f matthews

Excellent!

This is the newer(ish) Dragon kit, which is still one of (if not the)best Pz IV kits on the market. A fun build that is not overly complicated and well-engineered with lots of fantastic detail.

The Miniart Lee and Grant kits are superb. I’ve built two Grants and have a Lee Interior Kit on the shelf for when I clear some space (a lot of space) on my bench and finish the 6-8 projects I have working including a Miniart T-34/85. Very nice work on yours!

Wanted to see how the Archer dry transfers would work out and unfortunately the shield, diamond and circle ones got messed up in application, so I had to scrape off, repaint then reapply the triangle one, which was my last choice, but the one I was originally planning to do. I added a lid to the stowage box and basecoated it before assembly.

This one has been completed: Will post some better shots in the RFI section when I get to take some.

On to the tracks... Right side built:

One of my favorite armoured vehicles. I visited the Aberdeen 35(t) many times over the years and had a lot of photos when it was all cream-colored. I seem to recall it still being there on my last trip in 2009, but they were getting ready to move everything away, which was sad, since I’d been going there since I was a kid in 1975. Still, it is better that they are being cared for and restored. My last 35(t) project-the excellent Bronco kit.

Made a little more progress today with lights, tools, vision blocks and other small details. Other than the tires, tracks, rear stowage bin and markings, this is pretty well complete.

Fantastic for 1/72-this is very impressive!

First round of filters applied. These will blend in and be toned down more after I add and paint what is left to build then apply markings, but I had some time today to work this in, so I figured I’d make good use of that. The thinners are not quite dry yet, but I won’t have time to take pics later.

Moving along to the finish, I added some filters to give the monochromatic finish some life. Oilbrushers are new to me-I’ve only used them once, a few weeks ago, but I like them so far. Will see how these look when everything dries and settles out.

I put it aside to finish up a PzIV that I just completed and have a set of tracks inbound that I was waiting for, so should be back to it very soon, especially since it’s well underway.

Spectacular!

I added Jerrycans in a rack and a rag sticking out of the rear stowage crate.

That’s because these are usually copies/forgeries of the Panzer Art, Stalingrad, Tahk, etc figures.

I masked with Black Stuff putty.

I usually paint them either the old Humbrol Gunmetal or, since the good old stuff is no longer available, flat black enamel on occasion. This was the old formula Humbrol which I have a tin or two that are practically dried up (the newer stuff doesn’t work) and then some dark rust-colored pastels. I don’t like bright orange or over-rusted mufflers since they don’t look like anything I’ve ever seen in the wild and these tanks didn’t have a long enough shelf life to get bright orange mufflers.

Looking really good. I have this kit on my radar, but just so much cool stuff out there at the moment!

Looking really good. I have this kit on my radar, but just so much cool stuff out there at the moment!

Thanks! That resin box was bothering me every time I looked at it. I’ll add some more browns for track washes and finish with dust when I put it on a base. It actually has dark grey with one application of both track wash brown and dust, but it’s too faint, so will have to reapply.

Just about there...

I used Friuls.

I decided to go with the kit decals rather than risk screwing up painting the markings. Red paint (which I’d have used for “Red Four”) is unforgiving if you make a mistake-very difficult to correct! These will be blended/weathered when I install the tracks.

Yes 8020. Not sure on the markings-torn between those in the kit and “Red 4” from 15th Pz Div, but I’ll have to hand-paint markings on that.

Getting close to finishing this one up. A few small details left (the wheels are off until I paint and install the tracks, which are already assembled). I’ve had this kit (and some other Dragon Pz IVs) in the stash for more than a decade and now I can’t understand why I didn’t start one of these ages ago. Very nice, fun kits.