1:72 StuG 40 Ausf.G (Revell kit)

Hauler 1:72 StuG 40 Ausf.G: a photo-etched detail set

A set of photo-etched metal parts in 1:72 scale for improving the plastic kit of the German assault gun StuG 40 Ausf.G from the Second World War period. It is an aftermarket accessory, not a kit or a finished model, and it is cut for one specific kit, the Revell one. Check the exact contents of the package with the manufacturer.

The real subject

The StuG 40 Ausf.G is the late production form of the assault gun built on the chassis of the medium tank Panzer III. Unlike a tank it has no rotating turret: the gun is mounted in a low fixed superstructure, which lowers the silhouette and simplifies production. The Ausf.G version differs from the earlier forms in the shape of the superstructure and in a number of details on the surface, among them the mounting of the side armor skirts. It is precisely thin sheet elements of this kind that are the weakest point of plastic on a model in a small scale.

Tips for working with photo-etched parts

Side skirts and similar thin surfaces are among the things etch handles best: the metal has a realistic thickness and can moreover be convincingly bent or damaged, which is almost impossible with plastic. Separate the parts with a scalpel against a hard surface, make the folds in a bending tool and glue with cyanoacrylate applied with the tip of a wire. Degrease the etch before painting and spray it with primer. Only once the base coat has dried, add a paneliner in the recesses and a light dust pigment at the lower edge of the hull.

Who the set is for

• For modelers building armor in 1:72 scale
• For builders who dislike the thickness of plastic sheet parts
• For more experienced modelers with experience of bending etch
• For those who already own the corresponding plastic kit

This is an accessory, not a kit. The base model, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.