I have a question guys. I’m not the most knowledgeable tool in the shed. I’m wondering what versions of the Panzer III/Stug III would have been used for the SU76i. Any chance of the earlier versions such as a Panzer III E through H being used with that style lower hull and the rear sections? Just looking for info. The images I’ve seen have all been of the later type hull with the type of the J onwards. But they made around 200 of them? Is it possible that earlier style vehicle would have been the basis of some of those vehicles?
SU-76i were built on reusable German Stug and Pz III chassis captured in Stalingrad
so you can use chassis in use at that time.
All early Pz III’s had been upgraded to carry the same main gun as the J (the earlier guns had become ineffective against Russian armour) so I wonder if the rest of the chassis had been upgraded as well.
The question is how many of the earlier types were still around when Germany attacked Stalingrad and how many of them were used by the involved units and finally: were anyone of them reusable after the battle.
Many questions and very few answers. Your model and your choice
This photo shows an example with the sprocket and idler of the type used on early Pz.Kpfw IIIs, Ausf. E, F and G. The newer type of sprocket and idler was introduced with the Ausf. H.
The other thing to consider is that spares would probably have been salvaged from whatever they had, so it seems quite possible that there may have been mixes of parts from different marques.
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Here’s a preserved example that seems to show an early type idler (G or before) in combination with a later type sprocket (H or after). Obviously this being a preserved vehicle means that could have been done post war, but the principle is the same, using whatever is available.
Photos of these things are pretty rare, so there will be variations that are
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Hmm, I was looking for the backend of that very vehicle as it has the later front drive sprockets but the earlier rear idler’s. HMM thanks. It does appear to have the later style rear end though. Not the type I was looking for. Thanks First Circle. I was looking for images of the backside of that.
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Thanks that’s one of the many ones I did find. I’ve seen that one multiple times. Much obliged.
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