DONE @p.2 +++ 1:72 Sd.Kfz. 125 ‘Jagdwespe’; early 1945

Dizzyfugu · May 22, 2023, 11:21:51 PM

The kit and its assembly:
This relatively simple German WWII what-if SPG was spawned from the thought that the light Wespe artillery SPG might also have been used for an anti-tank SPG, with relatively few modifications. The long-barreled 7.5 cm KwK 42/L70 appeared to be a suitable weapon for this kind of vehicle around 1944, so I tried to build a respective model.

The basis became the Italeri 1:72 "Wespe" kit, which is in fact a re-boxed ESCI kit. It goes together well, and you can build upper an lower hull separately for a final "marriage" of these main sections. To change the Wespe's look a little I exchanged the solid OOB wheels with those from a Panzer III, left over from a Revell/Mako kit. They are perfect in size, but due a lack of depth of their attachment openings (I only used the outer half of the Panzer III wheels) I glued them onto the hull before painting, normally I finish them separately and mount them in a final assembly step.

1:72 Sd.Kfz. 125 'Jagdwespe'; vehicle '201', 2. Panzerjägerbattalion, Panzer Division 'Feldherrnhalle 2', Deutsches Heer; upper Danube region, early 1945 (Whif/modified Italeri (ESCI) kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Sd.Kfz. 125 'Jagdwespe'; vehicle '201', 2. Panzerjägerbattalion, Panzer Division 'Feldherrnhalle 2', Deutsches Heer; upper Danube region, early 1945 (Whif/modified Italeri (ESCI) kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

For the gun I had to improvise a little, because the open casemate would allow a good look at it. I settled for a straightforward solution in the form of a Zvezda 1:72 PaK 40. The gun was taken OOB, I just removed the wheel attachment points from its chassis and replaced the short gun barrel with a muzzle brake with a aluminum 1:72 L70 barrel for a Panther Ausf. F (with a Schmalturm) from Aber. Both elements were relatively easy to combine, and the gun shield could be taken over, too. Once the gun mount's position in the Wespe hull was defined I narrowed the front opening a little with styrene wedges, added a deflector at its base, and reduced the height of the side walls for a coherent look. All in all the transplant looks very plausible!
Since the kit provides the option I decided to leave the driver's hatch open and install the OOB driver figure on a raised seat. For the long barrel I scratched a support that was mounted to the front hull. Looks a bit awkward, though, because it obscures the driver's field of view – but I could not find a better solution.

1:72 Sd.Kfz. 125 'Jagdwespe'; vehicle '201', 2. Panzerjägerbattalion, Panzer Division 'Feldherrnhalle 2', Deutsches Heer; upper Danube region, early 1945 (Whif/modified Italeri (ESCI) kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Sd.Kfz. 125 'Jagdwespe'; vehicle '201', 2. Panzerjägerbattalion, Panzer Division 'Feldherrnhalle 2', Deutsches Heer; upper Danube region, early 1945 (Whif/modified Italeri (ESCI) kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The only real trouble I had with the Italeri Wespe were the tracks: they were made from a really strange (and effectively horrible) vinyl material. This material repelled EVERYTHING with a kind of lotus effect – paints of any kind, even superglue! My usual method of mounting such tracks on the main wheels did not work at all, because the track would not hold at all. During these trials I also recognized that the tracks were too long – rather unusual, because 1:72 vinyl tracks tend to be too short so that some tension is needed to lengthen them properly. Two molded "links" had to be cut away, and on the kit's box art you can see the overlength problem when you are aware of it! I guess that the ESCI designers once assumed that the tracks would be closed into a loop (= closing the track and using heat to literally weld it together) first and then forced onto/over the wheels. I was eventually able to outsmart the tracks through the massive use of superglue under the mudguards – while the tracks still do not really stick to the glue, the large surface of the dried instant adhesive keeps the tracks in place and under light tension. Not perfect, but the tracks remain in place...

More coming soon...

Wardukw · May 22, 2023, 11:40:52 PM

A mini Nashorn..I like it

Dizzyfugu · May 22, 2023, 11:57:05 PM

Yes, pretty much so.

Old Wombat · May 23, 2023, 12:13:07 AM

Impressive work, thus far, Dizzy. Keep it up!

Dizzyfugu · May 23, 2023, 12:57:11 AM

The Zvezda gun fits really well into the Wespe - just the vinyl tracks are a nightmare!

