PlaStix Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) I'm probably getting a bit too carried away with the anticipation and excitement of it all but I've decided to build another 1/48 tank to go along with my Hobby Boss M4A3. This one in fact:With it's rather lovely packaging:I hope this is okay with the mods?The Tiger 1 has fairly recently become one of my favourite tanks and, while I was looking for a suitable 1/48 version for this GB I came across AFV Club's Final Version Tiger 1. I found it online and had one on order, but the retailer was unable to get one from the supplier, despite claiming to have several in stock when I ordered. I then struggled to find another one at a reasonable price.I had given up on getting one when I read somewhere that AFV Club's boxing was based on a kit produced by Skybow. Then, by chance, while checking out Parabellum's website, I discovered they were offering the Skybow Late Tiger 1 kit for £11. AFV Club's version comes with a small PE fret whereas I've had to buy it separately - but it worked out at about the same as the cheapest AFV Club's version I could find.When I picked up this tank I also got the track links set to go with it.I will post some photos of the contents of the box later.Kind regards,Stix Edited June 2, 2015 by PlaStix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Nice! Are the individual track links those black plastic things from AFV Club? regards, Jack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 (edited) Nice! Are the individual track links those black plastic things from AFV Club? regards, Jack Jack - the track links I got are the Skybow ones which, I'm guessing, are now the ones that AFV Club do. Apparently they give a far better appearance than the included tracks. I've included a photo of the box below.This is the box with the aftermarket stuff - grills and track links: As I promised earlier here are some photos of the contents of the box: The detail on these seems to be really good: The separate tools look nicely detailed: The Zimmerit looks well done: The decals are a bit different as they are reversed and applied slightly differently - not quite sure how they work yet but apparently there's little or no carrier film as a result: Tracks: The above tracks seem to get some criticism as being the weakest parts of the kit so I decided to buy these at the same time as I got the kit: And these were the PE grills I got as well: Instructions: Apparently there are some problems with the instructions in places but I've bookmarked some reviews which highlight the issues. Finally, like with what I'm intending to do with my M4A3 build, I got some figures to include with it: Kind regards, Stix Edited January 27, 2015 by PlaStix 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Right, tracks do look identical to the one's AFV Club packaged. I had used them on my Tunisian Tiger Heidi. Just study the instructions carefully, and be mindful that there is one correct side when snapping them together. Choosing the wrong end first will end up breaking the pin on the side. regards, Jack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Right, tracks do look identical to the one's AFV Club packaged. I had used them on my Tunisian Tiger Heidi. Just study the instructions carefully, and be mindful that there is one correct side when snapping them together. Choosing the wrong end first will end up breaking the pin on the side. regards, Jack Thank you for the advice Jack - I shall watch out for that!! Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casemate UK Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Looks very impressive! Best of luck with it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Stix, oh I think this will be another fun build to follow.. the kit et al looks good from here .. Best wishes .. {p.s. I went to Vienna Model show last year and those guys are BIG on their Train builds and huge train dioramas thathave the trains and signals working... you should go there this March.... } 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wimbledon99 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Looks great Stix. Never seen a model packed like that before! Is that 3 builds now? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 (edited) Looks very impressive! Best of luck with it!Yeah it's a very nicely detailed kit. And thank you for sponsoring this GB! oh I think this will be another fun build to follow.. the kit et al looks good from here .. Best wishes .. {p.s. I went to Vienna Model show last year and those guys are BIG on their Train builds and huge train dioramas thathave the trains and signals working... you should go there this March.... } Good to see you here too!I've not done any railway model building for many years - layouts take up far too much room and then there's the electrics! Plastic kits are far more straightforward and take up less room! Locos always seemed very expensive for how small they are. And Vienna's a bit too far for me! I might try and get to a local model show this year if I get chance. Looks great Stix. Never seen a model packed like that before! Is that 3 builds now? The packaging does seem unusual. And I've discovered it's not particularly convenient either!Yeah It's 3 - I might be getting a tad carried away! Kind regards, Six Edited January 31, 2015 by PlaStix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Gordon Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 That's some good looking plastic in there Stix.I have a feeling that you're going to enjoy this one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Feel free to add a nought on the end of the 3. The more Tigers, the merrier. W 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 Thank you for your interest Alex and Wolfpack. Decided I'd stay vaguely in my comfort zone and get this one of my three builds underway first. Nothing exciting - just getting some paint on the wheels. Humbrol 93, Desert Yellow, thinned with water and applied by flat, hairy stick: The detail of the kit looks good under the paint: The only thing I noticed was how much longer it took to paint these wheels than it did when I made the 1/72 and 1/76 versions before. Probably a combination of the larger size and the dark colour of the plastic Skybow used. Once they'd had time to dry I started with some weathering. In this case a dark grey wash: I shall do most of the weathering on these before I assemble them onto the lower hull. The only bit of assembly I managed this morning was gluing the front of the upper hull in place: The fit of this part was really good so if the rest of it goes together in the same way it should be a relaxing, fun build. