Intel core i3 m370 drivers. Mar 29, 2020 The M3 only comes in a tactical configuration with a stock and pistol grip as well as ghost ring sights. The Benelli M3 is most famously used in the film Heat, which is where I grew my affection for it. The Benelli M3 also gets lots of military love overseas. New Zealand, The UK, France, the Czech Republic, Canada, and many more use the weapon. We have a full selection of magazine extensions, recoil pads, shell carriers and more for the Benelli M2 shotgun at the cheapest prices on in-stock items. We're here for you. Most orders ship within 24 hours (excludes firearms).
Some history:
I bought this particular older kit (# 6133 dated 2001) out of the stash from another modeller in Germany. The Ferdinand was a formidable tank hunter embedded into the German Panzer Divisions during WWII. It was featured of the high velocity 88 mm Pak (Panzerabwehrkanone) 43/2 L/71 that was otherwise used in semi-mobile anti-tank version. Its chassis was designed by Ferdinand Porsche as the bid by the Porsche Nibelungenwerke in Austria for a heavy tank fitting the 88 mm (long) anti-aircraft gun as requested by the Waffenamt. This contract was eventually granted to the Henschel company in Kassel, Germany in the form of the infamous Tiger I tank.
Whether Porsche was too optimistic or otherwise, we will never know, but he had finished about a 100 chassis for the “Porsche Tiger” when he had to see the contract finally being awarded to Henschel! The German war industry was already very stretched at that time in 1942 and the its war-machine could use every mobile gun in the field, so it was decided to feature the hulls of a cazemate structure offering limited traverse and elevation to the infamous StuK 43/1 anti-tank gun. What resulted was the Sd. Kfz. 184 troops used to call the “Ferdinand” after the name of its creator.
The kit features the early version of the Ferdinand without the bow-machine gun later added in the “Elephant” version of this monster. Even without small armament, the Ferdinand was an impressive treat, with armour up to 200 mm on the forward side and able to knock-out sowiet tanks at ranges up to 4000 m (!) thanks to the gun’s excellent optics and flat shell trajectory. Nevertheless, the vehicle had its shortcomings when first used on the battlefield of Kursk in July 1943 in that its petrol-electric propulsion and gearbox were actually too weak for its 62 tonne weight and in any event gas guzzling. The Ferdinand was a slow behemoth and no match for a daring infantry team armed with simple Molotov-cocktails at close quarters… Nevertheless, it was the ultimate mobile answer to the masses of Soviet armour thrown into the fight by that time in the war.
The research effort:
Benelli M3 Super 90 Shotgun
The Ferdinand is popular with modellers of WWII armour and therefore there is much documentation available on the internet. I decided to stick with an in-box decal version for this tank hunter assigned to the 21st Panzer Corps as s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 653 (Schwehre Panzer Jäger Abteilung) at Kursk in July 1943. It was their job to try and breach the heavy Russian defenses in the North of the Kursk Salient (Bryansk front) and then drive to Kursk. The build was out of the box but I added some scratchbuilt items and a Tamiya figure to increase realism.
The build:
Building was rather straightforward as this kit does not have many parts for a typical Dragon kit. As there was no figure included in the kit, I added a Tamiya commander increase realism and in order to illustrate the sheer size of this monster. I decided to leave only the commander’s hatch open on the vehicle and fix the commander inside, given that the breech-end of the 88 mm main gun is not modelled in this kit. I left the small hatch at the back open as it was often used as the “escape hatch” for disposing of spent cartridges during firing. Nevertheless, I decided to fix the gun in the travel lock so that the vehicle is intended to move to a forward staging area in the hours preceding the onset of the Northern drive. I did not use any aftermarket items, the kit was built pretty much out of the box.
Painting:
I airbrushed the vehicle first with a rusty base primer and then sprayed a rather generous coat of hairspray on top (yes hairspray!). Then followed the “Dunkelgelb” main colour on top and I then added the dark green camo patches as documented in the history books. The hairspray technique then allowed me to remove later layers of paint by rubbing the surface with a water dabbed sponge. What was left is the rusty base-coat, so you actually get a quite appealing rust effect on the finished vehicle. Wargame red dragon ash and shadows mac.
I left the road wheels apart until the last moment, after I had fitted the individual link type tracks of which there are two types to be concatenated in alternating fashion. After a black base primer, I sprayed the fitted tracks with a mixture of steel, black and red-brown thinned Revell paint. After that, I weathered the vehicle with a wash of thinned black oil paint.
I added one commander figure in camo-uniform. The figure was taken from a Tamiya kit, assembled and primed using light-grey dull paint from the airbrush. I then hand painted it using self-mixed acrylics from an art store. The camo scheme on the commanders’ uniform was quite a challenge with alternating patches of light- and dark brown, green and sand colour. There are numerous spots of alternating color on it that are not for the faint-hearted because of the small size of the figure (about 50 mm). After all, I am quite pleased with the result and all that was left to do was mounting the diorama.
The diorama:
For this model, I made a small diorama out of a wooden base of about 20 to 15 cm size. I smeared a layer of grout on top and modelled a tank-trap in the form of a concrete triangle. I also added a little tree I found in the garden as a plant root and some smaller vegetation in the form of model grass. I was quite pleased when all was finally done!
