Signifer 1/32 Luftwaffe Oil Cart and Verlinden Drum Cart for JU88 Dio

[panzer948]

Been working hard to complete my 1/32 Revell Junkers JU88 A-1 for an upcoming dio scene (will get a separate thread started or that build. But the past couple of weeks I decided to take a break from the JU88 to start to work on a couple of secondary/support vehicles that I plan on using in the dio. I wasn't sure which forum these little guys belong but I thought I would post my experience with them here in the aircraft WIP in case others were thinking of using them with their main aircraft subjects. Overall I am pretty happy with these guys so I hope this could be useful for others.

As many of you know, not much is available accessory wise in 1/32 scale. But I did find two resin Luftwaffe kits that I thought would work nicely. One is a drum cart and the other an oil cart. Both are my first attempt at full resin kits. The drum cart is built by Verlinden and is a pretty straight forward build. It includes 4 drums although one was damaged I guess in shipping and not really usable. It takes much longer to sand off all the resin blocks and other flash than actually putting it together.

I could have also purchased the oil cart made by Verlinden. However, while researching these kits and what to use, I came across a small company from France called Signifier that also makes a 1/32^nd scale version of the oil cart. I liked this kit a lot better than the pics I saw of the Verlinden version since it seemed to have more detail in the parts and the hose is so much more realistic. For the latter, it actually has a metal/brass rod through the center so you can bend it to shape.

Like the Verlinden, this kit took longer to clean up the parts than actual glueing. But that extra work in part preparation really pays off for a nice build. See this review of it for more info: http://aeroscale.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=1282

 

See carts and drums below prior to primer.

 

 

 

Closeup of the softer resin with metal pin thru center to simulate/create the flexible hose. These are still tricky to position and required me to later add more putty to correct for small breaks and gaps between the segments after its final placement on cart.

 

Edited April 27, 2017 by panzer948
reposted to fix images2

[panzer948]

Below are some pics I took after adding primer to the oil cart and drum cart. For the first time I wanted to try one of the “newer” techniques and use some paint chipping fluid from Mig to simulate a very worn vehicle with signs of rust. As a first step, I added a bit of damage to the drum cart’s fenders using my dremel tool to simulate dents/dings. For the primer I decided to save a step and just purchase a red brown/rust colored primer for the initial coat prior to adding the chipping fluid and base colors. Therefore, I purchased the only rust colored primer I could find at an autoparts store. It surprisingly went on well for a rattle can.

 

The other parts on the Tamiya Paint stand are some accessories from Verlinden’s Luftwaffe repair section kit. See here:

https://www.verlindenonline.com/2774-luftwaffe-repair-section1-32-scale.html

The kit includes jerry cans, buckets, tools, more drums, table, and some engine parts. I may or may not use the figures in the kit as I also purchased some from another manufacture. My goal will be to have 2 to 3 figures in the dio that appear to be discussing some badly needed repairs!

 

Edited April 27, 2017 by panzer948
reposted to fix images

[panzer948]

In the end I used a variety of paint techniques to complete these; the first being chipping fluid to remove some of the base color to reveal the rust colored primer below, followed by several washes, and rust colored pigments.

 

My research onto what the base color should be for the oil cart indicated that during the BoB period, Germany was still painting most of their equipment Panzer Grey. However, for the drum cart I took the liberty of using my imagination that it could be painted with whatever was available since it reminded me more of those home built trailer designs. So I used a dark green color similar to that used on the JU88 knowing the air base would have those colors on hand. Both base coats were airbrushed using Tamiya paints X20A thinner at 1:1. After the initial coat, I lightened each with a few drops of white to create some highlights along the tops and sides of the vehicles. In my mind I thought the Luftwaffe may assign numbers to their ground crew equipment so I found a decal for the “15” from my spares and added to each side.

 

Each was airbrushed after I had airbrushed the chipping fluid and let to sit an hour or two before I used a combination of a toothpick and stiff brush to rub the base coats off revealing the rust colored red primer beneath. I then sealed this in using Model Master Glosscoat from a spray can. The following day (or two) I did an overall wash using my left over Mig Wash for Dark Green vehicles (previously used on the JU88) and then added some more detailed pin washes of various rust colored Windsor Newton Oils. I concentrated this around the nuts and bolts and areas where the paint was previously chipped. I then used dark brown colored oil paints and dragged the thinned oil down along the side of the vehicles to represent older oil spills on the vehicles; especially prevalent on the oil cart. At this point I decided to seal in the washes with a coat of Testors Dullcoat from a spray can.

 

 

 

 

I had recently picked up a set of Mig Rust colored pigments at the APMS National Convention and wanted to give them a try. I tried some different techniques to see which effect would match best for what I was trying to achieve. This included mixing them with thinned rust colored oil using mineral spirits, sprinkling them over a few drops of pigment fixer, and finally adding the pigments first and dropping the pigments fixer on top. For this look, I preferred adding the pigment fixer or even the thinned oil paints first and sprinkling on the pigments after. I was happy to see that the fixer (and mineral spirit thinner) does seem to hold pigments in place permanently.

