1/48 Skybow Tiger 1 (late) - D-Day GB crossover project - update 22/07/19 - In the Gallery

[Hewy]

 All Looking good so far stix

[Badder]

Hi Stix,

I know I'm a bit late with this, but as I've also modelled the side-skirt fixing points I did have a look at some photos and diagrams.

The side skirts are indeed bolted on, but the bolt itself is not screwed directly into the side of the hull. Instead, a square steel plate is welded onto the hull and that plate has a threaded hole in it which accepts the bolt.

Having said that, the side skirts were redesigned several times, with at least 5 modifications so as you say, there are some variations in the mounts as well. I got around that problem by splattering mud all over them!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

[Rogue705]

Looking nice Stix, I may increase chipping on mine as it does add some interest 

 

Have a couple of Skybows in the attic (Truck and Jeep me thinks) may get them down as your Skybow looks great quality

[PlaStix]

On 24/06/2019 at 18:02, modelling minion said:

I do like those damaged fenders, very nice indeed and the missing ones with just the attachment bolts are a really nice touch. Add to these some more missing zimmerit and this is looking fantastic, and that's before it gets the patented Stix brilliant brush painting job.

Hi Craig and thank you. I'm not getting to spend as much time on this as I'd like but, when I do, I am thoroughly enjoying what I'm doing.

 

On 25/06/2019 at 13:57, Hewy said:

 All Looking good so far stix

Thank you very much Glynn.

 

On 25/06/2019 at 15:00, Badder said:

Hi Stix,

I know I'm a bit late with this, but as I've also modelled the side-skirt fixing points I did have a look at some photos and diagrams.

The side skirts are indeed bolted on, but the bolt itself is not screwed directly into the side of the hull. Instead, a square steel plate is welded onto the hull and that plate has a threaded hole in it which accepts the bolt.

Having said that, the side skirts were redesigned several times, with at least 5 modifications so as you say, there are some variations in the mounts as well. I got around that problem by splattering mud all over them!

Rearguards,

Badder

Hi Badder. After I read your post I did a bit more online searching and could see what you mean - so I have added a few variations to mine as you'll see in the photos below. Thank you.

 

On 27/06/2019 at 09:49, Rogue705 said:

Looking nice Stix, I may increase chipping on mine as it does add some interest 

Have a couple of Skybows in the attic (Truck and Jeep me thinks) may get them down as your Skybow looks great quality

Thank you Rogue705. Yes the chipping does add something to the overall appearance of the Zimmerit and I agree, Skybow kits are of very good quality - shame they decided not to continue to make kits.

 

Right. I have been struggling to find modelling time but I have made some progress. Rather than carry on work on the actual lower hull I decide to concentrate on the lower hull decking. Once I had added some bullet damage, modified some of the missing side skirt's broken fixings and finished off the damage to the Zimmerit - I decided to get it painted. As before I used Revell's Ochre Brown, thinned with water and appled with a wide, flat brush:

 

 

 

 

I also got a couple of very thinned coats on the photoetch grills:

 

Then I gave everything a very thinned wash of Revell's Gunship Grey followed by, once dry, a targeted wash of very thinned Revell's Anthracite - which I applied with a fine pointed brush in and around the detail:

 

 

 

 

 

Once this was dry, I dry-brushed everything with a lightened version of the Ochre Brown:

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was the engine deck before the grills were added:

 

....and then with the grills added - I used small amounts of CA glue:

 

 

 

 

Then I couldn't resist a test fit with the lower hull:

 

 

 

 

 

 

More soon I hope!!

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

Edited July 2, 2019 by PlaStix

[modelling minion]

The upper hull is looking fantastic Stix, I really like the weathering and dry-brushing and those holes caused by large rounds and an extra realistic touch.

I can see why the Germans struggled to maintain the Tiger, look at the size of those Phillip's head screws by the grates, you would need at least a couple of very large blokes to wield a screwdriver big enough to tackle them!

[Ozzy]

Looking very nice Stix, your brush painting is fantastic.

[Robert Stuart]

That looks impressive Stix, I like that!

[Badder]

Lookin' gorgeous Stix. The Tiger, not you!

 

Rearguards,

Badder.