Conclusion:
I enjoyed this 1:35 build of the Dragon Ferdinand. The resulting diorama is simple but nice to watch and of course, the vehicles size relative to the commander figure is impressive! The black and white pictures in this post almost seem taken from the history books on the battle of Kursk! I hope you like it too!
I think I spent about 30 hours totals on this one.
Happy modelling!
10 additional images. Click to enlarge.
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Post subject: Quality Tactical Lights for a Benelli M3?
Utility Grade
Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:22 pm Posts: 10
Greetings. I have recently acquired an M3, and am looking around for a good mount/taclight. It would be my guess that the way to go would be something along the lines of the Surefire forends, but sadly they seem only to fit on the M1/M2. Is this so? And if it is so, does anyone know of another option? Thanks! Note: This is the first shotgun I've actually owned, and thus the first to customize. So if I'm asking something obvious/stupid, please excuse my ignorance!
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Post subject: re: Quality Tactical Lights for a Benelli M3?
Diamond Grade
Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 7:09 pm Posts: 1122 Location: SW MO
Welcome to SGW friend. Sorry I can't answer that question but someone will be along shortly. And remember, there are no stupid questions... just stupid people. Just funnin ya. Welcome!
_________________ Learn to stop worrying and love the bomb- 'Dr. Strangelove' per Reverend Db
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Post subject: re: Quality Tactical Lights for a Benelli M3?
*Proud to be a*
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:23 am Posts: 5920 Location: In overwatch
I don't know of anybody who has ever made a dedicated weapon light or a railed foreend for the M3. That was one of my big complaints when I owned one. About the best you can do is either use a barrel/mag tube mount and put a light on there or mount a small rail section to the foreend. With the first you are either going to have to try to position the light where you can activate it with your fingers or be willing to accept the difficulties that come with tape and pigtail switches. With the second you will have to determine if you are willing to accept permanently altering the foreend, and also if it can be done without the mounting hardware interfering with the operation of the weapon. And welcome to SGW. There's a lot of good info and posters here.
_________________ You might find me someday dead in a ditch somewhere. But by God, you'll find me in a pile of brass. http://www.weaponevolution.com
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Post subject: re: Quality Tactical Lights for a Benelli M3?
Utility Grade
Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:22 pm Posts: 10
First of all, let my just say thanks for the warm welcome and quick replies. This forum is amazing, I've already spent hours here just basking in the wealth of knowledge at my disposal. On the M3 stuff, here's what I have in mind so far: 2 round mag extension will provide me with the space I need for the light, as I am not skilled enough to alter the forend (and I'm not keen on doing so anyway) and I don't like the idea of attachments on the barrel directly for fear of altering it's shape somehow. Problem is, my state laws prohibit me from upgrading my mag past 5 rounds, and the 2 extra rounds would make the weapon illegal. Can I install the mag extension and somehow block off the tube thereby keeping my mag size the same but providing me with the necessary room for a mount? I know it's burning a lot of cash on the light, but it is important to have one in my opinion. As for the mount itself, I am looking for one that will clamp on to the mag extension (not sure what diameter it is, I think they are usually one inch but I've read somewhere that benelli mag extensions are 26mm, will check that out). Will I be able to attach a mount on the mag extension tightly enough to function without deforming the mag tube (made from stainless steel)? Is picatinny type mounts the way to go in terms of compatibility in general? Anyone know of a picatinny rail that can be attached to a mag tube? The light that I'm looking into is the Streamlight TLR-1 with a pigtail remote. However, I'm concerned about using a remote for a number of reasons. The first is having it snag on something. More importantly, I'm worried about it getting stuck in the action. Anyone had this happen? Also, how does the remote hookup to the light? For example, do I need this 'http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/46146-57601-2204.html' and this 'http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/46143-57599-2204.html', or do I only need the pigtail cord? It's really too bad that there isn't a dedicated forend for the M3, but I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. Thanks for reading all these myriad questions! -Wolf
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Post subject: re: Quality Tactical Lights for a Benelli M3?
Diamond Grade
Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 7:09 pm Posts: 1122 Location: SW MO
Yes you will need both. The picatinny rail is the one you want. There's a mag tube three way mount at brownell's that has a 26 size. I can't speak for your laws but in hunting regs with a three shell limit I use a dowel in the mag spring. This may be acceptable in your case or you may not be allowed to use a mag extension period, you will have to do that research. I just found what appears to be what you are looking for. http://www.streamlight-flashlights.com/69901.html Just in case here is 3way rail. http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=20919&title=3-RAIL%20PICATINNY%20SHOTGUN%20MOUNT
_________________ Learn to stop worrying and love the bomb- 'Dr. Strangelove' per Reverend Db
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Post subject: re: Quality Tactical Lights for a Benelli M3?
Utility Grade
Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:22 pm Posts: 10
Jamas, thank you brother! My state laws have no problem with the extension, only the actual capacity not including the chambered round. The dowel is a great idea. Thanks for the info and the link. I was all over that site yesterday, don't know how I missed that. -Wolf
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Post subject: re: Quality Tactical Lights for a Benelli M3?
Diamond Grade
Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 7:09 pm Posts: 1122 Location: SW MO
I ordered my 870 mount from them last week and thought I had seen a couple different ones. But it still took me a while to find it, they have a lot of stuff to wade through on that site. Glad I could help now get yer gun put together and get us some pics.
_________________ Learn to stop worrying and love the bomb- 'Dr. Strangelove' per Reverend Db