 

 

The next big thing I wanted to add to the oil cart were fresh oil stains. By fresh I mean oil that was just spilled on the cart and had not dried. I have seen other examples of people using Tamiya Clear Smoke and mixing other colors with it. Thus, I mixed a little Clear Smoke with a few drops of Tamiya Clear Blue (for more of a rainbow sheen) and some Tamiya Brown. On a side note, the last time I had opened my Tamiya Clear Blue was in the mid-1980s…. yes it has happily lasted that long. To be honest, my only paints that truly survived my hiatus from my earlier hobby years were all my Tamiya Clear colors (I wonder what is in them that makes them so special…). I used a small brush and a toothpick to carefully pool this color combo in areas along the top of the oil cart where I thought it would leak from adding oil to the cart and leaking hose connections. I liked this effect so added a couple of drops to the drum cart as well. The Tamiya clear colors really give a nice transparent glossy sheen so they do give the idea of an actual standing liquid vs. just a dried stain on the paint.

 

 

 

 

I dry brushed the two using AK Interactive True Metal Series - Aluminum Color where I thought bare metal would show from constant wear. This paint is listed as a wax and I really like how it dry brushes and comes to a nice sheen if you add layers to it. I concentrated this on the trailer hitches, latches and the hose nozzle.

 

Finally, I went and tackled the flexible hose that came with the oil cart. This is not the easiest thing to work with but if you are patient with it I believe it can give a very realistic touch. Although it will flex, the tighter you wrap it the more likely the pins will slip out of the multiple connections and even break the fragile resin. I dry fitted it a couple of times to the oil cart’s hose holders to get it to stay in an overall tightly curved shape before painting. This included warming it in hot water first. I then removed it from the cart and added putty to areas where the connectors showed new gaps. I had to re-glue some of the connections a few times. I sprayed the hose an overall Model Master black base coat (from a spray can) and then dry brushed it with a mixture of Tamiya blue gray to white shades along the ridged flexible sections. As mentioned above, the hose nozzle at the end was heavily dry brushed with AK Interactive True Metal Wax Aluminum. However, I think I will go back and put a much heavier coat on this since this was likely bare metal to begin with and could use a nice sheen to separate it more. I also added a couple of “rags” to hang off the hose by folding some tissue paper (2 different sizes) and dipping it in heavily diluted white glue so I could drape them in a realistic position that would stay. I painted them an off-white and brown color using Tamiya paints and added various colored oil stains.

 

 

 

Besides adding a bit more metallic sheen to the nozzle, additional things I want to go back and do include a little putty work on one of the hose connections and maybe a bit of pastels along the undersides/wheels for a more dusty appearance.

 

This was my first attempt at full resin kits and several weathering techniques. I used these two small vehicles for more of a test bed to see how I would like each. I plan on using these same methods again on some upcoming armor builds. Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments!

Edited April 27, 2017 by panzer948
reposted to fix images

[Merlin]

This would be interesting, I would love to see what you managed to do on this,  but where have all the photos gone ?

Merlin

[panzer948]

26 minutes ago, Merlin said:

This would be interesting, I would love to see what you managed to do on this,  but where have all the photos gone ?

Merlin

Hi Merlin, wow thanks for letting me know. I had no idea the links were broken.  All fixed now. Hope you like. Feel free to leave any comments. I  forgot about this post since no one has responded.

[Merlin]

Wow, superb, glad to see the photos.

 

Merlin

[Sprueloose]

Gorgeous painting work! Nicely detailed little kit!

[SimonT]

Yes, really nice work. Did they ever find their home with the Ju-88?

[perdu]

I think you posted these in the right place

 

If you'd put them anywhere else I'd probably have missed them which would have been a travesty

 

lovely work

 

Funny thing is when I stopped modelling in the eighties the only paints that stayed the course were my Humbrol enamels (Lots of heavenly Authentics) and my full set of Tamiyas that were current back then, I suspect that any new Tamiya colours would have managed too

 

It is very nice paint, for acrylics

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

That's stunning!

[panzer948]

Hi guys, sorry about not getting back earlier but was on a little vacation!  Yes, these did get added to my dio of the JU88.  Below are a few pics of the final setup.  Feel free to let me know your thoughts. This was my first aircraft dio in years.

 

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[Merlin]

Lovely scene, glad to see this thread continue with images and see the end result as well. Wings Cockpit Figures in use there. Were the RLM70 and 71 straight out of the pot and what manufacturer were they ? Any chance of a photo taken in daylight ?

 

Merlin

[panzer948]

Hi Merlin,  They did a write up for me over at LargeScalePlanes. (click it for link) I should get you all the specs on the build and paints used.  It has more of the same pictures though.  Below is an in progress build I took soon after painting with my phone camera under normal room lighting.  This might be the closest thing to what you ask for.  Sorry, I actually do a little photography on the side so it is natural for me to get out my studio lights and shoot my models as if they were a product (product photography).  Although I am still trying to master this type of photography since it is a little different from people portraits, weddings, landscapes, etc.

 

Edited May 21, 2017 by panzer948
added image

[Merlin]

Hi Panzer948,

Just revisiting this thread for inspiration as I have found my Signifer oil cart, and all the images are afflicted by photobucket's move to ask for money, and so wreck the internet which has become the reference for life, any chance you could use a free host and repost them ?

 

Everywhere I am going images vital to our hobby have vanished. terrible state of affairs.

 

Merlin