1:35 StuG III Jack Rest Block (Ausf G, Metal Strap Version) (Unterlegklotz)

1:35 StuG III Ausf. G — jack rest block, metal bands (Lithokraft)

A 3D-printed resin set in 1:35 scale for the StuG III Ausf. G assault gun. It is the Unterlegklotz, that is the wooden block the crew put under the jack, and its mounting in the version with metal bands. The manufacturer makes the same block in a version with leather straps as well, so choose according to the vehicle you are building. It is a detail accessory, not a kit of the vehicle.

The real subject

The StuG III Ausf. G was the most numerous version of the German assault gun: it was built by the Alkett and MIAG works from 1942 to the end of the war and carried the 7.5 cm StuK 40 gun. A low hull without a turret meant that the workshop equipment was carried in plain sight, on the side and rear faces of the armor. The mounting of the block changed in the course of production, leather straps gradually gave way to metal bands, and on a particular vehicle a photograph is what decides.

Building and painting tips

First wash the resin parts in lukewarm soapy water. Cut the print supports off with a scalpel and sand the areas down with a fine abrasive; a slightly bent thin part can be straightened with lukewarm heat, boiling water damages resin. Glue with super glue. Paint the block as wood, that is a light base and a brown wash along the grain, and set the bands apart with dark steel and fine rust so that the wood and the metal do not merge into one surface.

Who the set is for

• modelers of the StuG III Ausf. G assault gun
• anyone interested in faithful workshop equipment on the armor
• builders who build a vehicle from a particular photograph
• more advanced modelers with experience of resin

This is an accessory for a model. The base kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.