Author Topic: Syrian StuG IV, Yom Kippur War [Monogram scale] (Read 1326 times)

Story · « **on:** February 04, 2022, 10:29:39 AM »

WARNING - THIS IS A MONOGRAM MODELS THREAD

So the scale is 1/32...1/35.. whatever it takes...

It's also a restoration thread, but with the constraints of not going past the tech level of the original model (think Shep Paine homage build from back-in-the-day - no PE, no super detailing, notink Lebowski!).

So this is what's in a pile of crap someone bequeathed to me.

Oh goody gumdrops. What do I do with a 50 year old dust coated MONOGRAM StuG IV that's missing parts?

For those too young to remember, this thing https://www.scalemates.com/kits/monogram-8220-sturmgeschuetz-iv--185428

Did some reading and found a plot hole in history big enough to drive a ... German StuG through.

The six Syrian Jagdpanzers came from France in 1950. Presumably, they had been part of the short-lived Besnier unit, although it’s possible they were recovered from battlefield clean-ups or even in the French occupation zone after WWII. The post-WWII French army had no interest in the type. They were lumped into a larger weapons sale to Syria that included artillery shells, small arms, and the such; and little else is known about the deal.

During the Six Day War, an Israeli military unit was adamant that they had destroyed one Syrian Sturmpanzer II (the wreck was never found). Considering that the Bison’s overall rarity, this might be doubtful; then again the Sturmpanzer II was such an obscure vehicle that it doesn’t seem logical for the Israelis to even think of it unless they were sure that is what it was. During the 1958-1961 United Arab Republic era, both Egypt and Syria kept their armies distinct but there was a token nod to unity, and it’s possible that Egypt sent Syria one of these relics. A rebutting opinion is that the “Syrian Sturmpanzer” never existed, and that the Israelis had maybe mistaken it for a SU-100 or a StuG III.

https://wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com/2016/09/04/panzers-in-the-golan-heights/

Hmm. Or a StuG IV.

So we're going for a look like this

Step 1: Make basic repairs; fit idler wheels, see what's missing. Gave it a quick coat of grey primer and an Arabic name (from the DML ZSU-23-4 marking set)

Story · « **Reply #1 on:** February 04, 2022, 10:48:44 AM »

I'd say the distinctive features of the Syrian StuG IIIs where the rooftop armament - a 12.7 Breda aircraft HMG and a 7.92 Mg-34.

I'm going to go with a 12.7 Dhsk and an Mg-34 for this build but I'm still looking for the right scrap to construct their one-off mounts. The casement I left unsecured for now, in case I need to mess with the interior for whatever reason.

So this is where the restoration stands; the missing commander's hatch was replaced with a Soy Milk container lid, the gunner's periscope from an elbow of sprue, the back deck tool box and cylindrical fuel tank swiped from an equally-ancient / equally low-tech TAMIYA Su-100, the jerry can possibly another TAMIYA donation. It'll go up on a shelf of procrastination until such time as I feel inclined to finish off the MG mounts.

That gets us here.

Why is the gun tube just primer? Saw a photo of some Nazi tank with that somewhere, liked it and will now blame the French.

Frank3k · « **Reply #2 on:** February 04, 2022, 11:38:16 PM »

Great recovery, so far. I went down the rabbit hole for a few hours at WWII after WWUU.

How are you going to make the Czech AA ring?

Story · « **Reply #3 on:** February 05, 2022, 12:29:02 AM »

Thanks, you're too kind. I just didn't have the heart to set fire to the poor little thing.

As for the ring mount, it's pretty simple but I'm stumped / need more views.