A Brace of Cubs

[Foxbat]

I've got a fair bit of aftermarket stuff in the post for my main build so I need something to tinker with while I'm waiting for that,and also something to slap paint on and keep the mojo running in between sessions on my main build (which will be slow out of necessity - I start a new job on day three of the GB and there's a house move pending too. Talk about making it easy for myself), so the two Zvezda 1/100 'baby' Tigers that I initially discounted will make this GB after all. 

 

Here are the boxes. Two different Tiger based tank destroyers so I'm definitely ringing the changes through the GB:

 

 

The Jagdtiger consists of an impressive 23 parts with some nice detail:

 

 

Whilst the Ferdinand harks back to  a simpler time, making do with just 10:

 

 

I feel much better now I'm totally over committed.

 

Andy

[Ozzy]

Nice one Andy, good luck in the new job. These both look nice builds.

[BIG X]

under 4 quid - bargains...

...and the running gear looks great - I know very little about Tigers - but from what I have seen so far - that trademark 'slouching' track is something I'm aiming for.

 

I'll watch these with interest Andy.

 

Good Luck - Steve 

[Foxbat]

5 hours ago, BIG X said:

under 4 quid - bargains...

...and the running gear looks great - I know very little about Tigers - but from what I have seen so far - that trademark 'slouching' track is something I'm aiming for.

 

I'll watch these with interest Andy.

 

Good Luck - Steve 

Think I picked them up in a sale so paid a bit less than the ticket price for them too. They have some lovely detail for the size, snap together and take paint well which makes them even better than PSC ones I've tried for a mojo restorer or paint mule between serious builds. I've just had a quick tot up and I've now got 28 of them between the display shelf, the production line and the stash.

 

I hope I do them enough justice to keep your interest  

 

Andy

Neither small nor perfectly formed

Edited May 18, 2019 by Foxbat
Found 2 more on the bench

[Foxbat]

The build started with a slightly odd bit - a suspension unit that goes along each side of the hull. Fit wasn't the best, but a bit og Extra Thin and some carefully applied pressure and it's close enough.

 

 

Some nice detail on the suspension arm mounts, but it will never be seen. I wouldn't have minded if they'd dropped the parts count and just moulded a couple of pegs to mount the track units direct to the hull. 

 

 

The armour plate on the front of the driving compartment is also a separate piece. At least you can see it. You can also see that mould line that runs round the hull but isn't so obvious in real life. I'll scrape it off before I start with paint.

 

 

It's got a big gun, with a big chunk of sprue gate still attached - remedied since the photo was taken.

 

 

Gun meets hull. 

 

 

And the superstructure is added. That's construction essentially complete. Tea break, then cleaning up ready for paint.

 

 

Andy

No Elefants in this room thank you

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Well that was quick. 👍🏻

[PlaStix]

Looks like a good start!

Kind regards,

Stix

[Foxbat]

You know how it is, it gets to the end of the day and you're tidying up then your hand slips, there's knives and all of a sudden it's 2am and another model is well under way? Well that's what happened here.

 

Zvezda's little kits are masterpieces of design more akin to clockwork or puzzle boxes than traditional kits which makes them a joy to build. For the Jagdtiger, you start by adding a frame to the hull floor (you can see at this magnification that I just hacked it off the sprue - all the important bits are untouched and in the right place). Why is that shape? Why all the little holes and pegs? What kind of mind thought "This is how we must do this"?

 

 

Next we add the hull sides. Note that the back half is not attached to the hull floor,and the idler wheel axle is flying free. More on that later.

 

 

Another odd frame covered in pegs. Use some of them to attach a couple of pieces...

 

 

Flip it over, and just like that you have the superstructure completed.

 

 

Those two holes at the back of the frame in the first picture are used to mount a second frame. Most of it will be hidden but note that the rear fenders are tight against the outside edge of that free flying end of the hull side locking it in place. Not also that the frame from the first pic and this new one both have oddly angled pegs. They're for the next stage. There's also a couple of cross pieces that slip in at this point too.

 

 

 

Those angled pegs fit into sockets in the rear hull plate. The rear hull plate completes the sandwich that holds the hull sides in place. Everything for a reason, everything interlocking with and strengthening what's gone before. All done without a drop of glue at this stage too. This thing is an engineering delight, it really is. 

 

 

A big leap forward here, this should maybe have been two pictures but never mind. The hull top and glacis are one big part. It snaps onto those cross members and the little peg at the front of the hull floor, then the superstructure drops into sockets on the top giving you this;

 

 

I would have liked to leave the tracks off until everything else was painted, but you can't fit them after the hull sides because they're too big to slide between the track guards and axles so they go on next. Note how all the mating surfaces are chamfered and the pegs set at just the right angle to make everything as easy as possible for the builder. It takes a lot of effort to make a hash of these kits.

 

 

The main gun. This consists of three pieces; the barrel, mantlet and a peg that clips into something inside and allows the gun to move. I can't see the join either  

 

 

I skipped ahead again. Gun mounted, sides on and the hull MG fitted. That's construction done. There's a couple of gaps that are much less obvious in real life, and it was 2am so I wasn't much inclined to try fixing them at that point. I'll have a fettle before paint goes on. Maybe.

 

 

And the obligatory penny shot. A brace of baby Tigers ready for paint.

 

 

Andy

Ready for bed

 

Edited May 19, 2019 by Foxbat

[Ozzy]

Fantastic progress Andy, they both look really nice kits.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

8 hours ago, Foxbat said:

A brace of baby Tigers ready for paint.

 

The coin says it all ... Those are pretty good looking and well detailed for the size. 

Edited May 19, 2019 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Foxbat]

10 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

The coin says it all ... Those are pretty good looking and well detailed for the size. 

I love them. Got 28 of them now between the display shelf, workbench and stash. 

 

These two have the first coat of paint, and an ink wash over the running gear that isn't going to get any camo colours. Think the Ferdinand will be two tone with added green as at Kursk and the Jagdtiger will have something interesting from Austria 1945

 

 

Andy

Making progress

[PlaStix]

Wow! You are making rapid progress with these and they certainly are very well detailed for the size they are.

Kind regards,

Stix

[Foxbat]

Only a little update tonight. I've done something with the engine grills, just so I felt I was still making progress. The magnified pictures don't half show up the gaps in the sand - an inevitable by product of using Tamiya acrylic paints directly onto unprimed plastic. It'll all come out in the wash, I'm sure.

 

 

Still some tidying to do but I'll worry about that when I've got the camo on. Finally for tonight, since penny shots are becoming passe, here's a size comparison between 1/100 and 1/48 Tigers. 

 

 

And really, really finally, a very regional joke: what's the difference between Elefants and Mother's Pride? Different Breeds. 

 

Andy

Very sorry

[Ozzy]

Nice progress with the engine grills Andy, the picture to the scale difference is a nice picture.