JackG Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 (edited) Upper hull structure is now attached, as well as the main gun - mantlet is slipped on for dry fit only at this point. Both forward detail parts and zimmerit sections all glued on. A number of lengthy gaps where the zimmerit sections come together, so that will eventually be looked at. Have tried some Tamiya 2 part epoxy putty just below the left drive sprocket. The corner section in front of this will also need to be covered in zimm - the Atak resin set did not provide for this. regards, Jack Edited February 17, 2015 by JackG 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MADMUSKY Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Looking good so far, going to be a cracker when complete Darren 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platypus Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Looking good. But that's not a speaker, it's a headlight. Unless I missed the joke of course. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 In Panzer Tracts 9 Jentz gives Sept 1944 as the date for the steel road wheels so I think you're on solid ground Jack. That's a very tidy build you're putting on show. I like it very much. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 Rob, Darren, Platypus and SleeperService - thank you gents! Yes the headlight, we are on the same wave length there. Forgot to add some description in the text body, something about it being all wired for sound. Also thanks for sourcing the date of steel road wheels, not surprised it's from the research of Jentz. regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 good progress 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Looking very impressive Jack! Keep up the good work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted February 23, 2015 Author Share Posted February 23, 2015 (edited) Thank you Mick and PlaStix. The past week was spent on the rear deck details. Some things to point out done differently from instructions: - shovel - Aber PE provides a brass replacement , but I just used the original plastic and thinned the heel section a bit. For the two nails detail, some thin rod sprue placed into pre-drilled holes. Another application of liquid cement over top to flatten out. Also couldn't find the strap on the PE fret, so just made one from plastic sheet. - jack - again, Aber has you practically rebuild this, but I decided it was not worth the hassle as there isn't much difference in detail from the kit part. I just cleaned off the molded on mounting frames and fashioned some cut wire for the two handles (better seen in 2nd photo). - wrench(s) - PE too thin for rebuild, so relied on the kit part, the usual clean up of molded on brackets followed with adding PE ones. There should be a clamp on the axe, but this tool is loose for now. If time permits, it will be in the hands of one of the crew members for a planned dio (no, not Jason visits Panzer Lehr on Friday the the 13th Other loose items for now for painting purposes are the spare road wheels, gun cleaning rods, and the spaced armour sheets on the rear. Got a decent start on the hull roof, it too is loose for now. Still have a few pieces to go, including a trio of periscopes. Instructions have you create your own springs for hatch detail, so I did the same with the rear fenders. Really simple, just some brass wire wrapped around an appropriate diameter drill bit. Mid week saw the arrival of workable track links from AFV Club. Have a few put together to see how they look. I really like the colour they are molded in, could almost pass for brown grey metal. Should be a lot quicker than the Stuart tracks done last year - 5 pieces per link compared to only two here. regards, Jack Edited February 23, 2015 by JackG 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MADMUSKY Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 That's some nice detail, can do etch but it doesn't look as crisp and sharp as yours. Darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robw_uk Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 great work Jack... that PE is mighty fine 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 That's a lot of PE and it's going to make it look stunning! And those tracks do look good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Amazing detail Jack,coming on a treat, Sean 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 The Atak zimmerit looks great. It does prevent some 'damage' to the mudguards though. Have to go for the factory fresh look I suppose. W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 Darren, Rob, PlaStix, Sean and Wolfpack - thanks kindly guys. regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dads203 Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Nice work Jack, I think this is going to be a stunner. Dan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knikki Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Looks like a great kit gives me some ideas for a couple of Tiger tanks I have in the stash. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted February 26, 2015 Author Share Posted February 26, 2015 Dan and Knikki - thanks very much. No photos atm, but I've got the roof details all done. Another dry fitting with hatches open reveals the interior will need some details, the very least a firewall of some sorts as light can be seen shining through the rear deck. I'll post pictures soon of how some plastic sheet is cut up to help in this area. The kit includes nothing for the interior, not even a semblance of the main gun breach. regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 (edited) Took a few extra days than intended for scratch building some interior details. I just eyeballed dimensions based on some interior photos, only relying on the ruler to make straights cuts and such. At first was just going to add a rear wall, cover up the floor (there are troughs along the hull sides where it meets the floor due to the way the plastic was cast). An off centered drive line cover - left in primer red, but other modelers have it finished in interior white/buff. After another look through hatch opening with the above in place, I decided to add a bit more. A couple seats fashioned with putty (green stuff), a box to hold four upright shells, and some semblance of the breach basket. A shot of the parts painted up and in place: ... and with the roof glued in place: regards, Jack Edited March 1, 2015 by JackG 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Very nice work on that interior Jack. As you mentioned you can really see inside through those hatches - especially in this scale. Excellent progress. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 One reason I close mine. W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 great work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 PlaStix and Mick, thanks lads. Cheers Wolfpack, yes closing the hatches would be the straight forward solution, but I'm thinking that might appear a bit odd with a couple crew members standing outside the vehicle. ------------------------------------------- Still more progress to report. All sixteen rails for the skirt armour are now attached. This involved 12 parts each, plus an additional piece of plastic sheet cut to place behind the brackets for those located on the zimmerit section. This was done to correct the angle. The two straps on the muffler were fashioned from plastic strip - much easier for the glue to hold than the one from the PE fret. Also started applying some putty to fill in the seams left open from not the quite perfect fit of the zimmerit. Just a few more detail pieces in the rear area and it will ready for primer. regards, Jack 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Wow! That looks amazing! All that PE is definitely going to add another dimension to this model! Fantastic stuff! I do not know how you have the patience. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robw_uk Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 stunning as always Jack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Thank you PlaStix and Rob. Before hitting with primer, did some further work with the zimmerit, including chipping/breaking down the bottom edge along the lower hull. Also added sections of green putty for the locations of the tactical number and other stencil work. These details are well photographed from a captured Lehr vehicle. Primer followed with some pre-shading in dark blue. For the base colour, I mixed my own Dunkelgelb from Tamiya paints. It included some of their own dark yellow plus a couple tan browns I had created many moons ago. While the airbrush was still out, began some broad colour modulation by lightening the base paint with Xtracrylix German Tank Interior Cream. Some further modulation with paint brush. I used a fairly thin mixture of about 50/50 each of Vallejo Green Ochre and DOA's Dunkelgelb (I find their colour is too green like Tamiya, but it is lighter). Lightening it further on subsequent layers with the above Xtracrylix paint. regards, Jack 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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