Pz III J 5cm KwK L60?

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Steve Hutchinson
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Pz III J 5cm KwK L60?

Post by Steve Hutchinson »

Hi

Has anyone ever seen a Pz III J with the KwK39 5cm L60 barrel fitted and still having a "J" layout on the tracks guards for equipment?

I have searched everywhere, I have found one, but the reference is a late "J" with the turret vision ports filled,
Not an early "J" simply up gunned to the L60.

My references do indicate the early "J"s were up gunned but I can not find any photographic evidence to confirm this!

Thank you for your help, well in advance

regards

Steve H
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Philipp Gross
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Re: Pz III J 5cm KwK L60?

Post by Philipp Gross »

I must confess I had no idea there were any substantial changes between J and L besides the obvious gun barrel and vision ports. The problem is, there was a gradual transformation between J and L, with the only defining difference between them being the gun barrel. When a J received an L/60, it became an L, as far as the German administration was concerned.

Panzer Tracts 3-3 might help, regrettably I don't have it. Maybe someone else?

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Steve Hutchinson
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Re: Pz III J 5cm KwK L60?

Post by Steve Hutchinson »

Thanks Philipp
Neither do I, but it seems to hold the secret!
I'll have to see if I can get a sneaky peak on the interweb.
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Steve H
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Re: Pz III J 5cm KwK L60?

Post by Steve Hutchinson »

I cast the net as far as I could and I did find a PDF of the PanzerTracts 3-3,
which really didn't clarify my particular issue!

I think it could simply be no reference photos of the Pz III J 5cm L60 photographed from the drivers side.

The Late J, early L had 2 sets of spare road wheels on the driver's side track guard, which the early J didn't, that was what I needed to support my putting a super RB aluminium L60 barrel straight into the Dragon early J, I am currently building OOTB as another Dunkelgelb AB project. ;)

Should I just do it anyway?

Not sure

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Philipp Gross
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Re: Pz III J 5cm KwK L60?

Post by Philipp Gross »

I found some photos of L/42 equipped III Js with two spare wheels fitted, so it seems like this change came some time before the switch to the L/60.

Image
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For inspiration you might want to take a look at the huge collections here and here. I'm also fairly certain the vast majority of long barreled Panzer IIIs had the tropical engine deck.

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Re: Pz III J 5cm KwK L60?

Post by Raoul Kunz »

Hi Steve - correct me if I'm wrong but you're looking for a early J with vision ports in the turret, upgraded with an L/60 5cm KwK and the "two road wheels on drivers side"-setup on the track guards correct?

Like this here?=>
Image

Mind you it's a Afrika version with tropical engine deck, but as a base assumption anything that went to North Africa also went to southern Russia (sometimes with the Afrika colour scheme...) with the exception of the really freaky stuff like the StuG III C/D with the tropical engine deck.

Maybe the picture is on the sites Philipp linked, maybe not, I found it in my own folders, don't know from whence it came so might be redundant ;) .


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Steve Hutchinson
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Re: Pz III J 5cm KwK L60?

Post by Steve Hutchinson »

Super web site Philipp

Other way round Raoul, no spare wheels as I wanted a quick fix and install the L60 straight into the Dragon early J kit.

Not to be, so I shall build it as an early L42 J with DAK upgrade on the rear deck straight out of the box for another Dunkelgelb AB experiment with a different paint set

Watch this space, but not just yet as it is too hot to spray paint, 30C + and steady for another week!

More soon?

Regards

Steve H
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