ScanmanDan

Hi guys. Saw this little kit at the shop and had to give it try even though I knew nothing of the manufacture or seen a review of the kit. Inside are two grey sprues, a tiny decal sheet and one page of pretty basic instuctions. The parts are for the mostly flash free and basically detailed. The instructions are pretty basic and not too clear. I have managed to put the leaf springs on upside down, doh! Here's where I'm at right now with some few additions by me. I'm still trying to work out how the gun goes together as the instructions aren't too much help. Shortly off to the paint shop! Thanks for looking. Dan

Thank you for all of the kind words of encouragement. I'm happy you like the little Jagdpanther. I'd like to see more folks try out 1/48th scale armour as it has been a fun sidetrack from my usual 1/32 scale aircraft kits. Dan

Thanks Bob, glad you like her. I have finished this on and put some more final pics here;http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234994085-148-tamiya-jagdpanther/ I didn't do much more but concentrated on finishing rather than wrecking everything at the last minute. Thanks to all who dropped in for a look. Dan

Discretion being the better part of valour I have finished this one up without going all over the top with pastels.( In fact I didn't break em out at all ) At some stage you just have to stop fooling about with stuff and call her done. This kit was mainly about enhancing the surface details and trying out Tamiya enamels in washes both overall and as pin washes. To that end it served well, i will uses both techniques in the future hopefully to better effect. Finished pics. Used my standard base of Black Ikea frame and a bit of black foam core, looks okay but I have to figure out a way to get some nice nameplates made up. I have an Achilles part built to finish up and then a Panther to try out. Love these little tanks from Tamiya. Thanks for dropping in to look at my little Jagdpanther. Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season. Dan

Thank you gentlemen for your encouragement. I had a little time today to add some more weathering and such, not far to go and this ones finished. Not exactly as I had it in my minds eye when I started but I have learned a thing or two on it and that's got to count for something. Thanks for looking in. Dan

Not much more finished this weekend, Just working my way round and adding some bits and pieces. Took some better pics. Thanks for stopping by. Dan

Progress?; Thanks to all for your kind words of encouragement. Mapping with a little light yellow to hopefully brighten up the highs. A bit stark now but a quick yellow ochre wash will tone it down some plus the pastels will knock it back some more. Well that's the 'plan'. I have noticed that there are some molding marks I missed on the inside of the tracks which I'm just going to have to live with. Fun build so far. Thanks for dropping in for a look.

Progress: I have been experimenting with very thin spot washes of Tamiya Enamels thinned with Humbrol Enamel thinners. I very much like the results but need to work with them some more to better get the hang of them. Thanks for looking in. Dan

Thanks Badder and Mick, Glad you like it. I have just noticed that I put this post in the wrong section. I am sorry for my mistake, can a mod put it in the right section? Dan

Just a couple of shots of my latest WIP. Basic blocking in of the paint, More weathering and detail painting to go. I wish that Tamiya would slip in a small photo etched fret for the rear screens as my homemade ones a a little pox but will have to do. Enjoying the build though. Dan

Progress; I have finished the basic assembly and boy does this kit have well fitting parts. A joy to build :D . I have started on the basic paint. I need to let this lot settle in and then mask off the orange stripes. Then I can get to the part I like most. Mucking it all up! I got the AT-ST the other day and I'm looking into getting both the x and Y wings as these kits will be instant classics. Pity they aren't all to a constant scale, but the prices are pretty good. I think I need to get the base colour a touch lighter as the weathering will no doubt darken the finish. Still having fun! Thanks for looking in. Dan

So cool looking Andy. I hope you are having fun because I sure am watching your progress. I had to laugh as this morning I got up and saw your progress and thought, "Hmmmm, when you get home tonight you might suggest Andy add some white stripes to the base. Cause, there is a bit of a dead zone down front…" I'm just going to shut the #$%^ up and sit here drooling in the corner :D Keep up the great work you are an inspiration! Dan

The more I look at your cradle the more I like it. Simple but with enough detail to make it interesting without distracting from the real star of the show. ( Magic! ) Alternative paint schemes- I like the racer angle but if I were to go off script I'd think about a Black Ops/Stealth Night-Speeder. All metalicaly blue/black a la SR-71 or F-117. Just a thought Dan

Dan, Roy - Thanks guys. Glad you like it so far. Roy the kit is 1/48 scale. Andy - I am jazzed you like my little guys Now if I can just get the rest of the kit looking good. Progress; So far all the parts fit together really well. I've been undercoating with Mr Surfacer black and all seems well. More time to work on her tomorrow. Dan

