Panzer III Ausf J, 2. PzDiv
Panzer III Ausf L, 11. PzDiv

Because the Panzer III is - beside the Stug III - one of my most favourite tank types of the WW II, I built two different types at the same time in my past tinkering phase: the Ausf J from Dragon and the Ausf L from Tamiya.

Both models are in principle well detailed. Also fitting accuracy is correct. Tamiya's "L" is an "old lady", however beats Dragon concerning casting quality and authenticity.
The comparison of running wheels and supporting rollers is self-explaining in this respect. For me reason enough, to exchange also the sprocket wheels and idlers instead of Dragon´s to that from the Tamiya kit. To make them fit also to the Dragon tub, some drillings at the wheels are necessary (in the photos showing the building phase down in the gallery, one can see Dragon´s drive assembly at the Dragon model still. It was exchanged later as described.)

A further prominent error with Dragon is those insufficient thickness of the ball mantle of the nose Mg's. Instead of representing the 50mm thick armouring, it seems in such a way, as if it were only 15mm. Therefore I had to bore the frontal armour from the rear, fill it up with one compound putty and use a better (smaller) ball shaped machine-gun mount from the spare part crate (see the pictures: left previous, right after the change)

Dragon provides two PE parts for resembling the ventilation opening cover grids. With Tamiya there are unfortunately only unpleasant plastic parts. Therefore I have used also appropriate PE parts from the spare parts box instead.

I exchanged both kit cannons against such made of metal. With the "J" it is turned from copper tube by myself, the "L" got one the company Jordi Rubio.
Both kits have tow ropes, which did not please me. Therefore they were replaced by bicycle brake ropes. In order to be able to form it better, they must be heated. I took the thimbles from the tank IV accessory kit of Tamiya. The appropriate rope mounting plates developed from self made aluminium foil pieces.

As additional detailing I manufactured the reserve visor of the commander from aluminium foil on both tanks and innumerable rivets at the turret´s accessories box of the "J" (this work I saved with the Tamiya model). Likewise I supplemented the missing welding seams by a stretched sprue which was softened in plastic glue and structured with an engraving needle afterwards.

At the Tamiya model I improved the tool mounting plates by means of aluminium strips by myself, while Dragon derived a PE-set from ABER. The tool originates mainly from the Tamiya accessory set, that I have already mentioned.

Dragon´s tank received the plastic single tracks links of this company which have to be be prepared laboriously, while Tamiya got metal tracks of Friulmodellissimo. One can throw the kit´s soft plastic tracks away without regard!

The small side lights were scooped out and filled with casting resin. With the "L" I inserted a "lamp" before made of a clear stretched sprue.

Painting

The usual techniques of the base coat applying, pre shading and and - afterwards to the basic camouflage - washing, dry painting and filtering were used also here. Regarding washing I prefer to apply it directly on the dull camouflage, without the previous painting of gloss lacquer, since here the colour is better toned and aged thus at the same time.

Now the unit signs are partly squirted, applied partly with wet pushing and/or dry decals onto the tank. The "L" resembles a vehicle of the 11. PzDiv in the spring of 1943, the "J" one of the 2. PzDiv in the autumn of 1942.
Lightening the basic colour took place with the Ausf L with oil colours even mixed in ever brighter grey tones. Dragon´s tank was lightened "conventionally" with Enamel colours.
The micro painting "is inserted" again and again between the individual ageing processes, in order to represent differently fresh damage. Some paint scratches were painted at the very end.

The ageing processes are obtained beside the filter layers also by grey-brown Airbrush atomising and pigments, which were laid on with and also without solvents. Before these work however several colour oil colours (black, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umbra, white, ochre and Prussian blue) should be up-dabbed and be applied immediately with a wet brush.

Thus one obtains a lively basic colour. At the drive assembly one can out-rave oneself thereby so correctly! For damp dust or earth at the tank I bound and with the brush up-dabbed the pigments with linseed oil. Also developed for oil marks at the engine covers in such a way.
After painting the details, like tool, exhaust and damage to the tank the lower part of the tanks with the air brush and brown tones one in-makes dust. Exhaust soot and gun smoke around the mg deltas are represented with black pigments.

Result

Both kits provided much fun to assemble, although Tamiya is ahead compared with Dragon concerning detailing and accuracy (one refrains from the chain and the exhaust lattices). I relied on the excellent book about Panzer III "Achtung Panzer", which is in Japanese language but also with English captions. But if one doesn´t want to overdo research and detailing, both models are quite good "only" built out of the box as well.