If you are like me you bought cheap and excellent Zvezda Sdkfz models at a whim. There are to cheap not to get one each time I am in friendly miniature shop..
But technically speaking I don't want old Sdkfz 251 B - they were almost extinct in late war period - 43 + I am interested with.
Willing to play with them and don't lie to myself that they looks like each other I have but one option - conversion. So I tried.
My first try was to hide obvious type marks. It is doable with front plate but mudguards and boxes are much harder to do.
Most important differentiating features between C and B are - Front, engine armor, mudguards, boxes and viziers at the sides.
1: Front. To change Sdkfz from B to C we need to cut it front completely. Happily front part of the Zvezda kit is made from two parts and cut easily. Best bet of cut is around 60 degrees- best to check on some pictures/plans. Then you have to replace front plate with thin plasticard and cut to shape - and fill any mises.
2. Second part is removing mudguards. Its easily done but you have to plan at this stage. You could either remove full mudguard to a straight finish or do it in more complicated way (its quite easy to do thanks again to models construction but takes a little more attention - but gives more sturdy model finish. Here i decided to do it more complicated ay but other works too (tested on another model)
3. Then you have to form a mudguard to have correct shape, easily done with plasticard. Just be aware and not to break it. It should generally go a title high then a smooth don and be straight again near place where upper armor plates connect. Its simple in reality.
4 part is removal of upper side plates that protect exhaust on B version but are removed in C,- that very obvious, and filling holes in the model.
5 In this step you have to make new boxes. They should go from mentioned point where armor plates meet to end of the flat mudguard part. Building them from flat 2mm plasticard is very easy and add structural integrity to the mudguards.
Plasticard have to be formed to fit straightly and stick to both wall of the vehicle and mudguards. Then add box covers from thinnest plasticard.
6 Next part are protrusions on the engine armor, they are easily done from plasticard with nice file.
7. Finishing touch is gunshield and round cap in the front. You might add front towing hooks at this part. When you cut front part of the mudguard - it falls downward in B and is simplified in C last thing to do is adding of Lamps that will be lost. Fortunately great part is on the sprue in form of parts that are attached to the wheels on the sprue. They are perfect sized and shaped. Don't forget to sandpaper side vision slits in the back and tools from the side armor.
Here is the final Effect
Is this good way to convert them.. Well if you have time and models. Or are starving for cash.. Otherwise buy excellent PSC or new battlefront late Sdkfz Model. But if you have Zvezda models its worth the try and looks good on the table.
Now to finish painting this one, and its ready (well thats a lie i used it like that in recent game of Chain of Command :) but it still need some brushwork ..
