PlaStix

Hi both, That's great news, thank you. I certainly wouldn't have been able to have been finished by yesterday! Kind regards, Stix

No problem at all Mark. I hope my build thread is of some use and I hope you build goes well. Sorry for the slow reply, not been getting as much time on Britmodeller as I'd like. Good morning John. As I mentioned to Mark, above, sorry for the slow reply, I've not been getting as much time on Britmodeller as I'd like. Thank you for your comments. This build, as you can see, was from back in 2015 - very early on in my tank building phase. I know I thoroughly enjoyed the build - helped by the fact I made it during the Vietnam II GB, which was a very supportive place for a newbie to tanks. I'll try and catch up with some of your builds when I get chance. I do check in with what you are doing, every now and again, and am still constantly impressed by your attention to all the small details. Hi bissyboat and thank you for your comments. Kind regards, Stix

I had to search for this thread and eventually found it on page 3! I am sorry that the updates are so few and far between. Thank you @modelling minion, @Keeff, @Wings unlevel & @81-er for your comments and your patience. I have been doing work on this bit by bit, but each bit I did, didn't seem to amount to much overall, so not worth taking a photo of. Anyway, over the past weekend I decided to push on with a bit more weathering and then add the remaining bits. The basic kit is now complete, apart from a couple of places I want to add a bit more weathering. I was planning on adding some figures and making a base, but I'm not going to get time before the Gallery deadline. I may, however, see if I can find some suitable stowage in my bits'n'bobs collection and will add some, if I get time. One of the longest jobs was adding the weathering to the upper hull........I always forget how much area there is on a 1/35 kit! As well as applying the weathering to the hull and turret parts, I have been painting and weathering the tools and other equipment/parts: With the latter all attached, this is the current state of play: So, if I can find some stowage, I will get it painted and added. If not, I'll finish the weathering I want to do and then take some final photos and get it in the Gallery before the end of the 17th. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

Hi @senux, @georgeusa & @anj4de. Thank you very much for your kind comments and - senux and George - I am sorry it's taken me a while to notice this thread being re-booted!! George - now you mention the canopy, I can see what you mean! Odd. Uwe - I'm not sure about the decals, but I'm sure one of the fine modellers on Britmodeller will be able to help. With regards the colour on the undersides - I only really have the acrylic version of Humbrol 90 - Beige Green (aka Sky) in stock, so it tends to be the one I use for all those aircraft requiring this colour on the undersides........so I can't claim it as interpretation.....just the colour I have! Thank you again. Kind regards, Stix

Hi Mig Eater. Have no worries, I will be sending out reminders in the couple of months before the GB acually starts. Speaking of reminders: @modelling minion, @Marklo, @Ray_W, @Stef N., @Mjwomack, @Corsairfoxfouruncle, @Bullbasket, @bigfoot, @Robert Stuart, @dnl42, @JackG, @sardaukar, @edjbartos, @planecrazee, @Mig Eater, @ColonelKrypton, @diablo rsv. @Jasper dog, @Ozzy, @IanC, @badger, @Matt B, @Bonhoff, @Angus Tura, @wellzy, @nickhenfrey, @Threadbear, @bull-nut, @THEscaleSHOW, @robw_uk, @John Masters, @Peter Lloyd & @Bertie McBoatface In case you haven't seen, luckily, we didn't have to get our GB through the bunfight and so we already have the dates for this GB next year. It will run from Saturday 14th September until Sunday 15th December 2024. Please make sure you have these dates in your diaries. However, rest assured, I will be sending out reminders in the months before Saturday 14th September. So, you now have plenty of time to make sure you have everything you need for when this starts! Kind regards, Stix

Hi @modelling minion, @Keeff, @Ozzy, @81-er & @Bullbasket. Thank you all for your kind comments. I haven't had as much time to work on this over the weekend, so there is only a minor update. First off, I got all the parts that needed to be attached to the rear of the lower hull attached in place. Then I managed to apply some Vallejo Light Mud effect sparingly to the tracks - applied, in this case, with the aid of a cocktail stick: Then I got the spaced armour section fitted in front of the driver and machine gunners positions, before gluing the the upper hull section in place: I did start some minor weathering to the above, but nothing worth a photo at this stage. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

Whoop whoop!!! We will be able to let you know the actual dates of this GB when Enzo has been able to get an agreement from all the STGB hosts. Thank you to everyone for signing up. Kind regards, Stix Edit: The current dates for this GB can now be found in the title at the top!

