PlaStix Posted February 25, 2015 Author Share Posted February 25, 2015 Thank you Darren. It's my first go at damaging Zimmerit so I wasn't awfully sure what I was doing (which fairly normal for most things for me!) Now got to decide how I shall paint these areas. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 I worked for a reasonable while on this project this morning but from looking at the photos there isn't a lot to show. First off I did some minor assembly of smaller parts on the upper hull and turret before getting the base coats of paint on both - Humbrol's Desert Yellow again, thinned with water and applied by flat hairy stick: Then I couldn't resist a bit of test fitting: I also painted some other parts while they are still on the sprues but didn't take any photos. While waiting for the paint to dry I decided I ought to try assembling the Skybow track links. Not an easy process with my large fingers! These parts are small!!: The method for fitting them together - fitting one pin in one side and then clicking in the pin on the other side seems, to me, to result in broken or bent pins. I got better as I went on but I think some links may have to be glued! Anyway, after a while and some bad words I got them to look like this: Now don't get me wrong they look nice but I'm not sure my sanity is worth the effort involved when you see these next to the tracks Skybow provide with the kit: The band tracks do seem nicely detailed. Not tried them in terms of fit yet though. I can obviously see the visual difference but I'm wondering how noticeable it will be when they are painted and weathered. I will keep going with the links for now but in the long run................... Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 great work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Gordon Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Stay with the indy link tracks Stix,you'll really see the difference when you hang them on the tank. Looking good old chum 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Just be thankful they're not Hobby Boss' three part nowhere to glue links. W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Looking very good. For the individual track links, same happened to me. Just take a close look at the box instructions. I know it seems simple, but there really is one correct side to insert first, and that should eliminate the chance of broken pins. regards, Jack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 great work Thank you Mick. Stay with the indy link tracks Stix,you'll really see the difference when you hang them on the tank. Looking good old chum Hi Alex. Thank you and yes I'm going to stick with the track links for now. Just be thankful they're not Hobby Boss' three part nowhere to glue links. I'm afraid I don't know anything about the HB tracks but if they're more difficult than these then I am very grateful I'm not using them! Looking very good. For the individual track links, same happened to me. Just take a close look at the box instructions. I know it seems simple, but there really is one correct side to insert first, and that should eliminate the chance of broken pins. regards, Jack Hi Jack. Thank you. Yes I am following your previous suggestion but I still find that one or two of the pins have got caught on the edge and broken off! I sometimes feel I have sausages instead of fingers and these links really feel small! I am going to try to keep going with them! Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Aye Stix, Great job with the tracks. Keep it coming! Regards, Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smuts Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Hi, looks great, nice work on the damaged zim tracks look good well worth the effort too.... Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 If you find the pins are too long, how about a couple passes of a sanding stick to shorten their length just slightly? regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Superb work so far, the kit seems identical with the AFV-Cub kit. Its a very nice one, did it some time ago. Will start my Topic very soon. Enjoy this kit ! Cheers Bernd 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Hi Bernd. Thank you. Yes this Skybow kit got re-boxed by AFV Club and it is a very nice kit, which I am thoroughly enjoying building. And I am looking forward to seeing the kit you build for this GB. Hope you have a good evening. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 I worked for a fair few hours on this project this morning but, from the photos, it doesn't look like much. First job I did was put a second coat on all the parts on the sprues which are Desert Yellow in colour - sorry no photos. Then most of the time was taken up creating the areas of damaged Zimmerit: Neither the top of the hull or the turret parts are glued together yet but I reckon getting the hull assembled will be one of the next jobs: I also cut away one of the sections of one of the side skirts and did some damage to the ends - to make it look battle damaged - again I didn't get chance to take a photo. I did thin the damaged ends a little as the plastic looked a little too thick. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Using putty to simulate dameged Zimmerit is a great idea, i am looking forward how it will be look, when finished. (maybe i will "borrow" this ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 Using putty to simulate dameged Zimmerit is a great idea, i am looking forward how it will be look, when finished. (maybe i will "borrow" this ) Hi Bernd, I didn't use putty for this. I've used a craft knife to carefully (very carefully!!!) carve away the Zimmerit. The green is the original plastic showing through the paint. I found it was actually easier to see the areas I was working on when they were painted. I then used some fine wet'n'dry paper to smooth it off a bit. