1/35 DAK field conversion 15cm sIG 33 and Panzer III Ausf.H with figure WIP

[nimrod484]

Hi everyone,
As is usual for me, I was inspired by the scenes in a photo or couple of photos. This time, it is related to the field conversion and construction of a 15cm sIG 33 L/11(Sf) auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.H (Sf).

This photo shows the early stage of the conversion with a topless Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.H about to be receive a sIG.33 for test fitting, which is suspended from a Bussing NAG 4500A-1 with a Bilstein 3t crane. The rear end of a CMP Holmes Breakdown Wrecker is in the foreground.

I used an AFV sIG 33, an AFV Dragon Ausf H body and the interior elements and upper body of the fighting compartment come from an RLM Ausf J. To embellish the scene, I added a Tamiya Opel Blitz. It was a technically challenging build in terms of the sIG33 mod, the tank conversion and interior, and the NAG crane set up. Couldn’t source a Mirror Models Holmes CMP Wrecker.

Here are the three vehicles in Panzer Grey…

Here is the diorama which is 80% completed - sIG33 obviously not shown yet. I’ll post better photos when I complete the whole build including figures.

Re the figures, I was asked by DAKjunkie in the 1/35 Breakfast stop - Tunisia, 1943 topic about my conversion of DAK figures and so, DAKjunkie, here is a bit of a WIP which shows in more detail ideas for DAK figure conversions to various degrees. I’m still learning to do this myself so no claims about any expertise…

This was how I started with a rough plan of what I envisaged for the figures.

I’m currently working on these figures and using body parts from a range of Miniart, Masterbox, and Dragon and DAK figure sets. Each figure has varying degrees of modification. This is the first one standing on the crane.

Head, arms and legs are Masterbox and chest and top half of right arm from Dragon. I usually try to keep the upper body and matching arms together for a better fit. This time, the left arm top half was not suitable so I will make it with putty. Other gaps such as the neck I will obviously fill with putty. Another tip is I found the separation of the lower arm from the upper arm most of the time offers more accurate positioning. It ended up as a reasonable representation of the person on the crane in the actual photo of the scene.

[Dioramartin]

Very nice choice of subject & special kudos for your frankenfiguring - I think Mike Freeman aka justsendit coined that. Whenever I did that it became annoying to find different manufacturers seem to vary between 1:30 and 1:38 scale. Never too much putty.

(I could well be suffering from ADHD but I’m mildly confused by the panzer grey shot – this is a Tunisia dio right?)

[nimrod484]

Thanks, mate. Yeah, definitely frankenfiguring as Mike Freeman says. It’s common enough to do but as DAKjunkie asked me specifically about how I do it, I thought I would post something more.

Yeah, I always paint panzer grey under the DAK colour and I was experimenting with chipping using various products and approaches. The tank body shows the effect of the panzer grey showing through better than the other vehicles which are less weathered as I was contrasting this with the worn look of the tank.

[DAKjunkie]

Thanks, that is helpful.

[BillyBoy59]

I like the way that you depicted for the mounting of the gun. Dragon’s was too simplified and did not make sense to me. I figured that they would have used the same system as the Bison. In all fairness to Dragon, there really are not a lot of interior pictures to reference for this one-off.

[nimrod484]

Interesting you should mention this. There is a lack of reference pictures re the interior for sure but Dragon just oversimplifies it. I spent a fair while mulling over how the gun was mounted. As you say, the system used in the Bison offers clues and I figured the same as you re this being adapted to the Pz III chassis.
There are some pointers re the gun mount length and the base of the mount. In this picture, I indicate the two main possible load bearing points under the gun. I would make sense that these would sit on cross members as shown for the Dragon Bison kit.

Assuming the positioning of the torsion bars in the Dragon Ausf H chassis and the other elements of the tank interior I added are a good approximation, the positioning of the girders (offcuts of girders are shown at front of the original photo) both vertically and horizontally and the spacing between the two horizontal girders fits well with the base of gun.

The rear end of the gun sits on the wall to the engine compartment very nicely when the gun is sat inside the modified Ausf H kit. Possibly, there were mounting slots for the two rear frames each side of the gun on the engine wall ledge.

