Modelik SdKfz 165 Hummel [Archive]

CharlieC

06-23-2008, 04:26 PM

The Hummel was an SPG designed to carry a 150mm gun on a chassis based on a lengthened Pz IV hull with Pz III engine and transmission. The weight of the gun meant that it could carry limited armour. This wasn't a serious disadvantage since it was usually deployed behind the lines as indirect fire mobile artillery.

The Modelik kit is the only one available of the Hummel. Some model details:

Designer: Waldemar Rychard (mmm.. expect lots of roll up parts)
Scale: 1/25
Instructions - Polish
Subject - Panzer Artillery Regiment 116 attached to the 5th Panzer Division, Russia 1944.

There is an interior for the front compartment - I think I'll pass on this since I want to get it done by the end of July. Tracks are supplied in both band and as individual elements. Perhaps I'll use laser cut tracks....

Regards,

Charlie

CharlieC

06-23-2008, 04:49 PM

The frame is a bit more complicated than a tank because of the fighting compartment at the rear of the vehicle and the gun mount in the centre. The Pz IV hull was modified so that the engine was in the centre rather than the rear as in the tanks. The superstructure around the fighting compartment isn't on yet - still trying to figure out how that fits together.

A complaint I have with the frame is that there's no indication how the frame parts should be chamfered to match the angles of the hull - this means it's hard to get a tight fitting frame. The sides of the hull should be sanded before gluing the mudguards otherwise it's hard to get a good fit with the hull.

Regards,

Charlie

Don Boose

06-23-2008, 06:00 PM

You're off to a good start, Charlie.

Don

CharlieC

06-23-2008, 06:48 PM

Does anyone have an image of a WW2 Wehrmacht compressed air cylinder? - the Hummels normally carried one to recharge the recoil and recuperator cylinders but it isn't included in the model kit. Even better would be some indication of the cylinder colour.

Regards,

Charlie

Jim Nunn

06-24-2008, 12:21 AM

I have some photos and drawings of the Interior however none of them show the recharge tank. The tank was supposed to be located on the front right side of the compartment. As for the color of the recharge tank how about red oxide?
If you want the photos just let me know.

Jim Nunn

CharlieC

06-24-2008, 01:03 AM

Small light bulb...

The Halinski T-34 model has a couple of model air cylinders. The shape and size of these looks about right for the Hummel. I'll guess at the colour as grey - since I have a (vague) recollection that the old colour scheme for gas cylinders used grey to indicate compressed air.

Sure would be interested in Hummel interior photos - I've got the ones from the old AFV Interiors site.

Regards,

Charlie

jagolden01

06-24-2008, 03:34 AM

Nice start. On my list to build but the list just keeps growing. I'm trying to build the lessser seen vehicles.

The inner frame loks like it goes together well.

CharlieC

06-24-2008, 04:07 AM

The frame takes a bit of work to get right - lots of dry fitting and cutting chamfers. I found the best way to start was to glue sides to the base and get this square with triangular reinforcers.

The upper frame parts are all 0.5mm rather than 1mm - you've got to attend to the size coding. I didn't and had to redo some parts.

Regards,

Charlie

CharlieC

06-24-2008, 05:19 PM

A little progress.....

The rear armoured shield is made of 0.5mm card - I found edge gluing this didn't work well so used strips of baking paper to stabilise the joint. Baking paper is very thin so it shouldn't affect the skin parts. I haven't glued the rear shield down yet because it looks as though the gun compartment floor and sides will be difficult to put in with the shield on. It's starting to look a little like a Hummel - the cut out in the sides above the mudguards will be the air inlet/outlet. The Hummels engine ventilation system sucked air in on the right side and blew it out on the left.

The postie (postman in US) left an interesting envelope yesterday - the laser cut tracks. I bought them from Andrej Nemera in the US rather than Draf since he offers much better choice in Panzer III/IV tracks - also a bit cheaper with the current $A-$US exchange rate.

Regards,

Charlie

Don Boose

06-24-2008, 07:27 PM

The hull looks great, Charlie! And those treads will provide you many hours of pleasant (I hope) work.