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wimbledon99 Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Nice start Stix. You're right, the detail is really good! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 Nice start Stix. You're right, the detail is really good! Thank you wimbledon. The detail is very fine in places. Should make up into a good looking Tiger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Are those dry, rub-on transfers (like Letraset)? If so, haven't seen those for years. Can give great results, but need to be in right position first time. Last time I used them I ended up applying them to clear, water-slide decal film and then applying as normal - rather defeated the object though! Cliff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Are those dry, rub-on transfers (like Letraset)? If so, haven't seen those for years. Can give great results, but need to be in right position first time. Last time I used them I ended up applying them to clear, water-slide decal film and then applying as normal - rather defeated the object though! Cliff Hi Cliff, According to some reviews - (I haven't checked anything about the decals yet in the actual kit and I haven't got it to hand) - it does sound like they are similar to rub-on transfers. The reviews seem to suggest you wet them in the usual way but then press them into place and then remove the backing - so it sounds like you suggest in that placing needs to be fairly accurate - we shall see how it goes. Thanks for the heads-up. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Those types of decals used to be popular with wargames stuff. Seem to have died a death recently. W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 The kit decals leave a bit to be desired IMHO. Regarding the tracks each link has a large and a small pip on it. Locate the small one and spring the large one in. The kit vinyl tracks are way too short BTW. Did you get this from Parabellum by any chance. I have one just like it! The track links are certainly the same as the AFV Club items but a lot cheaper. Bison decals do a set for the Tiger I I think Nigel carries them. The paint colour is spot on apparently and your pot seems to have worked better then the enamel I'm using. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 5, 2015 Author Share Posted February 5, 2015 Hi SleeperService. Thank you for the information about the decals and the track links. Yes it was Parabellum - first time I'd been - great little shop - literally packed floor to ceiling with kits! I'm hoping to go over to Brum in a couple of weeks - I will try and get some of those Bison decals. Hope you manage to sort out your paint! Thank you again. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Hi SleeperService. Thank you for the information about the decals and the track links. Yes it was Parabellum - first time I'd been - great little shop - literally packed floor to ceiling with kits! I'm hoping to go over to Brum in a couple of weeks - I will try and get some of those Bison decals. Hope you manage to sort out your paint! Thank you again. Kind regards, Stix Fantastic shop, I find there's less room to move around everytime I go there. I'll be nipping 50yards to my LHS in the morning for another can, the advantage of town centre living!!. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 Fantastic shop, I find there's less room to move around everytime I go there. I'll be nipping 50yards to my LHS in the morning for another can, the advantage of town centre living!!. It is small and full of kits!! When I was there last there were five or six other people in at the same time and it was a case of having to choreograph every move to get round the shelves! 50 yards?! Wow! - any of the ones I go to are a train ride or two away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 Been looking forward all week to getting back to this. As with the few tank builds I've done before; the attaching of the wheels takes place fairly early in the build. Because I paint everything by brush I need to get the wheels and sides of the hull, where the wheels will be attached, as fully painted and weathered as I think necessary. Before painting the hull I attached the rear section: Once it was dry I painted the whole of the lower hull with Humbrol 93 - Desert Yellow: I also decided to get the PE grills painted early: Then it was time to work on the wheels again - a wash of Revell's Anthracite first in some areas: Followed by some dry-brushing of lightened Humbrol 93: Next up I got the edges painted with Humbrol's Gunmetal: Finally I added some more subtle colours for weathering: So now I have all these ready for assembly: .........but that's going to have to wait until next week. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shermaniac Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Hey Stix, you're rocking along nicely. Strange how differently each of us approaches the build? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Humbrol paints. How quaint.! W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 (edited) Hey Stix, you're rocking along nicely. Strange how differently each of us approaches the build? Thank you Shermaniac. It is strange - but I think my way differs from how most tank kit builders on BM approach their builds. Most seem to assemble everything and then paint with an airbrush - whereas I struggle along with me hairy sticks. Humbrol paints. How quaint.! W Yep!........and applied by hairy stick to boot!! I love 'em!!Kind regards, Stix Edited February 8, 2015 by PlaStix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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