Weird Stug III side armor. Anyone see any other pictures of this? How would I make this ? Or is the side armor from a smaller different tank?


is this the same?

Hmmm....definitely Dragon's next StuG lll release!

lol
Biggles, look at the top rear plate..doesn't that look like a Jagdpanzer IV plate? The plate that sits near the engine...kinda of a small sharp plate.

Sure does. And the way the forward edge of the upper side plate is shaped, it looks like it continues around in front to cover the gap between it and the original upper hull plates, making it look like a mini-JagdPz lV L48. Those upper side armor plates don't appear to be bolted on - welded maybe? I don't think those are the actual armor sides of the vehicle, as in the case of the JagdPz lV series.

Here's a caption I've found for the very same picture :

"The first known photo of the Sturmgeschutz with additional armour in JPz IV style
left abandoned near Bruzovska street in the town Frydek-Mistek in the beginning of May 1945.".

Another view of the same StuG :


H.P.

Interesting pictures. What's the consensus? Was this a very late war factory upgrade or just a field modification?

Also, what is that large plate on the vehicle's roof? An up-armored MG shield or something else?

EDIT - just looked again and noted zimmerit on the vehicle. Based on this, I'm guessing those sideshields are a field mod. This seem plausible?

Interesting. First time I've heard of that. Is it more a field improvisation?

Looks like the folding MG shield is made of spaced armor.

I think panzer art do a photo-etch set for the add-on armour on the stug that looks pretty similar to the first picture.

Well, there were a few different schurzen designs and there was a lot of field-modding going on in terms of adding protection to their vehicles, so this certainly isn't impossible - we have a photo, after all. Perhaps they scavenged the plates off a wreck and made do? Or, since Stug production was limited to the "G" by the time the Jag IV's came along, the local parts supplier only had Jag IV parts on hand?

Just looking at the pics, it looks like concrete was used on the sides of the fighting compartment of the top StuG. The shapes are too smooth and refined showing no welds or bolts. I think the top two are different vehicles.

By late in the war, the Soviets had large amounts of panzerfausts in their hands. Pretty sure there are pictures out there of some Red Army infantrymen carrying them.


Gaz

Yeah I see that too. And sites where this pic was posted caption it as an example of a StuG with concrete. It even inspired a build here recently: https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/230566&page=1.

Oh, those are definitely two different vehicles. There are several differences between the two I can see even aside from the way the extra armor is added.

Or, the same vehicle at different time periods as a result of trying out new ideas to foster protection?

From the slope of the top armor, and the way the welded gun mantlet is above the upper armor I think the Stug in the 2nd picture is a late F/8.

The crew of the Stug G were definitely creative.

I had a quick email exchange with a StuG expert in Denmark, and he says it's most likely from StuG. Abt. 191. There is an after market set available here: http://www.thescenicfactory.com/product_p/re35-007.htm


ps. He says the text in Frenchy's post is incorrect. (No offence Frenchy) He was out, but will send more info when he gets home.

John

Back in 2003, Miguel Jimenez built a model if this. It was in one of his books. Through a bad translator, it came out in English as a StuG transsexual. But he meant it to be a "hybrid" one-off conversion.

No problemo John

H.P.

The armor plate in the first pic above is not the same as this: http://www.thescenicfactory.com/product_p/re35-007.htm You'll notice the plate in the pic has an elbow bend backwards along it's forward edge. The PE piece has a straight line angling downwards. Wonder where the crew stowed items that were usually on the trackguards/fenders - on the engine deck?

Also, the real Stug has a cast mantlet, and the conversion is a welded type. It looks like an interesting set. If I was doing Stugs again I would try to get one.

I have a correction from the StuG guy. He says probably 10. Pz.Gren.Div at a place called "Havilcuv Brod" or something to that effect. Taken 10 May. But any other info would be appreciated

John

Paul Badman (1721Lancers) built one of these for the StuG Brigade II Campaign a couple of years ago. For those interested it might be worth digging through the old campaign thread. There might be some references there.