Hi @Wings unlevel, @modelling minion, @81-er, @Stef N., @Keeff, @franky boy & @Corsairfoxfouruncle. Thank you all very much for your comments. So, over the weekend, as planned, I managed to get the Tamiya tracks, included with this kit, fitted in place. The tracks themselves were first given a couple of thinned coats of Revell's Anthracite, applied with a medium, but old, flat brush. Once dry, they were given a dry-brushing of Humbrol's Gunmetal. Over this I applied a couple of washes, very, very, thinned washes, of Humbrol's Desert Sand. Once dry, I added some touches of Railmatch's Light Rust - just here and there. The latter not really to look rusty, but just that colour of dirt. After the above had had chance to properly dry, I glued the ends of the band tracks together using Tamiya Extra Thin, which, once set, seemed to hold really well. This is the first time I have used this method for tracks. I fitted them in place by removing the drive sprocket, adding the tracks over the rest of the running gear, before putting the sprocket inside the relevant area of the tracks and then pushing the sprocket's axle into place, into the polycap inside. Once in place I used SuperGlue to hold the tracks in place on the various wheels. To get the sag between the top rollers, I did have to stretch the tracks a little, as they seemed a little too tight when I initially tested them. I formed the curves by adding the SuperGlue along a slightly wider area on top of the return rollers and then held the tracks in place with a finger on the tracks, pushing them downwards, either side of the rollers, until the glue had set. And this was the result: You will probably also be able to see that I have sparingly applied some of the Vallejo Light Mud effect to the wheels, return rollers, sprockets and idlers. To get it to look a little finer than mud, I applied it by stippling it on again. I need to apply some of this to the tracks next, before starting to add on the upper sections. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

Looks like you are making excellent progress with your project. Lovely work on the camo. Kind regards, Stix

Hi John. Your detailing, and how exceptionally well done it all is, is really going to bring these to life! Stunning modelling! Kind regards, Stix

Good job with the chipping Ozzy and same with the etch too! Lovely job! Kind regards, Stix

Hi @modelling minion, @Ray_W, @Keeff, @81-er and @SoftScience. Thank you all for your kind comments. I was quite pleased with how it ended up looking at this stage. Last weekend was taken up with cutting the wheels, sprockets and idlers off the sprues and touching up the paint plus weathering in those areas where they were attached. I then assembled the pairs together ready for attaching to the hull. Before the latter were attached, I added some Vellejo Thick Light Mud,, which I stippled on sparingly, to represent sand and dust, but just on the areas that would be behind the wheels and tracks, etc. With the wheels, sprockets and idlers in place, this is how it looks at the moment: One very annoying bit from the weekend, was the fact that, when I actually came to start testing the Dragon DS tracks, one length just started to crumble - as I tried to get them to fit around a sprocket. I'd heard about this type of thing happening before, to other modellers. I had replied to someone, about a year ago or so, that I've used Dragon DS tracks before, without any problems - which was true at the time! So I will now have to use the tracks that Tamiya provide in the box. Not the end of the world, but annoying all the same. The Dragon tracks were much finer in the details. So, hopefully, next week I will get the Tamiya tracks painted and fitted in place. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

Oh I will!! Although I'm pretty sure you might be the modeller to make that vignette happen! I certainly will! You know me!! Kind regards, Stix

Fantastic result with both of those Steve! They look superb in the Gallery! Very well done. Kind regards, Stix

Fantastic progress Ozzy. It all looks to be coming together beautifully! Kind regards, Stix

Fantastic project in progress here, John! Very impressive on all levels! Kind regards, Stix

Hi Stef. Really impressive work going on here! It is looking superb! Kind regards, Stix

Excellent progress on this project too, Craig. Kind regards, Stix

Fantastic progress on this project Steve. It all looks to be up to your usual very high standards! Hope you are keeping well. Kind regards, Stix

Hi Craig. Hope you are feeling a bit better? Sounds like you have been having a very busy time too. Fantastic work on this project though. Kind regards, Stix

Beautiful work on the interior Stef! Very nicely done. Kind regards, Stix

Hi Bertie. It would be great to have one of your builds in this GB, if you get chance to take part. I have added you to the list and will definitely be sending out reminders if we get the go-ahead! Kind regards, Stix

Hi Rob. Thanks for the tag. Good to see another one of these being built on BM. I enjoyed making mine, so I hope you enjoy your build too. And I like the idea of the Zimmerit! Good fun! All looking good so far! Kind regards, Stix

Thank you Craig. Apologies for the lack of updates again. I have managed to start a bit of painting and basic weathering. A couple of weeks ago I got the main painting done on the parts that I was going to apply Humbrol's Desert Yellow to. All applied thinned with water, using a medium flat brush: Then, over a few days recently, all the above parts were given an overall wash of very thinned, Revell's Gunship Grey. Once this was dry, I used a fine pointed brush to apply thinned Revell's Anthracite, in and around all the details. Once dry, everything was given a dry-brushing with a lightened version of the Desert Yellow colour and the tires were given a couple of thinned coats of Revell's Anthracite, applied with a fine pointed brush: Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix

Wow! We have 33 sign-ups now!! Thank you to everyone who has signed up so far! Kind regards, Stix