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wimbledon99 Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Hi Bernd, I didn't use putty for this. I've used a craft knife to carefully (very carefully!!!) carve away the Zimmerit. The green is the original plastic showing through the paint. I found it was actually easier to see the areas I was working on when they were painted. I then used some fine wet'n'dry paper to smooth it off a bit. Kind regards, Stix Simple but clever!! Another one for the 'Stolen from Stix' notebook 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 Simple but clever!! Another one for the 'Stolen from Stix' notebook Lol!Got a lot done on this today. First of all I finished quite a bit of base colour painting on many of the smaller parts, glued together the upper and lower hull parts and fitted more of the smaller parts. I also decided, because I had already damaged the Zimmerit in places, that the skirt armour should be damaged too. I cut away a section on one side and created a bent out of shape section on the other. Some photos of how it looks now: In the space where the section is missing I need to fabricate the remains of the fixings. I also build up the main gun but it's only wedged in place at the moment: Tomorrow I'm going to get the grills attached on. The rear deck and then start getting some washes and dry-brushing done. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Looks good, subtle damage. Lesser is sometimes more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 carve away the Zimmerit. The kind of thing that makes most people shudder at the thought... Cracking job on this one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Looks good, subtle damage. Lesser is sometimes more. Hi Bernd. Thank you - I was imagining that it hadn't been in action for too long (that's my excuse anyway!)The kind of thing that makes most people shudder at the thought... Cracking job on this one!Thank you for your comments Speedman - yes I had to convince myself that it really was a good idea - after all Skybow had very kindly applied the rather well detailed Zimmerit!Been a busy morning but I'm afraid there's only a few photos which show a some things I did early on. First job was fitting the PE grills on the rear deck: I also fabricated the remains of the fixings for the missing skirt armour section: Once I'd weathered the exhausts I fitted them and the exhaust guards: After this I got wash of Revell's Gunship Grey over all the Desert yellow areas and then did some targeted washes with Revell's Anthracite. I also did some dry brushing with Humbrol's Gunmetal on items such as the tow ropes, machine guns and winch. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 The mesh over the engine louvers are a definitive win and made the kit look more realistic. Thats a real advantage, the Skybow/AFV.Club kit had, compared with the Tamiya Tiger. Stunning build so far ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 (edited) The mesh over the engine louvers are a definitive win and made the kit look more realistic. Thats a real advantage, the Skybow/AFV.Club kit had, compared with the Tamiya Tiger. Stunning build so far ! Hi Bernd,Hope this Saturday morning finds you well. Yes the grills really do add something to the rear deck. It was good that AVF actually decided to include the grills as part of their kit rather than me having to get the Hauler ones for this Skybow kit. And thank you for your kind comments as always. To bring this one up to date I have now given everything a wash with Revell's Gunship Grey and then, when that was dry, I gave some areas an added wash of Revell's Anthracite. Finally I got the areas, where I've removed some of the Zimmerit, a base coat of the red oxide colour: Some of the remaining parts, that are still on the sprues, have had their painting started: .......and this is how far I've got with the first set of track links: The latter are not my favourite part of this build! Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix Edited March 21, 2015 by PlaStix 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Looking good, your 1/48 scale Tiger will be a stunner as well. The metallic effect on the tracks is looking vbery realistic. The AFV-Club re release had soft plastic tracks and this was one of the reasons, for me, to buy it. The advantage of the single link tracks in your build is, you can portraying the "sack" of the real tracks much better. Happy Modelling and a very nice day. ( after the beautiful day, yesterday, it was a surprise for me, to found melting snow this morning, in the garden ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 Looking good, your 1/48 scale Tiger will be a stunner as well. The metallic effect on the tracks is looking vbery realistic. The AFV-Club re release had soft plastic tracks and this was one of the reasons, for me, to buy it. The advantage of the single link tracks in your build is, you can portraying the "sack" of the real tracks much better. Happy Modelling and a very nice day. ( after the beautiful day, yesterday, it was a surprise for me, to found melting snow this morning, in the garden ) Snow?! We didn't do as badly - it was just very cold and windy here.Thank you Bernd - the tracks provided with the kit, to me, look pretty good but they are a bit short and too tight when on to give muck of the sag effect. The individual link tracks from Skybow are the first I've ever had a go at and took a lot longer than I thought they would! But close to about four hours of mind numbing repetitiveness got me here: Two sets of tracks which seem to be about the right length. The detail on them does look good: And they are very flexible: More importantly they seem to fit well and look good on the Tiger: Please note this was only a test fitting with them lodged in place. These will need painting and weathering next. I also need to get the camo on the tank itself. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 One or two links more, would have been nice but the effect of the mounted tracks looks good. Well done ! looks like "modelling weather" here, have a great Sunday ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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