[Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.J Late]

On 4/16/2024 at 5:33 PM, echen said:

@Redcoat2966 Did you ever get this one finished?

 

Hi Echen, sorry for the delay in responding.......and as regards the Panzer IV, nah mate, still in the unpainted condition above. Unfortunately my other half signed me up... (volunteered me that is....🙄 ) to help renovate a house and then build a bathroom in another property, so been snowed under since August last year. I'm going to be finished on this last project by the end of this month, painting etc.

 

I'm then off until next year.....theres a lot of unfinished armour projects started last year that need finishing. But knowing me, I'll end up starting some new builds and never get to them.....let's hope not.

 

All the best

[Stalinetz S-60]

Simply superb.....

[KING TIGER (LATE PRODUCTION) + UPGRADES]

18 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

That does look good Simon. Nice work with the airbrush.

 

John.

 

18 hours ago, FrancisGL said:

Hi Simon,

Nice ambush camo, I hope to see it finished

Cheers

Francis.👍

 

Thanks Chaps, much appreciated……and yes Francis, I’ll get this one across the line…..I have to after all this painting effort😬

 

regards

Simon

[KING TIGER (LATE PRODUCTION) + UPGRADES]

Afternoon all.....I hope you are all well.

A quick post and dash on progress on the KT. I took the plunge and popped on a version of late war camo with a late war pattern. I still have to put the Dunkelgelb dots in the green area and brown also. The Dunkelgelb you see below was yet another respray over the images above, due to my first attempt at the camo........ Once the final dots are done, on to pin and detail wash's etc. 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, thats all folks......catch you again soon with the next steps done.....

[Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer]

That's some nice weathering and chipping....really nice, subtle and not over the top. Good job, and look forward to the finished article.

[Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. H Vomag. Miniart 35302]

Wow Ed, that’s a cracking Panzer IV and diorama……top notch. I need to persevere more to get mine on a diorama base……big thumbs up mate…👍

regards

Simon

 

[Italeri 1/35 Autoblinda AB43]

12 minutes ago, Nemanja said:

 

Thanks for the comment, Simon! Italeri Autoblindas are really nice models, hope to see your AB here soon.  

 

Mmmmmm, I'm not sure on that mate. I had some issues with fit on some parts, particularly the bodywork.........And I hate rubber tyres. I know they do it to get better detail in tyre tread etc, but give me plastic moulded. My tyres on this kit were slightly narrower than the wheel hub. I had to glue one side and then try and get the other side to pop out enough to fill the gap on the inside......anyway, yes; I'll pop up the finished article by September when the group build deadline come around.

[Italeri 1/35 Autoblinda AB43]

Nice job, love the camo. I'm in the middle of one of these for my local MAFVA club group build....Italian Front 43-45. Mine is the Italian version before the Germans got their hands on them. Couldn't get this version for the right price.

 

Nice job you've done all round.

[RMASG Centaur lV. Tamiya 1/35th scale.]

Nice clean Job John, as always. You ,lot put me to shame, I never seem to be able to finish anything to put it in the RFI section.......😬....I still have a Centaur languishing to be finished. Hopefully I'll be posting it soon along with the many half finished projects......

 

great job John, love the way you've done the running gear on that ridge line......very dynamic.

 

 

[KING TIGER (LATE PRODUCTION) + UPGRADES]

6 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

What paint are using for the garden furniture, camo or plain old varnish?

Good to see you and the KT back, It's funny, I had just retrieved one from the pending pile as well.  Mine is a Dragon KT with Model Kastern tracks (you only have to stare at those and the pins snap)

The old indecision game of what camo to paint it in.  No, I haven't made my mind up yet. 

 Hi Bob, how's things, .........funny man.......I'd say a colour very similar to what we Brits painted our tanks in, dingy dark chocolate brown.....This can had Ronseal on though and not WD and crows foot 

 

Yeah, thought it would make a change from the much more complicated jobs in the line up. No interior etc. I've given up Model Kasten myself, for as you say the pins are a pain. As regards camo choice etc. I'm battling at the moment over colour use and what looks good. What I posted above is the second base coat I did in this new scheme. The first one was with Tamiya Dunkelgelb XF-60 with light buff added to do some shade changes. I'm of the opinion now that this may be correct to the period, but it's so dull at 1:35th scale. I'm favouring much more sandy light yellow from now on.

 

Anyway, back at my bench after my chore, so need to mix my colours for the next round.

[Panzerjager Elefant no 113 in Italy]

Nice work Phil, really nice weathering. Looks the part.