[BIG X]

I have to agree with the above - gorgeous work - very subtle - very nice - great job

[Hewy]

Looks smashing pal, i really like that paint work,nice damage too, this is real tank art

[PlaStix]

On 02/07/2019 at 16:24, modelling minion said:

The upper hull is looking fantastic Stix, I really like the weathering and dry-brushing and those holes caused by large rounds and an extra realistic touch.

I can see why the Germans struggled to maintain the Tiger, look at the size of those Phillip's head screws by the grates, you would need at least a couple of very large blokes to wield a screwdriver big enough to tackle them!

Thank you Craig, most kind. Yeah that must have been a big screwdriver - no wonder the Tiger had a weight problem.

 

On 03/07/2019 at 18:45, Ozzy said:

Looking very nice Stix, your brush painting is fantastic.

Thank you very much Ozzy.

 

On 03/07/2019 at 19:28, Robert Stuart said:

That looks impressive Stix, I like that!

Thank you Robert - very kind of you.

 

On 03/07/2019 at 20:51, Badder said:

Lookin' gorgeous Stix. The Tiger, not you!

Rearguards,

Badder.

Well really!! I do try - it's just that - as I'm getting older...........

Thank you anyway!

 

On 03/07/2019 at 22:21, BIG X said:

I have to agree with the above - gorgeous work - very subtle - very nice - great job

Thank you very much Steve.

 

On 05/07/2019 at 17:46, Hewy said:

Looks smashing pal, i really like that paint work,nice damage too, this is real tank art

You are too kind Glynn, but thank you.

 

I managed to find some time on this during some evenings last week and over the weekend. First job was getting some thinned Revell's Anthracite on the tracks followed dry-brushing some Humbrol's Gunmetal on them once they were dry - the top one in the photo below has been dry-brushed:

 

Then I got some very thinned washes of Humbrol's Desert Yellow and Railmatch's Light Rust on:

They still need some mud washes on.

 

I also started to add the first bits of the weathering to the outer sets of the road wheels:

 

 

I then felt like I wanted to do something other than painting or detail painting so I got the parts for the turret and gun assembled:

 

It really does have some lovely detail:

 

Next I damaged the Zimmerit in a vaiety of places and then added some weapons damage. Of course I then had to get back to painting! I've included a photo below to show how my paintwork looks after the first coat - with a light paint on darker plastic. It is quite hard to paint with thinned paints on this dark green plastic and there is a temptation to try and make it look better too quickly - so I make myself be patient and let it dry thoroughly before adding the next coats:

 

Once fully dry I gave the parts their second and third coats of thinned Revell's Ochre Brown - thinned with water and applied with a medium flat brush:

 

Once this was dry I applied a very, very thinned wash of Revell's Gunship Grey all over - I used a very soft medium pointed brush for this. Again, once dry, I applied a very, very thinned wash of Revell's Anthracite - in and around the detail - using a very fine pointed brush:

 

Finally, for the weekend, I did the dry-brushing all over these parts with a lightened version of the Ochre Brown:

 

The detail did come up quite nicely:

 

 

 

 

 

Of course I then couldn't resit a test fit with the upper hull on the lower hull with the turret in place - just to check it all matched up:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was quite pleased with that. Next I will probably do some work on the parts that haven't been attached yet before getting onto the camo.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

Edited July 9, 2019 by PlaStix

[Retired Bob]

Looking really good as it all comes together, I must try some Revell paints for the hairy stick work.

[Ozzy]

Looking very nice Stix.

[Hewy]

 Super work ,Never  ceases to amaze me how you turn out  qualityy models like they're on a conveyor belt

[PlaStix]

On 08/07/2019 at 12:42, Retired Bob said:

Looking really good as it all comes together, I must try some Revell paints for the hairy stick work.

Thank you Bob. Yes most Revell paints are good for brush painting. There’s been the odd one, I have found, that doesn’t work as well. As with other paints it sometimes depends on the batch.

 

On 08/07/2019 at 18:56, Ozzy said:

Looking very nice Stix.

Thank you Ozzy.

 

On 08/07/2019 at 20:13, Hewy said:

 Super work ,Never  ceases to amaze me how you turn out  qualityy models like they're on a conveyor belt

Thank you Robert. Not a conveyor belt but I do have a set of processes I tend to stick to as I have found they work okay for most builds. Sometimes the kit I'm building can have a different build up order which makes me alter what I do a little.

