1:72 StuG III Ausf. A/B/C/D/E - 7,5cm StuK 37 L/24 gun barrel and resin mantlet

StuG III Ausf. A to E: the StuK 37 L/24 gun barrel in 1:72

The Polish brand MASTER offers a turned replacement for the short 7.5 cm gun barrel together with a mantlet that the product name describes as resin. The set is intended for the early versions of the StuG III assault gun, specifically the A, B, C, D and E variants.

The real subject

The Sturmgeschütz III assault gun was built on the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw III tank as mobile support for the infantry. The early series carried the short StuK 37 weapon with a barrel twenty-four calibers long, that is, a gun with a low muzzle velocity whose task was to silence machine gun nests and field fortifications with high-explosive rounds. Only experience in fighting armor led to rearming the later versions with a longer weapon. The short barrel is therefore a reliable recognition feature of the first series from the beginning of the war.

Installation and painting tips

Compared with a molded part, the turned one has a precisely round cross section and an open muzzle, which really shows at this small size. Try the opening in the mantlet dry first and carefully widen it with a drill if needed. The smooth surface needs a good primer, otherwise the paint will rub off during handling. Wash and degrease the mantlet before painting. Fit the barrel itself only once the finish is done, so that pigments and sanding dust do not get into it.

Who the set suits

• builders of German assault guns at small size
• modelers bothered by the shape of a molded barrel
• those interested in the early versions from 1940 and 1941
• more experienced hands who can manage small parts