Regards

[KING TIGER (LATE PRODUCTION) + UPGRADES]

Morning all, one of my very infrequent chances to post anything on the modelling front. Summer is always a drag as regards finding time for the modelling projects. I find I'm flitting around from one project to the next. Just came off my group build for my MAFVA club, The Italian Front, and decided to get back to grips on this languishing King Tiger. It's had many incarnations......as you can see from the build blog.....so.....final decision is going to be this one......

 

I'm going to airbrush the scheme, and not hand paint. I should be able to keep it tight and then finish with hand painted dots.

 

Here's the first base coat of the Dunkelgelb. Need to add a tad more of a yellow hue to the overall and then on to camo.

 

 

 

 

 

That's my time slot to post anything......off to sand and paint a garden furniture set, not the painting I had in mind for my Sunday....

Cheers all.

 

[Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.J Late]

21 hours ago, Muchmirth said:

That’s one fine looking model their. Those shields look really smart. Top job! Good that the kit supplies the metal barrel. 
  Are you going with the disc camo like the box art?
Paul

 

Thanks Paul..... Yeah, makes a little easier and not to have to worry about the seam. As I said above, the muzzle break is well done with the internal parts just like a metal one. I intend a plain Jane in Dunkel Gelb with some red oxide parts here and there.

 

21 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

Its almost a shame to put paint on it. Seriously good work there Simon. The brass looks great.

 

John.

 

Cheers mate..... I'm not set up for painting at present, so it may languish in this state for some time. There again I have to set up to paint the group build I'm in.....so could attempt to finish off a few as regards paint job's.

 

20 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

Nice job there Simon, always like a Panzer IV with some Thoma armour.  I still have the Dragon Ausf.J to build with some Eduard Thoma shields.  Camouflage plans?

 

Plain Jane Bob....Dunkel Gelb...maybe a faint green line camo....have to see. Thanks for the thumbs up mate...

 

17 hours ago, edjbartos said:

Beautiful clean work Simon, there are times when a model looks special unpainted and this is one of them, as John said earlier, it's a shame to put paint on it. Tremendous work...

 

Ed

 

Thanks Ed.....

 

16 hours ago, Keeff said:

Nice job!  Here was I thinking I'll follow along and hey presto, it's done! 🤣

 

Keith 😁 

 

Yeah sorry Keith. As I said above the kit itself falls together with nothing to report.......other than if anyone does build this Border Panzer IV, you have to put a bracket in styrene to support the top plate......just behind in between the driver and radio access hatch's, as the top plate has a slight warp downward which creates a slight gap. Oh yeah. This was mentioned in build blog somebody did on here. The rear idlers have a square pin, rather than a round pin that actually match's the hole. I had to sleeve them in brass tube, so I can adjust them when tracks are applied later.

 

 

As regards the Thoma shields........all done...

 

 

 

 

 

Off to start finishing all the tools and fender details etc.

[Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.J Late]

Afternoon all.....apologies for their considerable time since I kicked this one off, and not posting anything...... It's been a tough first time build of such complicated fenders.....for me that is. Learnt a bit from having a go. I've only at this point done a little damage to the front left. The rest is going to be as is, for now. The Thomas shields have been a handful, I have to admit but I'm happy with the result. The nice fine mesh of the Eduard set I ended up using, rather than the set that came with the kit by Border. The mesh from Eduard was far more accurate.

 

I have the set of R-Model tracks waiting in the wings, but will give the kit tracks a shot first and see if they work out. Hope to post those next.

 

Overall the Border kit is excellent, really nice to build. The barrel come's with it, and all I had to add was the locking clip on on the muzzle break from spare parts. As you can see from the white filler on the turret front, I picked up the wrong one for the J version. Although I have see in some images the only cover for the gun sight welded on - so might make that final amendment and put the old cover on with weld beads applied.

 

Here's where she stands at present.......

 

 

Both rear mud flaps have the springs that came with the finder set....and working hinges.

 

 

 

I added a couple of Heavy Hobby 3D printed tool clamps for the first time....not a bad product indeed.

 

The left hand side Thoma shields are done, including the top grills to stop I imagine hand grenades etc.

 

 

 

Anyway, that's it for now and hope to post some more soon; but I have a group build with my MAFVA club that needs to be finished by the 30th September, with a subject of Italian Campaign 1943-45. I've chosen the Italeri Autoblinda AB41# 6591 in German hands after the Italian surrender.

 

Cheers all.....

 

[Sd.Kfz. 138 Marder III Ausf. M 1/35 - Tamiya]

15 hours ago, Patrykd said:

Thanks you for the link to your Marder. Could you tell me where did you find cable scheme for radio. Maybe you have some pictures of these conections. I notice that your extaungisher is in wrong place. IT should be on the right side hiden behind ammo rack. BTW great bulid from your side. 

I almost finished the right side of interior. New hotos soon. I making now cable conections.

