In Box Review of Tamiya 1/35th Scale
German Sturmgeschuetz III Ausf. G
Kit no. 35014:1200
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1972
Available from Section 8 Hobbies for $37.80 or Mega hobby for $37.72 or Kit Linx for $36.79 or Sprue Bros for $36.99 and at 14 sites overseas.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1972
Available from Section 8 Hobbies for $37.80 or Mega hobby for $37.72 or Kit Linx for $36.79 or Sprue Bros for $36.99 and at 14 sites overseas.
HISTORY:
The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was Germany's most-produced fully tracked armored fighting vehicle during World War II, and second-most produced German armored combat vehicle of any type after the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track.
It was built on the chassis of the proven Panzer III tank, replacing the turret with an armored, fixed superstructure mounting a more powerful gun.
Initially intended as a mobile assault gun for direct-fire support for infantry, the StuG III was continually modified, and much like the later Jagdpanzer, was employed as a tank destroyer.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Assault gun
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1940–1945 (German service), Syrian StuG IIIs were in use until the Six-Day War (1967), possibly later
Wars: World War II, Six-Day War
Unit cost: 82,500 RM
No. built: 10,086 StuG III, 1,299 StuH 42
Weight: 23.9 tonnes (52,690 lbs)
Length: 6.85 m (22 ft 6 in)
Width: 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
Height: 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in)
Crew: 4 (driver, commander, gunner, loader)
Armour: 16–80 mm (.62–3.15 in)
Main armament: 1 × 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 with 54 rounds
Secondary armament: 1 × 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun with 600 rounds
Engine: Maybach HL120 TRM V-12 gasoline engine driving six-speed transmission, 300 PS (296 hp, 221 kW)
Power/weight: 12 PS (9.2 kW) / tonne
Suspension: torsion bar
Operational range: 155 km (96 mi) (.9 mpg‑US (1.1 mpg‑imp; 260 L/100 km) at 22 mph (35 km/h), 71 US gal (59 imp gal; 270 l) fuel)
Speed: 40 km/h (25 mph)
The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was Germany's most-produced fully tracked armored fighting vehicle during World War II, and second-most produced German armored combat vehicle of any type after the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track.
It was built on the chassis of the proven Panzer III tank, replacing the turret with an armored, fixed superstructure mounting a more powerful gun.
Initially intended as a mobile assault gun for direct-fire support for infantry, the StuG III was continually modified, and much like the later Jagdpanzer, was employed as a tank destroyer.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Assault gun
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1940–1945 (German service), Syrian StuG IIIs were in use until the Six-Day War (1967), possibly later
Wars: World War II, Six-Day War
Unit cost: 82,500 RM
No. built: 10,086 StuG III, 1,299 StuH 42
Weight: 23.9 tonnes (52,690 lbs)
Length: 6.85 m (22 ft 6 in)
Width: 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
Height: 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in)
Crew: 4 (driver, commander, gunner, loader)
Armour: 16–80 mm (.62–3.15 in)
Main armament: 1 × 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 with 54 rounds
Secondary armament: 1 × 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun with 600 rounds
Engine: Maybach HL120 TRM V-12 gasoline engine driving six-speed transmission, 300 PS (296 hp, 221 kW)
Power/weight: 12 PS (9.2 kW) / tonne
Suspension: torsion bar
Operational range: 155 km (96 mi) (.9 mpg‑US (1.1 mpg‑imp; 260 L/100 km) at 22 mph (35 km/h), 71 US gal (59 imp gal; 270 l) fuel)
Speed: 40 km/h (25 mph)
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Stug. III and 4 Falshirmjager (paratrooper) figures posed against one of Tamiya's signature all white backgrounds, that they use for the majority of their box arts.
The tank is in a base of earth yellow with green squiggle pattern and a red no. 112 outlined in white over the German cross on the sides of the skirts.
All the paratroopers wear paratrooper type steel helmets.
One standing figure wears a tan uniform with a camouflaged smock. He is throwing a potato-masher type grenade in his right hand and is holding up a MP40 in his left hand. He has ammo pouches on his belt,.
The next paratrooper is running in a crouched position. He is wearing a grey uniform and is carrying a MP44 in his right hand.
The third paratrooper is prone and holding himself up with his left arm and has a Luger pistol in his upraised left hand. He wears a tan camouflaged smock, grey trousers, low black shoes, has a pair of binoculars slung around his neck and a canteen and pistol holster on his belt.
Behind him is the fourth paratrooper, who is kneeling and aiming a MP44. He is in an all-grey uniform.
There is a fifth figure of the tank commander looking out of the top of the tank. He is in a grey uniform with a cloth side cap. He is wearing head phones and holding a pair of binoculars.
One side panel begins with a small color repeat of the box art, followed by a paragraph all in Japanese, that probably is the history of the tank.
There are 2 color side views of the tank, showing the short barreled and long barreled versions. Both are in overall earth yellow and show no markings.
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Stug. III and 4 Falshirmjager (paratrooper) figures posed against one of Tamiya's signature all white backgrounds, that they use for the majority of their box arts.
The tank is in a base of earth yellow with green squiggle pattern and a red no. 112 outlined in white over the German cross on the sides of the skirts.
All the paratroopers wear paratrooper type steel helmets.
