PSC StuG III mini-review

When I bought the Universal Carriers I couldn't resist getting a box of SturmGeschütz III (or StuG III for short), also from Plastic Soldier Company. Today, amidst all the christmas preparations I managed to assemble one of them without SWMBO noticing. Well, she noticed, and she didn't look too happy, but I survived. I didn't take as many pictures (because I was in a hurry) so this will be a fairly brief review.

Starting the assembly with my trusty knife, clippers and a cup of coffee.

Like all the other fastbuild kits from PSC the StuG comes with all parts on one sprue, three sprues to a box. The hull is one piece with all the road wheels mounted on a side assembly already. You glue the side to the hull, the sprocket and drive wheel halfs to their other halfs already on the side, the underside of the track on the underside of the wheels (well...duh) and the upper tracks on top of the guide wheels. Repeat on the other side, easy-peasy and takes all of five minutes per side. No chance of doing it wrong if you take a second to check each piece and looks good with track sag already sculpted.

All the basic pieces assembled, time to chose accessories and which gun to use!

Then pop the top on and it's already starting to look like a proper tank. You have to mount the front glacis plate and the armour plates at the front and rear of the superstructure. I guess PSC did them separate to be able to keep the details of the really nice bolted armour. You then have to chose which version of the StuG you are going to build. There are part for both early and late versions as well as for the SturmHaubitze version with a 105 mm gun. (Technically referred to as StuH 42 instead.) In my box there were no instruction sheet for which pieces belonged to which version but it's not that hard to figure out if you know your StuGs really. If you need one there's a sprue breakdown on PSC's site here, although they have confused which hatch is for early and late war. Ok, I'm a treadhead, so sue me.

StuG is complete except for it's skirts, or "schurtzen" that protect the track and sides.

Ok, a quick rundown of the differences. Early StuG III ausf G has:

• Box-shaped gun mantlet.
• Large Square MG shield.
• Loader's hatch opening to the front and rear.

The StuH 42 is identical to the early StuG III, but with a shorter and heavier gun barrel. 

A late version StuG III ausf G has:

• Rounded "saukopf" gun mantlet.
• Remote controlled MG in a small v-shaped shield.
• Loader's hatch opening to the sides.
• Reinforced armour in front of the commander's cupola.

As for the changes between early and late versions they were introduced at various dates during spring 1944 so I guess it's possible for some intermediate version with only some of the changes. So if you are doing Kursk you should stick with early version, and if you are doing 1945 stick with late version, 1944 either version is possible, as well as some mixed ones like late war gun mantlet but early war machine gun and hatches. As for the skirts they were not present from the start but were retrofitted to early versions as well as.

The completed vehicle, a late version StuG ausf G with Saukopfblende and remote controlled MG.

The finished StuGs completely look the business, but seem a bit bare. StuG crews often stowed lots of different equipment in boxes or racks on the rear engine deck. While they were all field modifications rather than regular features it would have been nice to have some included in the kit. That said, the sprue is almost chock full anyway, and PSC have managed to squeeze a crew figure in too which can be mounted in either the commander's or the loader's hatch. It's the same as one of the figures included in the Panzer IV kit but nice anyway. Another nice detail is that the MG34 included actually has a drum magazine, in many kits all the machine guns lack any ammo whatsoever.

A pair of StuG III's meet a Panzer III in spring 1943. Note the plethora of boxes and equipment on the engine decks.

To summarize this is an excellent wargames kit; easy assemble and the models look great when finished. No german player should be without a couple of StuG's at least, since they were very common on all fronts. Modellers should be aware that some details are rather crude but this could still be the basis for a nice model if you are willing to scratch build a lot.

I give this kit 5 out of 5.