1:35 WOODEN BOX FOR PZ. KPFW III L-N, TYPE 10, WITH WOOD TEXTURE AND PE BRACKET

Wooden box for the Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. L to N, type 10, 1:35 (Elefant)

It is not a tank kit but a small accessory for one: a resin wooden stowage box for models of the German Pz.Kpfw. III tank in the Ausf. L to N versions in 1:35 scale. According to the name the casting has a wood texture worked into it and a photo-etched metal bracket belongs with the box. The box is fitted as a part of its own, bracket included. The manufacturer carries a series of numbered types of this box; this item is type 10.

What the accessory is for

Boxes, jerrycans and tarpaulins are what sets a model built out of the box apart from a vehicle that looks as though it has use behind it. A box stowed on the fender or at the rear breaks up the monotonous surface of the armor, gives the model a sense of scale and offers a color contrast against the base shade. Resin has the upper hand over plastic here: the pattern of the planks comes out crisper and without a parting line across the wall of the box. The enclosed photo-etched bracket makes it possible to fix the box the way it was attached on the real vehicle, instead of merely gluing it flat.

The real subject

The Pz.Kpfw. III was one of the basic German medium tanks; the late Ausf. L, M and N versions differed in armament and in armor - L and M had a 50 mm gun with a long barrel, N a short 75 mm gun. Stowage piled up on the outside of the vehicles during service: boxes for tools and spare parts, jerrycans and tarpaulins. The arrangement was a matter for the unit and often for improvisation, so the same box turns up in different places in photographs.

Building and painting tips

First wash the parts in lukewarm water with dish soap so that remains of the mold release agent are removed. Cut the casting blocks off with a fine saw rather than nipping them, as resin is brittle. It is best to sand wet and with respiratory protection. Use super glue (cyanoacrylate) for gluing, because ordinary polystyrene cement will not bond resin. Apply a primer before painting. Bend the photo-etched bracket over a sharp edge or in a bending tool and degrease it before painting. Wood is rendered well by laying thin filters and oil stains in various shades over a brown base and finally bringing the pattern of the planks out with a dark wash. Go over the edges and corners with a fine dry brush so that they look worn. Fit the box only after the vehicle has been sprayed, then unify it with the model under a shared coat of dust.

Who the accessory is for

• Modelers building the late versions of the Pz.Kpfw. III in 1:35 scale
• Diorama builders who work with stowage and loads on vehicles
• Modelers who want to practice painting wood on a small area
• More experienced modelers familiar with resin and photo-etched parts

This is not a model on its own but an accessory for a plastic kit. The set is supplied unassembled and unpainted; glue, paints and the base model are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.