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'Kampfgruppe Tunesien'* German Armour Diorama with an Fw190 - ##Finished - in the Gallery## 25/12/16


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As I mentioned above - I have been thinking how I want to display these tanks and plane. I think I'm going to go for more of a maintenance type vignette so I have decided to use these figures as well:

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Photo of the sprues:

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There seems to be a lot of stuff in this set as can be seen from the instruction sheets:

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I will probably start work on these next week when I get the odd moment.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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Right........a few bits to update from the weekend so I may split them over a couple of posts starting with the AFV Club Tiger 1. First job on Saturday morning was to attach the grills on the rear deck:

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I carefully used CA glue applied to the corners and centre of each edge.

 

Then I dry-brushed everything with a lightened version of the base colour:

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I also did some work on the other parts that will need to be added later:

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On Sunday I started by adding more shading:

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Before starting work on the camo colour and decals:

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For the camo I used Humbrol 116. In most period photos it's really hard to see the camo - it mostly looks like dirt so I opted to stipple on the paint very thinly. Once it had dried I dry brushed over these areas with a lighted version of the base coat.

 

On Sunday I also started fabricating the step that was welded to the front spare track support bar on 131:

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Thoroughly enjoying working on this project at the moment so I'm probably going to try and squeeze in some evening sessions this week.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

 

 

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On 10/10/2016 at 4:03 PM, modelling minion said:

More good progress Stix.

Your Tiger is looking excellent.

Craig.

Hi Craig and thank you. Sorry for the late reply but I'm finding a few quirks with the new site on the iPad.

 

On 10/10/2016 at 4:23 PM, Robert Stuart said:

Just to echo Craig, it is looking good Stix

Hi Robert and thank you too.

 

On 10/11/2016 at 3:44 AM, Ozzy said:

Looking good Stix.

Cheers Ozzy. :cheers:

 

On 10/11/2016 at 9:15 AM, wimbledon99 said:

This is all looking rather splendid Stix - Can't wait to see how those figures turn out :) 

 Hi Nigel and thank you. I'm thinking there are a lot of figures to do but I'm sure it will be fine..........:frantic:

 

On 10/11/2016 at 5:12 PM, rob85 said:

Excellent work stix! Really brought out the detail on that kit. Really looking forward to you working on those figures, they look a great set.

Rob 

Thank you very much Rob. The detail on both of the kits themselves does seem really good and picks out well with dry-brushing.

 

On 10/11/2016 at 10:37 PM, sean said:

Oh yes, very subtly done. Great camp Stix,

Sean

Thank you very much Sean.

 

I ought to do another bit of an update. Earlier this week I did do a bit of work in the evenings on some of the small bits for the Tiger (that still need to be applied) but I've not had chance to take any photos.

 

Last weekend I replaced the aerial on the Pz.III after managing to damage it while picking it up. I then decided I wanted to take some photos of the Pz.III with one of my desert back grounds and got a bit carried away again:

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And a few to show the stowage:

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After taking these photos I decided I needed to add some more dust weathering which I will do at the weekend.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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Very nicely done Stix, very nicely done indeed.....Your brushwork is just masterful.  :coolio:

 

Possibly useful suggestion, jerry-cans that were used for water had their stamped X pattern painted in white to distingish them from fuel cans.  :nerd:

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On 10/14/2016 at 8:47 PM, wimbledon99 said:

Those pictures are cracking Stix. Love the rope holding down the stowage!! :clap2:

Thank you Nigel - you are very kind!

 

On 10/15/2016 at 6:28 AM, rob85 said:

Those pictures are excellent stix, beautiful work mate

Rob

Thank you very much too Rob.

 

On 10/15/2016 at 8:37 AM, Sgt.Squarehead said:

Very nicely done Stix, very nicely done indeed.....Your brushwork is just masterful.  :coolio:

Possibly useful suggestion, jerry-cans that were used for water had their stamped X pattern painted in white to distingish them from fuel cans.  :nerd:

Thank you Sarge - you too are most kind.

