Work in Progress

Hasegawa 1/72 Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen conversion

Posted by huib on 05 Nov 2018, 13:17

Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen (late)

OK, the last Flakpanzer IV. :mrgreen:

If you are busy building some Flakpanzers, you discover all kinds of variants. You can make choices, or just build one more.

Before this one, I built the prototype of the Möbelwagen, equippped with a quadruple 20mm Flak. For the production vehicle, it was decided to replace the 20mm Flak with the more powerful 37mm Flak 43.

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Prototype of the Möbelwagen with 37mm Flak43 during a propaganda photshoot.

240 of it were built during the last year of the war. The first ones were operational in april 1944 on the Western Front, in time for D-Day. During production some simplifications were introduced to ease production. Therefore you can distinguish between early and late production models. I decided to build a late production model, to have as much as possible differences from my earlier prototype model.

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Early production model with bent sidewalls.

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Late production model with straight side walls.

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Two Möbelwagens during the Battle of Arnhem. Left the older exhaust system, with muffler, right the simpler later exhaust system with lots of noise.

What are the differences between my earlier built prototype and this larte production Möbelwagen?
- 37mm Flak 43 instead of quadruple 20mm Flak.
- Straight sidewalls instead of bent sidewalls.
- loopholes in three of four sides.
- Simplified exhaust system
- Steel return rollers instead of rubber rimmed return rollers
- Field applied camouflage.
- Lot's of mud and dirt.

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This nice picture of a captured Möbelwagen is one of my sources of inspiration for the final result.
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huib  Netherlands
 
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Posted by Erich von Manstein on 05 Nov 2018, 14:46

Hoi Huib,
will follow this work in progress with interest. :yeah:

Not sure if you're aware of the excellent 3,7cm Möbelwagen kit from Maco.

https://henk.fox3000.com/maco.htm

The owner retired and the company went out of business, but Revell bought the molds and started re-releasing the former Maco kits this year.
So, it's not unlikely that this specific kit will re-appear soon.

Anyway, good luck and much fun with your project. :thumbup:

Happy Modeling!
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Erich von Manstein  Aruba
 
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Posted by huib on 05 Nov 2018, 18:47

Thank you for the suggestion, Erich. Yes, I know the Maco models: Very high quality in 1/72 scale, based on Revell hulls and parts.

But I like the challenge of making conversions. So that is why I prefer a less accurate Hasegawa kit, and will accept a lesser quality for the final model. It's all about modelling fun.
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huib  Netherlands
 
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Posted by Erich von Manstein on 05 Nov 2018, 19:02

huib wrote:But I like the challenge of making conversions. So that is why I prefer a less accurate Hasegawa kit, and will accept a lesser quality for the final model. It's all about modelling fun.


Thats the spirit! :yeah: ;-)
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Erich von Manstein  Aruba
 
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Posted by huib on 05 Nov 2018, 19:03

Hasegawa 1/72 37mm Flakpanzer IV 'Ostwind'

As a starting point for the Möbelwagen, I use the Hasegawa Ostwind kit from 2000. I will use the hull and gun from this kit, but will replace the turret and fighting compartment with scratchbuilt items.

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Nice colourful box.

And what's in it?

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This is an interesting sprue. The starting point of this kit is the Mutionspanzer IV, which was part of the Hasegawa Mörser kit from 1977. See: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/1016020-hasegawa-mb-033-karl-with-munitionspanzer-iv
From this prehistoric kit you only need the lower hull.

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Using this sprue you could build a complete Panzer IV Ausf. F2 from this kit. The turret parts are not necessary, neither for the Ostwind, nor for my conversion.

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This sprue contains the 37mm Flak 43 gun and the Ostwind Turret. I will use the gun, but not the turret.

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And of course lot's of wheels.

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Two sprues with lot's of parts which I will not use. (Useful for the sparebox!)

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The kit is equipped with vinyl tracks. They do not look very good, but they are nice to work with as they are soft and elastic. Some mud will possibly cover up the shortcomings in detail.

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And a quite generic but useful decal sheet, as we are used from Hesegawa armour kits.

So. let's start!
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huib  Netherlands
 
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Posted by huib on 06 Nov 2018, 11:03

A bit of sawing and cutting

I started the build of the Möbelwagen.

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The beginning is according to the instructions: I assembled the lower hull.

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Then I threw the instructions away and cut a huge part from the upper hull. I also sanded away most of the tools on the fenders.
No way back from now on! :-D

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I tried to repair the damage by building a new fighting compartment using some sheets of styrene.
And now for some detailing.
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huib  Netherlands
 
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Posted by Peter on 08 Nov 2018, 22:10

Following this with great interest! ;-)
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Peter  Belgium

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Posted by Beano Boy on 09 Nov 2018, 00:19

Interesting Baby Duck Emblem painted on the front is shown in the B & W Photograph. BB
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Posted by huib on 10 Nov 2018, 15:57

Yes indeed, BB. I don't think this is an official unit sign, but very civilized soldiers sense of humor.
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huib  Netherlands
 
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Posted by huib on 10 Nov 2018, 16:12

Detailing the hull

Quite some effort was put into further detailing the hull of the Möbelwagen.