I have been inspired by Andy's great builds of the Bandai Star Wars kits. I just had to try one out and I gotta say they are pretty cool kits. Here are my meagre efforts to bring some life to the pilot figures. I sent a bit of time with a sharp Xacto and some micro chisels to add a little bit more definition as the pilots are all one piece and there is only so much detail the kit maker can put in without any undercuts. My paints pretty basic but they should look okay through the cockpit glazing. All the parts fit so well together that you hardly need and cement. I'm going to get to painting the rest of the cockpit then on to putting the hull together. Plan is for a simple OOB build. Thanks to Andy for getting me hooked on these super little kits! So much fun so far. Thanks for looking in. Dan

Your progress looks great Andy. Neat idea to add some harness to the cockpit, it will certainly make it pop. Inspired by your progress I have made a start on my Snowspeeder by attacking the figures with chisels and a trusty Xacto to give the detail more relief. Unfortunately I'm having a bit of trouble getting good paint coverage using a brush. The plastic Bandai has used seems a touch 'oily' even after a wash. Do you have any tips for getting paint to stick? I am looking forward to what you do next.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do these kits full justice. The craftsmanship and artistic skill you have poured into these kits is wonderful to see. Inspired, I broke down and picked up the Snowspeeder this weekend and it is a cracking kit. I am looking foreword to getting a start on it soon but may wait a bit just to see what voodoo you bring to yours. Keep up the great work and thanks again for showing that building kits is first and foremost fun. Dan

Tiny Progress; I mounted and painted the rail above the torpedo and managed to get my guys arm on without mucking up the paint job. Work going on in the background to get the second torpedo and rail finished. Then its just a few more do dads and she's finished. I need to figure out how to get some nice engraved nameplates too. Thanks for looking in. Dan

Thanks for all of the encouraging comments. John - I am toying with the idea of a large patch of fresh paint on the conning tower and a fresh ID Number but I'm a bit chicken to mess with the finish now More Paint… and a figure too. The kit comes with two lumpy figures but a Warrior makes a few 1/35 scale U-Boat men. A very nicely sculpted figure which I can in no way enhance with my crummy paint job. A the very least the figure will show just how tiny these craft were. I did experiment with stippling on different shades of Alclad II metallic with a brush to break up the solid shades of metal. That and a few washes of inks and such. Thanks for looking in. Dan

More messing with paint Mostly just trying to get a nice weathered finished, not derelict just used. Working on the torpedoes too. Dan

Progress, Basic paint. More weathering to come I've started work on the torpedoes but need to get them both right before I add the mountings. Dan

I've been tinkering with this kit for the last couple of days. All I really want to do is a good paint job with Alclad metalics on the torpedoes and dead flat greys on the hull as I think that would be a neat combination. Good kit except for the glass( Who thought bending flat bits of clear material was a good idea? ) and the missing bits for the exhaust- badly bodged together from photos. I need to carefully assemble the torpedoes before I can build the hangers for them. But I should be at painting stage by next weekend. Gotta keep building quick or I'll get distracted. Thanks for looking. Dan

Steve, Andy & Tarheellaw - Thanks for your encouraging comments. Andy - You gotta try one of these beauties. I'm so looking forward to adding some life to the interior. Make sure that you share your build, I'll be looking for it. Progress; Well she's up on her feet. Got a touch of the AMS and started adding bits and doing stupid things like trying to open up around the idler wheels( You won't be able to see any difference once the tracks are on. ). I think Tamiya have done a pretty good job of adding a fair amount of detail to these kits. Why I keep thinking my additions are making things better I'll never know. I want to get to some basic painting this weekend and with luck I won't get distracted with any more 'improvements'. I do think that I had to add the sponson tops as you could see straight through from the open top to the tracks and that would look horrible. On to the pics. Thanks for looking in. Dan

Can't help myself Next build will be the Tamiya M10 Achilles IIc 17pdr. Jumped in with building by getting into the aftermarket and putting together the Verlinden resin M2 50cal. Nice bit of gear if a bit fiddly to assemble, but much less work than messing about with a lot of tiny photo etch. Paints up nice I'm going to work on the Hull next and I have some photo etch and resin bits to add. Lovin these little guys. Dan

Andy that looks awesome . Thanks for sharing - so cool. Must try that on one of my next builds. My little guy is finished and I added a post in the finished builds section. Thanks to everyone for their encouragement. Dan