Thank you for the suggestion. I got them painted white yesterday - must remember to take some photos to prove I have!

 

I've got a fair bit done over the weekend and I will try and get some photos posted this afternoon.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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As I mentioned earlier in the thread; I'm making this version of Tiger 1 '131' by modifying AFV Club's Early Tiger 1 so I haven't got any decals for the numbers. I decided, therefore, that I would produce a masking tape mask for the numbers. Looking at period photos of 131, the turret numbers don't look crisp and clear so I figured I could get away with dry-stippling them and this is the result:

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.........and this was the mask I used:

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I basically worked out, from the photos, how big the numbers should be before drawing them freehand and cutting them out with a scalpel. I'm reasonably happy with the result and they do seem similar to the photos. Luckily the numbers were fairly simple when compared to some of the more complicated types sometimes used.

 

Next I added a variety of weathering including some streaks and stains:

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Then I decided it was time to add the parts to the rear of the hull:

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The above photo is to prove I have painted all of the exhaust parts - even those areas that won't be seen.

 

From above:

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Then with the shields in place:

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While waiting for the glue to set on the previous parts I added the remaining parts on the turret:

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Before fitting the the Feifel system on the rear of the hull:

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And then I couldn't resist some photos with the turret in place:

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Then quite a while was spent getting all the tools attached:

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There is still quite a bit to do, including fitting an aerial, but the basics are just about done.

 

I did take some photos late on yesterday afternoon but the light wasn't great so they are a little grainy, but they give an impression of what it's like:

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I have got some more photos but I'll put them in the next post.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

Edited by PlaStix
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1 minute ago, John_W said:

Great progress, haven't looked in for a while and you have really cracked on with this.

Thank you John. I have been really enjoying working on this project and it's meant I've been trying to find the odd few minute in the evenings on weekdays as well as my usual modelling time at weekends.

 

These first photos were taken yesterday afternoon while the sun was a bit too low in the sky but they hopefully give an idea of what the Tiger 1 will look like when it's on diorama base. These were just taken with one of my backdrops on my chipboard table top:

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Same photo but in black & white:

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I'm quite please with how the camouflage looks muted in the last photo - like it does in the period ones.

 

A couple with the Pz.III and Tiger 1 side by side:

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Yesterday evening I realised I hadn't included any showing some of the really nice detail on the kit so I took a few more photos under electric light - so they look a little washed out and grainy:

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I think next weekend I will try and get some proper photos of both these tanks and I should be able to start on the Tamiya Tiger 1 as well. I may even have a quick go at the Fw190!

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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Lovely job on the Tiger Stix. It looks great against your backdrop, which adds context to the subject. I look forward to seeing how the 190 will fit in with the tanks and figures. Cheers Greg :D

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Hi John, Craig, Rob, Sarge, Greg and Sean.

 

Thank you all for your way too kind comments! :blush:

I had done individual replies but the new Britmodeller software wouldn't let me post it for some reason so I am doing a shorter version as a bit of a test.

 

I have been thoroughly enjoying building these kits and have already started working on the Tamiya Tiger 1 yesterday evening. Nothing worth a photo - just adding some of the plastic parts to the metal hull. The rear hull section didn't fit too well so I ended up having to do a bit of fettling - but it's on - although it will require a bit of filler. I'm probably not going to use the PE sets I have (maybe only the grills) because I don't think I'd be able to get both the Tamiya Tiger 1 and the Fw190 plus the base and figures finished before the deadline.

 

The plan for the Fw190 requires me to get hold of something I haven't yet been able to source but I am still hopeful I can get it displayed on the diorama. I may even do a little work on the 190 this weekend.

 

Thank you all again.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

 

 

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On 03/10/2016 at 9:43 PM, GREG DESTEC said:

 

Edited by PlaStix
Problems with new software! Can't seem to get rid of previous post sections.
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Hi all. Sorry about the previous post - for some reason, on my iPad, previous posts linger in the new text window.

 

Anyway I have the afternoon off and I'm going to do some work on the Tamiya Tiger 1. I have to say I'm not sure of the fit in places but we'll see.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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