sand.

I have been making Panzerkampfwagen III twice, they were both dark-yellow. My image of the Afrika Korps tank is only dark-yellow.

I made Tamiya’s tank kit after a long absence. It is very easy to build. I had a good time. It is wonderful that there are two types of tank soldier figures.
(30-January-2019)