 

Over the past few evenings I have been preparing all the bits that need to be added eventually and I haven’t done anything with yet. I like to get them done a bit earlier on in the build so I'm not left with them at the end........I find I have more patience with them earlier on.

I got all the parts sorted ready for painting that are going to be painted with Revell's Ochre Brown - most of the sprue gates removed - leaving some sprue to hold while painting - and any seam lines removed:

 

I also did the same with all the parts which are going to be dry-brushed with Humbrol's Gunmetal:

 

All the parts which will have some Gunmetal dry-brushed on them were given a couple of thinned coats of Revell's Anthracite first:

 

The latter were then painted and some base weathering applied - here they can be seen when the sprue bits had been removed from most:

 

These are the parts which were painted with a base layer of Ochre Brown after some weathering was applied and the sprue bits removed:

 

I won't now do anything more on these until they are fitted in place after the camo is applied on the main hull and turret parts.

 

More tomorrow I hope.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

[Retired Bob]

Checked in some of the local shops that sell some models and paints, no real model shops until you get to York (80 mile round trip so not local)  Cannot find any Revell paint.  Vallejo, Humbrol and Tamiya are available, but not an extensive range, so It will have to be ebay.  The new Tamiya colours for my KTs, XF-88,89 & 90 were unavailable, and had to come all the way from Cornwall!

[Robert Stuart]

Looking good there Stix, lots of fine detail painting.

[Retired Bob]

Oops, forgot to add this in my last post.  Some nice painting and dry brushing there Stix, looking at your exhaust pipes, I was painting mine the usual rusty/flaky effect (I add talc to the paint) but after looking at some of the close ups of the KTs, the exhausts do not look rusty at all, I suppose most were straight out of the factory, I think I should tone down most of the rust.

[Badder]

Hi Stix,

I always admire your 'painted parts' photos. It's a bit like looking at cases full of butterfly specimens in the Natural History Museum. Beautiful, but somehow sad. Those parts though, will have the pins removed from their backs and, bursting into life, will be free to fly back to their habitat to sip nectar from the flower that is your Tiger.

 

For more poetic whimsy, please visit BADDER@I'MNOTDRUNKISWEAR

 

Rearguards,

Badder

[PlaStix]

On 13/07/2019 at 16:20, Retired Bob said:

Checked in some of the local shops that sell some models and paints, no real model shops until you get to York (80 mile round trip so not local)  Cannot find any Revell paint.  Vallejo, Humbrol and Tamiya are available, but not an extensive range, so It will have to be ebay.  The new Tamiya colours for my KTs, XF-88,89 & 90 were unavailable, and had to come all the way from Cornwall!

 

On 14/07/2019 at 00:38, Retired Bob said:

Oops, forgot to add this in my last post.  Some nice painting and dry brushing there Stix, looking at your exhaust pipes, I was painting mine the usual rusty/flaky effect (I add talc to the paint) but after looking at some of the close ups of the KTs, the exhausts do not look rusty at all, I suppose most were straight out of the factory, I think I should tone down most of the rust.

Hi Bob. Thank you for your comments. I must admit I sometimes struggle to find Revell and Humbrol Acrylic paints - in model shops and at the odd model show I go to. I get some off Amazon - although some colours can be more expensive than others. Hope you manage to get some okay.

I think with regards the exhausts - it's all down to the modeller's own preference. I always think that, when the tank was new, they would be painted and neat and tidy. The longer the tank was in use the more damaged they would become - just from use, overheating and from battle, etc. If you have photos of a specific tank in a particular period then you stand more chance of being accurate. If, on the other hand, you want to use a bit of artistic licence, then that's up to you......it's your model - as long as it doesn't bother you if other modellers let you know that you might have made it less accurate than it could have been. I sometimes like to include some heating and usage damage on mine......sometimes I remain restrained - whereas at other times I get a bit carried away!

 

On 13/07/2019 at 18:24, Robert Stuart said:

Looking good there Stix, lots of fine detail painting.

Hi Robert and thank you for your comments.

