PlaStix Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 (edited) Right - I do know I'm getting far too carried away with this tank model building lark, but, in my defence, I do get some time each week day, when I'm not at home, when I can make kits. There's no point in me trying to make anything big or delicate, like an aircraft, because I wouldn't be able to carry it home safely enough on public transport! Tanks fit the bill perfectly. As you may have noticed I rather like German AFVs, although I have made a 1/76 Airfix Cromwell and I'm currently making Hobby Boss's 1/48 US M4A3 (76)W Tank.Well, having followed AndyC's excellent build of Tamiya's 1/35 Panzer Kampfwagen II Ausf. F/G, I recently saw the same kit on sale quite cheap in a LMS. After a quick look in the small, packed box at the rather nicely detailed kit (for quite an old one) and I knew I wanted to make one. Apart from anything else I have never made a 1/35 kit and I reckon it will be good practice for a couple I have in mind to make in future.So, if the GB hosts and AndyC don't mind I'd like to have a go at this one as well as my others. I'm not going to do anything special other than make it OOB - if you check out AndyC's build he used some rather nice PE to enhance the basic kit.The box:I'll post some photos of the sprues and other bits later plus some of the work I have done already.Kind regards,Stix Edited June 2, 2015 by PlaStix 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Aye up Stix Nice to see you tackle a 35th scale kit at last. Really looking forward to seeing how you tackle this one ;-) Regards Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 8, 2015 Author Share Posted April 8, 2015 (edited) Hi Steve. I'm really looking forward to it although all the detail, even on this small kit, seems so much bigger. Should be an interesting experience! At some point, not for this GB though, I'm hoping to make a couple of 1/35 kits - I've got one already for the Vietnam GB and I know of another Tiger 1 I fancy having a go at.As mentioned in my first post above: some box, sprue and instruction photos-Quite a small box with a lot of plastic insideAnd out of the box:Upper and lower hull parts:Nicely detailed for the age and price:And it even comes with quite nicely detailed figures:Tamiya provide a bit of background reading as well as the paint scheme info:The instructions seem fairly straightforward:Finally the decals:In terms of progress I attached some of the parts at the front and real of the lower hull and then I followed AndyC's example and used some scrap plastic to cover over the insides of the holes in the base of the hull:I then filled the holes from the outside:I also painted the wheels on the sprues - but the colour is so similar to Tamiya's plastic colour that it didn't make it worth taking a photo.More tomorrow I hope - comments and suggestions welcome.Kind regards,Stix Edited April 9, 2015 by PlaStix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noah Greggs Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Having built this kit I know you are in for a treat, are you going to build the figures? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 (edited) Hi Noah. Good to know you enjoyed building it. Are there any photos of your's? - it's always good to see other versions. Kind regards, Stix Edited April 9, 2015 by PlaStix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Nice one Stix - no objections from me - you'll love the kit 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 Hi Andy. That's great - thank you. Today I got several coats of thinned Humbrol Desert Yellow applied to the lower hull by hairy stick: .........it's probably difficult to tell though! And on the wheels I gave them an overall wash of Revell's Gunship Grey, followed by some targeted washes of Revell's Anthracite and finally a dry-brushing with a lightened version of Desert Yellow: More next week. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawkuk Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Looking good, mate. I have my PZ II waiting, so I am taking place in front row. Wash looks good and great idea about drybrushing with a lighter version of base colour. That should look good on details. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noah Greggs Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Hi Noah. Good to know you enjoyed building it. Are there any photos of your's? - it's always good to see other versions. Kind regards, Stix Hi Stix real sorry my tank was sadly the victim of a 5 yr old ;( before I could get any photos...but it was a great build, but if I was to build another one I would drill out the cannon... BTW your looks better anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 Looking good, mate. I have my PZ II waiting, so I am taking place in front row. Wash looks good and great idea about drybrushing with a lighter version of base colour. That should look good on details.Thank you dawkuk. I look forward to seeing your build of this kit - hopefully you are planning to do a WIP? The details on this kit, for it's age, seem really good and sharp - washes and dry-brushing do see to highlight them well so far.Hi Stix real sorry my tank was sadly the victim of a 5 yr old ;( before I could get any photos...but it was a great build, but if I was to build another one I would drill out the cannon... BTW your looks better anyway.Hi Noah. Sorry to hear about the fate of yours!! ...........but I'm glad it was a great build. Thank you for the tip about the cannon - I will definitely do that.Kind regards, Stix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawkuk Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Thank