Wespe

 

I've been working on a 1:100 scale Wespe in Blender for the last couple of days. I actually started it quite a long time ago, but for whatever reason abandoned it, and I just happened upon the files again in my digital modeling folder.

I've always been quite fond of the Wespe, I like its compact neatness. It's not a blundering bloated behemoth like the Hummel. I saved up my pocket-money to buy a Tamiya 1/35 model of it when I was about 13 — now long gone, alas.

This model has been a bit of a headache, though no more than usual I suppose. I do need to hunt out some more pictorial references though.

I was in two minds about adding much interior detail in the fighting compartment. It does make it look better than an empty shell, but on the other hand it makes putting crew figures in there a bit trickier. The internal clutter I eventually came up with is entirely specious and made up, but it looks okay I think.

When I get a successful test print, I'll do a version in a firing posture with the gun elevated and the back door down.

I've designed it in such a way that the gun and superstructure can be printed separately from the hull, and the running gear as another separate component, so that should (fingers crossed) make printing relatively straightforward.

2024-02-16

I've put the STLs online. They're available at https://www.wargaming3d.com/product/wespe/

It printed well and went together easy-peasy, so that's a win.

I'd think that the assembly of this very simple kit should be fairly obvious, but just in case, I prepared this:

Assembly guide