Don

Stev0

06-24-2008, 08:54 PM

Haha ... your diving right in...

Too bad your cheating on the tracks. j/k =P

Love to see how this unique piece of equipment turns out. Will stay tuned.

CharlieC

06-24-2008, 09:40 PM

I did a lot of soul searching about the lasercut tracks and concluded that I wasn't ever going to get a cut out Pz IV track to look right. The Pz IV track elements are quite delicate looking (see image) and beyond my capability to cut out. The supplied Modelik track is reasonable but not as right as I'd like.

It might be fun to do a munitiontrager (ammunition carrier) version of the Hummel with hand cut tracks - but that would be a future project. About 15% of all Hummels were built as ammunition carriers - they were fairly similar to the gun version except that gun was removed, a steel sheet covered the gun aperture and there was a large box installed to carry the projectiles. The mumitiontragers could be converted into a Hummel in the field.

Regards,

Charlie

Jim Nunn

06-24-2008, 10:31 PM

Sure would be interested in Hummel interior photos - I've got the ones from the old AFV Interiors site.

Charlie

You and I do think alike the photos I have are from the long gone AFV interior site. I have the complete HTML files if you are missing any I’ll send them to you.

Using laser cut track links is not cheating! I have made my share of track links including 3 dozen from the Halinski T34 (about 24 parts per link) and I’m using laser cut links period. Life is not long enough to make your own links.

Jim Nunn

CharlieC

06-29-2008, 10:03 PM

Some progress....

The hull skinning is on, the details on the hull bottom are finished.

The fit was reasonable although I don't like the huge sides plus bottom part. I prefer doing these as separate pieces so any slight errors can be fixed - the big part only gives you one shot at getting it right.

I wasn't sure about the base colour of the hull on the model sheets but it looks a lot better when its built. The dark green and red-brown overspraying looks very convincing (imho). The instruction diagrams are fairly cryptic - perhaps the text would help but it's in Polish.

I think I'll build the running gear next.

Regards,

Charlie

dansls1

06-30-2008, 04:40 AM

Looking good!

Don Boose

06-30-2008, 04:59 AM

Very fine craftsmanship. This one is going to be a beauty.

Don

pahorace

06-30-2008, 05:19 AM

CharlieC

06-30-2008, 05:44 AM

It's a very good job, one of the "Geschutz" I would like to build.

A small curiosity:
Hummel = Hornet (Italian = calabrone); seem to Adolf Hitler in person on November 27, 1944 had ordered to abolish this name because too little martial!

Orazio

I think you're confusing the SdKfz 165 Hummel with the SdKfz 164 Hornisse/Nashorn.

"Hummel" is the German word for "Bumblebee" ["Bombo"] - the Wehrmacht names for SPGs were usually insect names, e.g. SdKfz 124 Wespe (Wasp) ["Vespa"]. Hitler reportedly objected to the Hummel name but it was never changed. The Hornisse (Hornet) ["Calabrone"] was renamed the Nashorn (Rhinoceros) ["Rinoceronte"].

Italian translations from Babelfish in square brackets.

Couple of Modelik gotchas I should have noted before - the front of the part with the drivers hatch is about 2mm wider than the frame - I used joining strips with the angled side pieces and didn't cut it down to fit the frame.

The rails on the hull bottom are horrible to build as designed - basically a long skinny box with small flaps to attach to the hull. I cut a piece of 1mm card to form a base for the rails glued the sides to the new base then attached the assembly to the hull.

Speaking of Hornisse's - it's always struck me odd that Modelik released a Hummel and missed the Hornisse - it's fairly similar except for the 88mm L71 gun.

Regards,

Charlie

pahorace

06-30-2008, 08:43 AM

I think you're confusing the SdKfz 165 Hummel with the SdKfz 164 Hornisse/Nashorn.
------cut------cut-------------
Charlie

Maybe ......
but I simply carry over the source of my resource.
An Italian magazine specializing in the field, see pics:

-In blue box says: Geschutzwagen III / IV SdKfz 165 Hummel (calabrone ), etc........

-In red box says: About the name Hummel, reports that Adolf Hitler himself, November 27, 1944, had given orders to abolish it ..... etc. etc.