One standing figure wears a tan uniform with a camouflaged smock. He is throwing a potato-masher type grenade in his right hand and is holding up a MP40 in his left hand. He has ammo pouches on his belt,.
The next paratrooper is running in a crouched position. He is wearing a grey uniform and is carrying a MP44 in his right hand.
The third paratrooper is prone and holding himself up with his left arm and has a Luger pistol in his upraised left hand. He wears a tan camouflaged smock, grey trousers, low black shoes, has a pair of binoculars slung around his neck and a canteen and pistol holster on his belt.
Behind him is the fourth paratrooper, who is kneeling and aiming a MP44. He is in an all-grey uniform.
There is a fifth figure of the tank commander looking out of the top of the tank. He is in a grey uniform with a cloth side cap. He is wearing head phones and holding a pair of binoculars.
One side panel begins with a small color repeat of the box art, followed by a paragraph all in Japanese, that probably is the history of the tank.
There are 2 color side views of the tank, showing the short barreled and long barreled versions. Both are in overall earth yellow and show no markings.
The other side panel has 5 color box arts of other 1/35th scale tank kits that Tamiya manufactures. All are in scenery box arts, which is not Tamiya's usual all-white.
1. A Panther German medium tank.
2. A Jagd. Panther German Army tank.
3. A King Tiger German Army tank.
4. A Hunting Tiger German heavy tank.
5. A Tiger I German Army heavy tank.
No kit numbers are provided for these 5 kits. Kit was made in Japan.
1. A Panther German medium tank.
2. A Jagd. Panther German Army tank.
3. A King Tiger German Army tank.
4. A Hunting Tiger German heavy tank.
5. A Tiger I German Army heavy tank.
No kit numbers are provided for these 5 kits. Kit was made in Japan.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 3 tan trees, 2 dark-green trees, black vinyl treads and poly-caps and the decal sheet in 4 sealed clear cello bags and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 7 1/2" x 10 1/4" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over the history of the tank and a black and white photo of a real Stug. III in a outdoors display at the Aberdeen Museum in Maryland.
Page 2 has a parts list and part tree illustrations, over the first 2 assembly steps.
Page 3 through 6 gives a balance of a grand total of 14 assembly steps.
Assembly number 14 is for the 4 paratrooper figures.
Page 7 is a marking and painting guide, showing a paratrooper in a camouflaged smock and a front and rear view and 2 side-views of the Stug. III.
Both views are in a tan base with green squiggle patterns.
The long barreled one has a black helmet (Guderian Division) logo before 112 on the sides of the turret. (the box art scheme already described above).
The other Stug. III is in the same camouflage pattern with a black 124 over the German cross on the sides of the skirts.
The bottom of the page has a black and white photo of the model made up twice with the figures. Text is all in Japanese.
Page 8 has more Japanese text with a organizational chart and front and side view of the tank with the short barreled gun and a front and side view of the long barreled one.
Also a black and white photo of the long barreled one in a museum.
Trees are alphabetized.
Tan letter A tree holds: the long and short main gun barrels, the hull roof, 2 mantles, jack, tools, machine gun, hatches, rear fighting compartment wall etc. (65 parts)
This kit contains 3 tan trees, 2 dark-green trees, black vinyl treads and poly-caps and the decal sheet in 4 sealed clear cello bags and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 7 1/2" x 10 1/4" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the box art, over the history of the tank and a black and white photo of a real Stug. III in a outdoors display at the Aberdeen Museum in Maryland.
Page 2 has a parts list and part tree illustrations, over the first 2 assembly steps.
Page 3 through 6 gives a balance of a grand total of 14 assembly steps.
Assembly number 14 is for the 4 paratrooper figures.
Page 7 is a marking and painting guide, showing a paratrooper in a camouflaged smock and a front and rear view and 2 side-views of the Stug. III.
Both views are in a tan base with green squiggle patterns.
The long barreled one has a black helmet (Guderian Division) logo before 112 on the sides of the turret. (the box art scheme already described above).
The other Stug. III is in the same camouflage pattern with a black 124 over the German cross on the sides of the skirts.
The bottom of the page has a black and white photo of the model made up twice with the figures. Text is all in Japanese.
Page 8 has more Japanese text with a organizational chart and front and side view of the tank with the short barreled gun and a front and side view of the long barreled one.
Also a black and white photo of the long barreled one in a museum.
Trees are alphabetized.
Tan letter A tree holds: the long and short main gun barrels, the hull roof, 2 mantles, jack, tools, machine gun, hatches, rear fighting compartment wall etc. (65 parts)
Tan letter B tree holds: road wheels, idler wheels, drive sprockets, return rollers, tank commander figure etc. (81 parts)
Tan letter C tree holds: side skirts, jerry cans, tools, ammo rounds, tow cable etc. (49 parts)
Next is the tan hull tub part.
The first dark-green tree holds the paratrooper figures (15 parts)
The second dark-green tree holds: bases for 3 of the paratrooper figures, 4 steel helmets, 2 canteens, a canvas back pack, 2 MP40's, a MP44, a 98K carbine, 2 bayonets in scabbards etc. (19 parts)
Next is the black vinyl rubber band type treads (2 runs) and the black vinyl poly-caps (18 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit's contents.
The partial interior consist of the floor, pedestal mount, main gun, breech, ammo bin, 75 mm and 105 mm ammo. Exterior detail is very good.
Recommended.