1:72 (20mm) StuG III (Sturmgeschütz III): The Plastic Soldier Company

 

 

 

The StuG III (Sturmgeschütz III) was the most produced fully tracked armour fighting vehicle in Germany during the Second World War, and after the Sd.Kfz 251 halftrack, it was the second most produced German armoured combat vehicle during the war.  A total of 10,086 StuG IIIs and 1,299 StuH 42s (howitzer variant) were produced (Wikipedia).  The StuG III was originally designed with a mobile assault gun, providing direct support for infantry (the earlier versions were armed with a 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24; a short barrel howitzer-like gun used for close infantry support).  However, the StuG III soon filled the role of a tank destroyer (later versions were armed with the 7.5 cm KwK 40 anti-tank gun).

 

 

 

Plastic Soldier Company StuG III sprue: side 1

 

Plastic Soldier Company StuG III sprue: side 2

 

 

The Plastic Soldier Company produces a 1/72 scale (20mm) German StuG III Ausf. G kit, which contains three ‘easy build’ models.  There are seven StuG III production models: Ausführung (Ausf) A through G.  Ausf. G, produced from December 1942 to the end of the war, was the most common model produced, with around 8,423 StuG III Ausf. Gs built (Wikipedia).  The StuG III sprue comes with extra components allowing you to build different variations of the Ausf. G.  For two of the StuG III models, I used extra components from the Sd.Kfz Halftrack kit (tank riders, gear and machine gunner) to add further variation to these models.

 

 

 

StuG III, Ausf. G (1): side 1

 

StuG III, Ausf. G (1): side 2

 

 

StuG III, Ausf. G (2): side 1

 

StuG III, Ausf. G (2): side 2

 

 

StuG III, Ausf. G (3): side 1

 

StuG III, Ausf. G (3): side 2

 

 

TheTank Museum has an excellent YouTube video on the StuG III.  Watching this video helped my understanding on the history and role of the StuG III.