 

On 14/07/2019 at 06:45, Badder said:

Hi Stix,

I always admire your 'painted parts' photos. It's a bit like looking at cases full of butterfly specimens in the Natural History Museum. Beautiful, but somehow sad. Those parts though, will have the pins removed from their backs and, bursting into life, will be free to fly back to their habitat to sip nectar from the flower that is your Tiger.

For more poetic whimsy, please visit BADDER@I'MNOTDRUNKISWEAR

Rearguards,

Badder

Hi Badder. Thank you for your comments - although sometimes I am a bit concerned about you...........no, sorry, I am concerned about you most of the time!

 

Only a quick update now. I decided yesterday that I wanted to get the track on. They went on reasonably well although there was some fiddling about in places. The end result was:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once the glue had dried on these I got the upper hull fitted and glued in place:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camo painting next!!!

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

[Robert Stuart]

Good to see Stix.

Is the hull top glued on now?

[Ozzy]

Nice job on the tracks Stix, she's progressing nicely.

[Badder]

6 hours ago, PlaStix said:

On 7/14/2019 at 6:45 AM, Badder said:

 

Hi Badder. Thank you for your comments - although sometimes I am a bit concerned about you...........no, sorry, I am concerned about you most of the time!

 

Thanks Stix,

I'm afraid I won't get any better! Hence my life-long nickname!

You on the other hand are just getting Betterer. In regards to your model-making, that is.

 

 

Rearguards

Badder

Edited July 15, 2019 by Badder

[Hewy]

It does look quality stix, impressive job on the running gear

[PlaStix]

On 15/07/2019 at 16:05, Robert Stuart said:

Good to see Stix.

Is the hull top glued on now?

Hi Robert. Thank you for your comments and yes the top is indeed gled on! In fact, if you check below, it's got a little bit further.

 

On 15/07/2019 at 17:44, Ozzy said:

Nice job on the tracks Stix, she's progressing nicely.

Hi Ozzy and thank you. Yes the individual link tracks that Skybow provided as an extra to the kit are very good - if a bit fiddly at times. I haven't tried using the band tracks that come with the kit but I hear they are not great.

 

On 15/07/2019 at 19:04, Badder said:

You on the other hand are just getting Betterer. In regards to your model-making, that is.

Rearguards

Badder

Hi Badder - you are too kind as always, but thank you.

 

On 19/07/2019 at 05:36, Hewy said:

It does look quality stix, impressive job on the running gear

Hi Glynn and thank you. I always find these very crisply detailed kits much easier to paint and weather - and the detailing in this kit is very fine.

 

I'm sorry there haven't been more updates on this project but life has been getting in the way a bit recently. I have been finding time here and there to work on the Tiger but not post anything on here. I have been struggling to keep up with others' builds as well. As a result, since my last update above, I have managed to get it just about finished. I have remembered occasionally to take photos.

 

As I mentioned, at the end of my last post above, my next job was to do the camo. I used Humbrol Acrylics 252 Olivgrun and 160 German Camouflage Red Brown. Both were very thinned with water and applied with a very small stippling brush where the bristles are very splayed out. Once these colours were dry I dry-brushed all over them with a lightened version of Revell's Ochre Brown:

 

Next I added some slight chipping effects to various parts and edges before adding washes and runs using very, very thinned paints. Before getting the weathering completed I also added the decals. The number decals are from an old tamiya kit that I cut out and re-arranged to give the number of the tank I wanted to portray - 313:

 

And before long I had all the remaining parts added and the final weathering completed - including adding some Vallejo Mud in places:

 

Same stages with the other side:

 

 

 

3/4 view from the front:

 

 

 

...and from behind:

 

 

 

A couple of views of it finished from slightly above:

 

 

I also took some photos of it on my Spitfire display base - the one with the sky backdrop photo - with some grass matt underneath. One of those here:

and then I'll work out which photos to put in the gallery. I still have a couple of bits to sort out and paint plus, for the D-Day GB, I am going to include some figures and have it mounted on a base under fire from a Typhoon Mk.1b.

 

If you would like to see more of my D-Day project it can be found here:

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235056059-typhoon-mk1b-vs-tiger-1-148-italeri-and-skybow-tiger-1-update-080719/

 

Thank you to anyone who has taken the time to comment or offer advice in this thread. It was a very enjoble build.

 

EDIT: The Gallery photos can be found: Here

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

Edited July 22, 2019 by PlaStix