This photo shows another possible mounting point so there may have been some kind of attachment setup on or in front of the engine wall. It would make sense.

How the gun was actual secured to the front two girders, I don’t know… large U-shaped brackets on the wheel axle possibly? An engineer would know…

[nimrod484]

Further figure progress… #2 some new trousers… the original #3 didn’t fit the scene…

[justsendit]

“Frankenfiguring”
“FrankenFiguring”
“Franken-Figuring”

Hmmm… Frankly, I do not believe “Mike Freeman” deserves any credit for this nomenclature. It’s quite possible he heisted it from the great Meister, Jerry Rutman.

Anyway, Jeremy (nimrod484)… Looks like a good time to me! Welcome to the House of Frankenstein. The Dokter will see you now. …

—mike …

[jpwaller]

I imagine that sooner or later you’ll be able to use an AI process that will read your image and create print files for the scene, but bits of bendy wire and putty are still king in my book. Great to follow your work.

[BillyBoy59]

Nimrod. I did not catch the mounting points on the superstructure. Attachment of the gun to the girders by u=bolts, some kind of field improvisation, welding, or a combo of all three would be my guess. What bothered me with Dragon’s interpretation was that a box covered the transmission. If you had to service the transmisson you have to remove the box on top of removing the gun even for a minor repair.

[wasthere]

I’m impressed It just gives me more ideas

[165thspc]

Deleted

[nimrod484]

Thanks. Good that you got some ideas.

[nimrod484]

Here are three finished and ready for painting. #3 got changed again as didn’t fit well with other two figures and couldn’t really see it inside the tank.
#3

Three finished… #3, #4, #1

I painted the arms of #1 in primer to see if it looked OK. Reasonably happy.

Points I discovered…

1. Even within same figure set, arm width and length and sleeve roll above the elbow vary. For #3, I created a new upper left arm matching the right arm from another figure. For making folds, it is best to let the putty dry a bit as if too soft, I found it difficult to control the depth and size. It is easier to add the sleeve roll once the upper arm is dry and take time to make it similar to the other sleeve roll. This was an enjoyable little part.
2. Working on small parts is fun… Doing arms is a good starting point for getting more confident with the putty characteristics.
3. #4 shows I made the arm lengths equal by raising the height of the right roll and matching the sleeve roll width by adding to the lower roll on the right arm. Again, manageable for beginners like me. Also, the area under the arms will need attention as shown as it may be too flat.
4. If you are not satisfied with what you created after it has dried, it is easy to remove the putty and start again. So no sweating about things being permanent.
5. I have found that I have about 15 - 20 minutes to get the shape and folds done before the putty becomes difficult to work.
6. A key thing is a use of a small paint brush to smooth the folds as Luc Klinkers states in his book. This brush really helps with shaping and doing folds. It must be cleaned frequently as Luc says.

[nimrod484]

Thanks Mike. Thanks to Jerry then, if so.

[nimrod484]

Yes, I guess we will be designing and printing figures to fit in the future. That’s fine for freestanding figures. However, as with #1 figure, not sure how you would get the arm and hand positioning accurate for this type of placement, whereas with wire and glue you can place the figure and adjust away until spot on…

[nimrod484]

Here is the ledge I mean, and the cut down rear end of the gun fits on here when the gun is on the girders. That is in a model at 1/35 of course, but it seems plausible to me until someone provides better ideas in the future, we hope.

It is mostly conjecture at this stage and by no means do I state that this is how the gun was actually installed.

Oh and yes re the gear box as you say. Imagine also the weight of solid sections of a platform like in the Dragon kit. No way…

[BillyBoy59]

You have a very good and practical solution. As this was field modified, they probably used basic shapes of metal and fastners. Keep up the good effort on this project.

[Lamb]

Ciao Nimrod,
casually i am involved in the same project with some differencies.
Actually I have started from 1/35 Dragon DAK 15cm s.IG.33 auf fgst. Panzer III but I don’t adopt their rectangular box to substain the gun, I want rather a frame similar at your.
I will post shortly, in the meantime I will enjoy your work, coming soon…

[nimrod484]

Ciao Lamb,
Great, I look forward to seeing your work and discussing this interesting topic.