Regards

Orazio

CharlieC

06-30-2008, 05:07 PM

CharlieC

06-30-2008, 05:42 PM

Tiny update - spent last night making springs - 11 parts per spring. I think people who say AFV cardmodeles are insane may have a point....

Regards,

Charlie

KCStephens

06-30-2008, 08:06 PM

Some progress....

The hull skinning is on

Charlie,
Could you please explain how you apply the skins to the hull... do you use spray adhesive or brushed on white glue or some other method.

I'm following this build closely.

Thanks,
Kevin

CharlieC

06-30-2008, 08:32 PM

Charlie,
Could you please explain how you apply the skins to the hull... do you use spray adhesive or brushed on white glue or some other method.

I'm following this build closely.

Thanks,
Kevin

I usually use water thinned white (PVA) glue applied as drops around the edge about every 1cm or so and every 2cm in the centre of the part. This allows you to drop the skin part on and move it around a little before the glue "grabs". Once I'm happy with the position I smooth the glue drops out from the centre of the part.

I've tried brushing on white glue and spray adhesive I found these tend to grab too quickly to be able to get the positioning right. (Edit - I should point out that even in winter Brisbane gets to over 22C during the day so glues tend to dry pretty quickly)

This seems to work ok with the 160gsm card I use but with thinner card spray or brushed glue is better because you get glue lumps with thin card.

Regards,

Charlie

pahorace

07-01-2008, 12:06 AM

This is descending to a "my source is better than your source" argument.

http://www.achtungpanzer.com/hummel.htm
http://www.wwiivehicles.com/germany/self-propelled/hummel.asp
Nuts and Bolts Vol. 10 - Hummel

Perhaps I should refer to the Hummel by its formal name...

15cm Schwere Panzerhaubitze auf Geschutzwagen III/IV (Sf)

Regards.

Charlie

Hi Charlie,
look the sites, very interesting.
---------
"On February 27th of 1944, Hitler ordered the name Hummel (Bumble-Bee) to be dropped as being inappropriate for a fighting vehicle."
---------
However, apart from the question of language, and dates, the curious news has some foundation.
(I do not use Babel Fish Traslate but Google Traslate)
Regards

Orazio

CharlieC

07-03-2008, 05:42 PM

The suspension arms are done....

The suspension stops as designed are just wrong - I scratchbuilt them as the correct tubular form - the kit had a simple cube as the suspension stop.

The suspension arms went together ok except for being quite fiddly - I think the model needs a better way to get the spacing right at the top of the suspension unit. I did a bit of detailing with Draf nut shapes on the central boss of the units.

Now for the roadwheels - only 32 of them....

Regards,

Charlie

CharlieC

07-07-2008, 07:24 AM

Finally finished the roadwheels - 36 of them - lots of hacking through 1mm card with a circle cutter. The joining axle between the pairs of roadwheels is modeled as a simple cylinder of card - doesn't work - much too weak. I used a rolled up strip. PVA probably wasn't going to be strong enough the glue the wheels and axles together - used Tarzan's Grip (the Oz version of Duco cement).

Regards,

Charlie

Don Boose

07-07-2008, 07:33 AM

Fine-looking road wheels, Charlie. All 36 of 'em!

Don

CharlieC

07-26-2008, 06:12 AM

Last post seems to have been lost......

Added the drive sprockets, idlers and return rollers. This build has run into the sand somewhat - the level of frustration at the poor instruction diagrams has got to the point where I'm going to put it aside for a while.

Regards,

Charlie

Don Boose

07-26-2008, 06:14 AM

Charlie -- I'm sorry to hear about the instruction problems and hope you will be able to resolve them. This is an interesting build and up to this point, your Hummel looks very good. Don

cerrojo

04-02-2014, 08:02 PM

Sent pics to see it . Thks

hetzer

04-03-2014, 01:35 AM

Charlie - where is the problem? Got it built so may be able to help. Send me the pics ffrom building manual or text fragment, will help you out.

Cheers

PS. I got it built and have pics somewhere, if you need model pics reference - should be no problem:) I dont remember having any problems building it, but it was some time ago...