you dawkuk. I look forward to seeing your build of this kit - hopefully you are planning to do a WIP? The details on this kit, for it's age, seem really good and sharp - washes and dry-brushing do see to highlight them well so far. Yes, it will be on WIP - i also bot an Eduard PE set. We'll se how it'll wokr out. Dawid 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawel Szczudlyk Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Wow so cool! I was thinking to buy this kit some time ago. Have fun 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Yes, it will be on WIP - i also bot an Eduard PE set. We'll se how it'll wokr out. Dawid Hi David that's great!! I look forward to following your build. Wow so cool! I was thinking to buy this kit some time ago. Have fun Hi Pawel. It does seem like a nice kit, especially for how cheaply it can be obtained. And I'm definitely having fun with this, my first 1/35 build!Not a very interesting update I'm afraid but I've managed to get all the tires painted: .....and got a mucky grey wash onto the lower hull. The lower hull still needs to have some areas washed with Revell's Anthracite to pick out the detail before I do some dry-brushing. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Hi Stix, looking nice so far. I have one of these in my watch list on the Bay, ( for 9.50), seriously thinking of getting it. Helluva jump of scale though!, Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 Hi Stix, looking nice so far. I have one of these in my watch list on the Bay, ( for 9.50), seriously thinking of getting it. Helluva jump of scale though!, Sean Hi Sean. Thank you. I'd say, even though I've only got so far in, it does seem like a fun build and, for the price, it is quite a nice kit with some lovely detail. If you fancy you could also do like AndyC did with his and get some PE to go with it. I know what you mean about the size though - sometimes the parts seem huge compared to 1/76 pieces - easier to see but longer to clean up and paint!Kind regards, Stix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 I've done a bit more today but didn't manage to take any photos. I have dry-brushed the tracks with Humbrol's Gunmetal and the raised detail on the sides of the lower hull with a lightened version of Humbrol's Desert Yellow. I'm hoping I might be able to start assembling the wheels tomorrow and I'll try and take some photograpghs. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robw_uk Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 nice work so far - this was my first AFV when I moved form wingy-things to targets... really fun build (have a soft spot for Tamiya kits form my childhood).... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 16, 2015 Author Share Posted April 16, 2015 (edited) Thanks Rob - glad to know you enjoyed building it. Well it's taken a bit longer than I thought it would - probably because it's 1/35 rather than a scale I'm used to - but I've got the basic painting/basic weathering done on the running gear and all these parts attached to the lower hull sides: I've also got the first wash onto the tracks but not taken a photo of these. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix Edited April 16, 2015 by PlaStix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noah Greggs Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Looks nice (will you have a crack at the figures?) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 Looks nice (will you have a crack at the figures?)Hi Noah. Thank you. Yes I'm intending to make and paint the figures - I'm thinking of doing a small display base too - it might not all be done before the end of the GB - but hopefully the actual vehicle will be.Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 Today I got to a point where I decided I needed to know if the tracks would go on. They've had their basic washes applied and, once dry, I did a test fitting ..............and they were a bit short - by about a centimetre. So I patiently spent some time gently stretching a small section at a time until they just fitted. I decided I wasn't going to use the shown Tamiya method of melting them together but rather rely on CA glue. I glued the area of the end of the tracks (with the pins on) to one of the wheels. I then fed the tracks along their route around the wheels and then fitted the other end with the holes over the pins. Once I'd pushed them far enough on I put some thin CA glue over the pins and waited while capillary action took the glue into the join. After a couple of minutes they seemed set to a reasonable level so I trimmed off the parts of the pins that were left sticking out. I then re-washed the area around the joints where the original washes has been rubbed off. And this is the result: The top of the hull is just placed in place and hasn't been painted yet. More next week. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Thats a great start into the 1/35 scale, Stix. Its a lovely kit, after all the years on the market. Tamiyas tanks are a joy to build and your result will be pleasing, without doubt ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawel Szczudlyk Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Hello Stix. It looking nice. Well done with tracks and I'm looking forward to see more Cheers, Pawel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Nice work mate - looking good 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noah Greggs Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Very nice, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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