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Lot's of fiddling with iron wire, modelling tape and styrene. And some tools from the sparebox: wire cutters, shovels and pick-axe. The piece of spare track on the front originates from an Airfix Sturmgeschütz.

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The interior of the fighting compartment was based on pictures of the 1/35 Tamiya kit. On historical pictures of the vehicle normally nothing can be seen of this. So now let's hope the Tamiya kit is more or less accurate!

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And the scratch built late style exhausts. For a bit of change one spare wheel is imagined to be lost, lent or used.

To continue with the Flak gun now.
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huib  Netherlands
 
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Posted by Peter on 10 Nov 2018, 17:23

You are a real master in this kind of things Huib! Keep on going please! I like it a lot! :thumbup:
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Peter  Belgium

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Posted by huib on 12 Nov 2018, 11:36

Thank you, Peter!

Flak 43

Next step is the gun, the 37mm Flak 43. The kit gun is quite ok, but is tuned for use in the Ostwind configuration. For the Mòbelwagen I have to make some changes, and of course I will try to add some extra detail.

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This is how the gun looks on a Mòbelwagen: In the front you see a cage to catch empty cartridges. On the right is a big gunshield to protect the crew. Altogether it is a quite complex arrangement.

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I started to further detail the gun and the cradle. The frame for the cartridge case was made from 0,3mm iron wire, connected with CA glue. It wil be covered with mesh later. Next to the gunners seat a second seat is added for the gun commander. An armoured plate parallel to the gun is installed. And to the right you see a frame to which the gun shield will be connected later. And of course the gun muzzle is drilled out.

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On the right side a few extra details to further enliven the gun.

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The biggest challenge of the build however is the gun shield, which has a very complex threedimensional shape. I'm still deliberating how to make the shield.
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huib  Netherlands
 
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Posted by huib on 14 Nov 2018, 22:00

Gun shield

The most complex part of this model is the gun shield. As it is not included in the Ostwind kit, I have to scratch it myself. The problem with it is that is has a complex multifaceted form. So you can not simply cut it from a sheet of styrene.

So I scratched my head for a while how to determine and measure the exact form, and then how to make it. I found my solution finally in the PE sets that are available for the Möbelwagen on 1/35 scale. I used a pictore of such a PE shield as a model for my much smaller sized shield on 1/72.

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This led to some test models from ordinary paper.

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A testfit on the gun. Looking good.

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And a tesfit on the vehicle. I think the size is about right.

Using the paper shield as a template, I can make a shield for my model. But from what material?
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huib  Netherlands
 
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Posted by Bluefalchion on 14 Nov 2018, 22:31

Glass?
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Bluefalchion  United States of America
 
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Posted by Bramble15 on 14 Nov 2018, 22:57

Damn dude. You have some serious skill. Looking forward to the end product.
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Posted by huib on 16 Nov 2018, 17:10

Thank you Bramble!

Bluefalchion wrote:Glass?

Yes, good idea! For a better all round view! :eh:
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huib  Netherlands
 
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Posted by huib on 16 Nov 2018, 17:33

Make your own PE

I was doubting a bit how to make the shield. From styrene sheet? From thick paper? Or from metal sheet? I decided to try the last one first, being able to fall back on the other options if it turned out too difficult.

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Beertin! So, Aluminium.

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I used the paper shield as a template. It was glued to the beertin with white glue and cut out with very small scissors, aided by a small knife for the tight corners. The paper and glue was washed of with warm water.

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Folded into model, using a steel ruler and a Stanley knife.

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The backside is very colorful!

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The missing piece was made in the same way using a paper template. It is glued in place using CA glue. After setting it was filled and sanded to remove some seams and gaps.

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For strength I added a piece of iron wire to the back of the very flimsy shield.

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The shield was further detailed using styrene strip and rod.

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Rivets were made by pusing with a pinvise from the back of the shield.

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Backside

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Testfit with the gun.

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From behind.

Conclusion: Beertin works well and is not very difficult. I would say that using very thin styrene or thick paper/thin cardboard would be easier and more forgiving to work with. Styrene is easy to cut and glue. Paper is easier to bend into shape.

And now to continue with the foldable shields of the fighting compartment.
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huib  Netherlands
 
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Posted by MABO on 16 Nov 2018, 17:52

I would not be able to do that... :drool: :yeah:
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Posted by Bluefalchion on 16 Nov 2018, 18:37

Glass may have been a bit more difficult to work with. Great idea with the beer can. I really enjoy the step-by-step adventure.
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Posted by Erich von Manstein on 16 Nov 2018, 23:05

Palm, an excellent choice! :occasion:

As for the build ... we're not worthy... . :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

Great wip report and the level of detail is... just wow. :yeah:
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Erich von Manstein  Aruba
 
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