Panzer III K Command tank turret interior

Armor/AFV WWII Axis
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After wrapping up the turret interior scratch build for Das Werk’s 1/16 Panzer III J, I plan to convert a second DW Panzer III j kit to Panzer III K command tank. The K model uses the same 50mm/60 cal gun as the J, But the entire gun is shifted over to the left side of the turret, and the mantlet is truncated. The reposition of the gun is presumable to make room for the commander’s map tables, etc, as well as to make room on right front of the turret for a big armored observation port similar to the driver’s vision port.

The hole for the gun sight on the mantlet is still on the left side of the gun, So the gunner is still on the left side of the gun. But on the J, where the gun is at the centerline, there seems to be no room to move the gun to the left because the gun’s elevation gear would butt into turret traverse gear. Also there is no room to move the gunner’s seat further to the left. How did rearrange the turret interior to enable the gun to be shifted to the left side of the turret?

Does anyone know where I can find any drawings of the layout of the K turret, or know of any interior photos to use as reference?

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Didn’t the Pz III ausf K used a modified Pz IV turret?

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The “shell” of the turret was the same type used in the new Panzer IV, as far as I know, but the internal fittings were not.

That illustration on the Dragon kit has the wrong colour. The tank was RAL 8000.

I’ve never seen any diagram concerning the insides of a K, except for an electrical circuit diagram. It would be very, very interesting to see.

David

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It sure did. Border just released a ‘K’ not long ago.

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The bottom of panzer IV turret shell must have been substantially modified to fit in Panzer III turret ring. if I recall, the whole reason why Panzer III was phased out in 1943 in favor of Panzer IV was panzer III’s turret ring was too small to accommodate new 75mm/48 cal gun, and there wasn’t the room in the Panzer III hull to increase turret ring size.

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