The Ausf J was the first variant of the Panzer III to be built in large numbers. Of the more than 2,600 produced between March 1941 and July 1942, 1,549 were built with the L/42 gun and 1,067 were armed with the longer L/60. The tanks were used extensively in the North African and Russian theaters.
The initial boxing of Academy’s all-new PzKpfw III Ausf J, features markings for tanks in North Africa.
The moldings feature excellent detail and minimal flash. Sadly, the headlight lenses are not molded in clear and shallow ejector-pin marks mar the insides of the track links. The tracks are an unusual combination of individual links and link and length. Link-and-length tracks form the lower runs, while individual links are used for the upper run allowing track sag to be reproduced. While the box art vehicle shows track with hollow guide horns tracks, the kit provides only solid guide horn style links.
Of the almost 600 parts, about 150 aren’t used in this kit, indicating that Academy plans to do a series of Panzer III vehicles.
A small photo-etched metal (PE) fret provides screens for the engine deck and rear vents, a gunsight for the turret, straps for the turret basket, and chains for the rear smoke canisters.
A small decal sheet has markings for five German tanks. Four version can be built, so take care to follow the correct steps for the one you want to build, including the drilling the proper holes in the hull sides and fenders shown in a diagram at the beginning of the instructions.
Fit throughout was excellent.
Two bulkheads align the multipart hull. I was confused by the “CUT” symbol when I first came across it in Step 2 until I realized it meant to remove the fine locating lines not used in the version I was building.
I added the front plate to the hull but left off the fenders and running gear until the base coat had been applied. The same was true of the assembled fighting compartment and rear deck. I added tool sand details to the fenders but left off spare road wheels for the time being. I did install the rear hull plate and all of its details except for the exhaust diverter.
The turret went together quickly and easily. Since I was building marking option 2 I omitted the optional mantlet spaced armor. I left off the turret basket until everything was base painted.
The main turret hatches can be posed open and have detail on the inside faces. There is no interior detail, but you could easily pose an aftermarket figure in in a open hatch.
Be careful installing the turret onto the hull because the catches that keep it in the race are too tight and won’t allow the turret to be removed. I broke off the catches so I can remove the turret if need be.
With the major subassemblies completed, I painted the tires on the road wheels and return rollers with Tamiya dark gray (XF-24. Then, I airbrushed all the parts with Hataka Afrika braun lacquer (No. C305), using a circle template to mask the tires while painting the wheels.
After the paint dried, I added the running gear. The road wheels, idlers, and drive sprockets fit snugly so I just pressed them into place.
I built each run of the tracks in four sections using Testors liquid cement (No. 8872C). I glued together the lower runs as shown in the instructions, 10 individual links to fit each drive sprocket and idler, and runs of 35 individual links for the upper run. The slow-setting cement allowed me to add a little sag to the upper run to match photos of Panzer IIIs. Tape held the runs around the running gear as the glue set. Once the tracks were dry , I removed them and airbrushed them with Tamiya German gray (XF-63), the dry-brushed them is the with light gray and Vallejo oily steel and glued them in place.
After attaching the fenders and upper hull parts, I applied the second camouflage color, Hataka Afrika grau (No. C308), with Silly Putty masks.
The decals went down easily with help from Microscale Micro Set and Micro Sol.
Tamiya brown panel line wash enhanced panel lines and textures before I sprayed the model with Tamiya clear flat (XF-86) and picked out details with Vallejo black and oily steel; oil paints finished the wooden handles.
I spent about 26 hours on my Panzer III and the finished model matched exactly dimensions in David Doyle's Standard catalog of German Military Vehicles (Krause, ISBN 978-0-87349-783-1). While I wish the kit provided hollow guide teeth tracks, aftermarket replacements are available if you want them.
It's been a while since I’ve built an Academy tank and I was pleasantly surprised with this kit. The detail and fits were excellent, and the kit offers a lot of options.