Wardukw · May 23, 2023, 01:15:29 AM

I guess AM 72nd scale tracks are out of the question ..would slove all ya problems Diz..I know the issues with those tracks and the best place for em is the rubbish bin.

NARSES2 · May 23, 2023, 05:51:05 AM

The only thing odd about that is that the Wehrmacht didn't do it in real life. Looks a natural

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on May 23, 2023, 12:57:11 AM- just the vinyl tracks are a nightmare!

When I was a child I'd either staple the Airfix ones together or "persuade" my mum to sew them together for me. As you say they resist everything.

Oldpanzer1 · May 23, 2023, 08:43:12 AM

Great conversion! Really looks like a late war version we would have seen.

Dizzyfugu · May 24, 2023, 12:03:12 AM

Painting and markings:
Conservative, once more a variation of the Hinterhalt scheme. Once completed, the still separate hull, gun and shield received an overall base coat with RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb (TS-3 from a rattle can). On top of that I added vertical fields with Olivgrün (RAL 6003, Humbrol 86), and finally I applied branch-like thin stripes with a dark brown (Humbrol 98, which is darker and less reddish than the authentic RAL 8012, for a stronger contrast). The idea was to mimic dense brushes during spring and summertime, and to break up the vehicle's outlines esp. through the brown lines. Following official camouflage practice the running gear area remained uniform Dunkelgelb, as a counter-shading measure against the upper hull, and to avoid "rotating" and therefore attention-catching color patches on the wheels when the vehicle moved.

1:72 Sd.Kfz. 125 'Jagdwespe'; vehicle '201', 2. Panzerjägerbattalion, Panzer Division 'Feldherrnhalle 2', Deutsches Heer; upper Danube region, early 1945 (Whif/modified Italeri (ESCI) kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Sd.Kfz. 125 'Jagdwespe'; vehicle '201', 2. Panzerjägerbattalion, Panzer Division 'Feldherrnhalle 2', Deutsches Heer; upper Danube region, early 1945 (Whif/modified Italeri (ESCI) kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Once the camouflage was completed the main wheels received rubber rims (with Revell 09 Anthracite) and the model received a dark red-brown washing. After that, the few decals were applied and overall dry-brushing with a mix of light grey and earth brown acrylic paint was done to emphasize edges and surface details, also on the gun and in the interior. Before their tedious fitting, the vinyl tracks (which came OOB in a metallic grey finish that looked really nice) had received a washing with black and brown acrylic paint as well as dry-brushing with medium grey, too.

1:72 Sd.Kfz. 125 'Jagdwespe'; vehicle '201', 2. Panzerjägerbattalion, Panzer Division 'Feldherrnhalle 2', Deutsches Heer; upper Danube region, early 1945 (Whif/modified Italeri (ESCI) kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Sd.Kfz. 125 'Jagdwespe'; vehicle '201', 2. Panzerjägerbattalion, Panzer Division 'Feldherrnhalle 2', Deutsches Heer; upper Danube region, early 1945 (Whif/modified Italeri (ESCI) kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

It really looks like a juvenile Nashorn SPG!

Wardukw · May 24, 2023, 12:19:17 AM

Awesome stuff Thomas and your annoying me matey.
Now I want a 35th one ya bugga

This is just a cool a model to ignore so to speck .

I've got a Panther gun and breach ...yours looks factory built..im now kinda thinking a field modified machine..gun takin from a destroyed Panther and stuffed into a degunned Wespe 🤔😏

Dizzyfugu · May 24, 2023, 12:53:19 AM

The towed Pak 40 fits SO well into the Wespe, it really looks like a real combo. And the good thing is that the Zvezda model of the PaK - even though it is basically a snap-fit model - has ample detail that can be seen in the open cabin. A wondrous mix!

Jakko · May 24, 2023, 01:55:45 AM

Nice one

Old Wombat · May 24, 2023, 03:15:37 AM

Very nice!

buzzbomb · May 24, 2023, 03:17:56 AM

Yep, natural progression.. good work

Wardukw · May 24, 2023, 11:37:38 AM

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on May 24, 2023, 12:53:19 AMThe towed Pak 40 fits SO well into the Wespe, it really looks like a real combo. And the good thing is that the Zvezda model of the PaK - even though it is basically a snap-fit model - has ample detail that can be seen in the open cabin. A wondrous mix!

It is surprising that what once held a FH18 105MM gun is now fitted with a Pak40 75mm gun and it looks damn good ..then fitting a L70 barrel and it's better again ..this whole thing just looks right ✅️ 😀