If “sexy” is an appropriate word to use to describe a lethal military vehicle, then the StuG certainly deserves a walk on the modeler catwalk. It’s attractive, low profile, and aggressive wide stance certainly demands a second glance. Add a pair of Ostketten tracks to the outfit and, at least in my eyes, the StuG is a thing of beauty.
When this opportunity came to contribute a StuG for this publication, I had a wide choice of variants and time periods. My decision of which variant to build was almost immediate, I wanted to portray a vehicle from the desperate and pitched Kharkov battles during the winter of 1942-1943. This time frame led to a number of choices, in the end, I decided upon the StuG III f/8 variant as produced by Dragon.
The Ausf. F production of the StuG III began March, 1942 and was a direct reaction to the war experiences for the need to find a foe to combat Russian tanks, specifically the T-34. Equipped with the high velocity of 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/43 long barrel gun, the upgraded platform proved to be an instant influence on the battlefield. The Ausf. F/8 version of the StuG appeared in September of 1942. The name is derived from the chassis version of the Panzer III upon it was based, the 8th, or Ausf J/L. The F/8 entered production armed with the new 7.5cm StuK 40 L/48, which had a greater impact against the most common tank of the time, the T34. The new hull featured a redesigned rear-plate, with larger louvers to improve engine cooling. which jutted slightly forward of the front of the hull, and were drilled with holes for towing. Initially designed to be a welded plate of front armor, during the production run of the F/8 the extra armor went from being welded in place to being bolted on, in order to save production time.