 

Here's the best I could find in my archive of research.....hope this helps.

 

 

[TRUMPETER STURER EMIL]

16 minutes ago, vaoinas said:

Sad to hear that, Simon.

 

Couldn't you just relocate the PE parts from the damaged kit to the new one, or 

are these destroyed beyond that point?

 Hi Vaoinas, nah mate.....too far gone. The kit was more salvageable than the PE really....... Never know, maybe another better version might come out by a better manufacturer than Trumpeter......

[LOCKDOWN No3 - MARDER III Ausf M]

18 hours ago, Keeff said:

The first Marder looked fantastic, but we can be our own worst critics.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with the second one! 

 

Keith 😁

 

Cheers Keith, appreciate that. There is another reason for deciding to go round again with mark two.....I had the PE set and no point in trying to sell it on Ebay, you never get the full worth.....so thought "hey, let's give another go around". Also if the first goes to the breakers yard, I have another use for the Pak 40.....my RSO needs it. Didn't like the Dragon quality of the breech block.

 

 

5 minutes ago, FrancisGL said:

Hi Simon,

An impressive and overwhelming set of PEs...although you are more than capable of getting all the juice out of it.

Cheers and TC

Francis.👍

 Cheers Francis,........ should be a pleasant long build, although might have to take a back seat to new Border Panzer IV on it's way.

[Sd.Kfz. 138 Marder III Ausf. M 1/35 - Tamiya]

14 hours ago, Patrykd said:

Thanks you for the link to your Marder. Could you tell me where did you find cable scheme for radio. Maybe you have some pictures of these conections. I notice that your extaungisher is in wrong place. IT should be on the right side hiden behind ammo rack. BTW great bulid from your side. 

I almost finished the right side of interior. New hotos soon. I making now cable conections.

 

I'll stat the search to see if I have it at hand. Give me a couple and I'll track it down. As regards the extinguisher. There's actually two in the cabin. One in the location to the side of the shell rack on the left and as additional one which wasn't uncommon in the field.

 

Off to look for the radio reference for you.....

[TRUMPETER STURER EMIL]

14 hours ago, robw_uk said:

did you get this one finished? tempted by it, sort of put off by the rubber band tracks in the kit but thinking what if the prototype the russians captured was put in to their service... 4BO, big red stairs and red russian slogan.... think it would look immense

Hi Rob, how are you. Unfortunately mate it had to be canned and to the breakers yard. It was too severely damaged in storage last year when I had to pack up the bench as the room was used for guest to stay. It's on the list to do again though as it'll be a part of the Panzerjäger series I'm working on. The problem being the photo-etch is hard to find now specific to the Trumpeter kit. I still have the barrel. So if I see the photo-etch, I'lll pick one up again and complete it.

[And for my next trick ...... *which I'm calling done!*]

29 minutes ago, Keeff said:

 

The plan is to display the kit with upper and lower hull separated so all the interior can be seen. 

 

Keith  😁

 

Ah, Ok. Must have missed that in your description.......looking forward to seeing it done.

[LOCKDOWN No3 - MARDER III Ausf M]

4 minutes ago, Kelscale said:

I had a similar experience with Tamiya's little Marder I. Pleased with both build and paint I then took the weathering steps too far. I never saw it at the time, even after some photography. But stepping back after starting a little base for it I soon recognised I probably overdid it. Looking forward to progress with your second build👍

 

Hi Kel.....yes, it's when you take a closer look, especially when photographed you see the issues. I intend to try and build the set of Panzerjäger's so the Marder I is on the build list too in time. This will be a long burn on the build so hopefully by end of summer...... Once finished, the decision will be made to send the first one to the breakers yard......

[LOCKDOWN No3 - MARDER III Ausf M]

2 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

We are our own worst critics. What with this and the other one you've started, you're gonna have you're work cut out for you. Good luck with both builds Simon.

 

John.

 

Cheers mate..........and yeah, a few projects looking at me to be finished from the cabinet. A few now waiting for paint, but I can't be bothered in setting up the booth etc and have to keep taking it apart. Planning soon a long painting period to finish a few up. This Marder I'll use as a breather project ion the Panzer IV get's a bit much......

[Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.J Late]

2 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

Looks like you've got some serious work ahead of you Simon. I'll be following along.

 

John.

 

Hi John, yes mate. It'll be a long one. It should all be with me by end of next week. Time enough to clear the work bench and clean up ready.....

[Panzer IV Ausf.B]

Another super job Kristjan......... Nice pigment and mud use. Muse keep a not for my upcoming Panzer IV project.

[Gebirgskanone M.15 7,5cm mountain gun]

What a lovely little piece that is. Nice job.....