Review: Battlefront Panzer IIIJ (GE033)

Today I dive into the lead mountain and V4 with some Panzer IIIs for my DAK desert force.

So, like many I am excited by V4 and more so the new desert forces. I will likely pick up some of the new plastic Battlefront panzers but I have 5 old school resin and metal Panzer IIIs sitting in my lead pile - it would be a shame not to use them.

History:
The Panzer III was originally designed as a vehicle to fight other tanks. However the size of it's turret meant it could not be upgraded to a large enough gun to fight the T34s on the Eastern Front. Production ended in 1943 but the chassis continued to be used for the mass-produced Stug III.

PzIIIJ Early

Early Panzer IIIs mounted the 37mm cannon so as to have common ammunition with the infantry weapon - the pak 36. The 37mm gun was replaced in later models with a short barrel 5cm gun and later the long barrel 5cm gun. The final production model, the panzer IIIN mounted the short barrel 7.5cm gun.

PzIII in the Desert

It was the J model that saw the transition from the short barrel to the long barrel 5cm gun. These 2 models were called the J early and the J late.

Review:
These are old models. The metal frame that holds the various gun options is stamped 2008. It is well documented that Battlefront have made real progress with their new plastic range since these old Panzers rolled off the production line. Quite simply, the plastics go together with a minimum of fuss. Sadly, these old resin and metal panzers don't fit so well together. This is not new information I hear you say, I knew this before I popped this model out of the blister.

The model is made up of a resin hull, resin turret, 2 metal tracks, 2 different commanders, an open and closed capola and 2 guns - a short barrel 5cm and a long barrel 5cm. I plan to use this as my 2ic so put a commander in the open cupola and installed the short 5cm gun.

The metal parts had quite a bit of flash and needed extensive cleanup. The assembled model doesn't rest perfectly level on the table. However, these old Panzers are nice models. I have always had a soft spot for these old Battlefront resin and metal models.

The reason that I am posting a review of this model and more different panzer III blisters in the future is that they still provide nice vehicles and variety beyond the new plastics. So, if you have some of these old boys in the lead pile, pull them out and paint them up!