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Badger's 1/72 Revell / MR Modellbau / OKB Panzer III ausf E


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1 hour ago, Ozzy said:

Looks fantastic Ben, 

Thanks Ozzy

 

Am enjoying this one. Once the filler has dried I can get it all sanded to shape, then start adding the base details.

 

My motorcycle set has been dispatched today so should be here soon.

 

More soon

Ben

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Thanks Stix

It needs a fair bit of fettling yet, but the basics are there. I've been looking up how to scratch the barrier and think I have this sorted now.

 

Small amount of progress tonight, I've finished the roadwheels and attached the hull escape door on the right hand side, just have the return rollers left to attach. I've cleaned them up and made some plastic road axles though.

 

I've also realised I'm missing an aerial trough and mount along with the tow cables, so need to have a dig in the spares box as I'm sure I've got those spare somewhere. I also need to add a hull machine gun and the grab handles above the turret side hatches

 

Finally I repositioned the turret as it was bugging me that it was too far forward. Checking my plans in panzer tracts showed it was out a tiny bit, but I'd only tacked it on for this very reason so it was an easy task to readjust (the mount is much smaller than the hole in the hull top for some reason so there's about 5mm of play).

 

More soon

Ben

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1 hour ago, Courageous said:

The start of nice base there Ben. My go to ground stuff is grout, works for me. Those cobbles and tracks look useful, might need to some of that.

 

Stuart

Thanks Stuart.

 

The cobbles are by a company called Wills Scenics. Found them in my local model railway shop some years ago and bought a selection of different types which I've used a fair bit over the years.

 

The tracks are Calibre 72 and sadly long out of production, but there are similar things on the market. I think UM did some in plastic to go with their armoured train range.

 

No actual progress tonight but I have sorted a colour scheme. As I want this set in May 1940 during the invasion of France the Panzer will be in two tone dunkelbraun and dunkelgrau camouflage. I've ordered a likely candidate for the brown today as I didn't have anything close in my preferred Vallejo paints.

Next up I need to check my decal stash to see what I have. Aiming for 1st Panzer Division but it depends on what decals I have.

 

My primary reference for the colours and markings is Dennis Oliver's Case Yellow book which has some excellent information and decent profiles which I'm reasonably inclined to trust.

 

More soon

Ben

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11 minutes ago, Hewy said:

Nice build , It'll  be a smashing little scene ben 👍

Thanks Hewy. It's actually been quite a fun build so far, especially figuring out how to get a random pile of parts to look like a panzer III!

 

I'll get back to this shortly as the plasterwork on the base has now fully dried so can be shaped, then I can start work on the barrier and other details.

 

Ben

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Ive been quietly working away on the base over the weekend.

I started by tidying up the plasterwork, then added the wooden planks from cut down coffee stirrers, loosely following Miniart's 1/35 version.

 

I then added model railway ballast between the sleepers and my usual shot blasting powder to add texture to the groundwork. 

 

Once done it was treated to a coat of Halfords grey primer, which has highlighted a couple of spots that need remedial work.

20210214_215954

 

I've been working on the barrier tonight - a dig in the bits box has provided most of the parts I need, but I didn't have the correct size Evergreen plastic channel to make the supports for the barrier so this has been ordered.

In the meantime I've made the barrier pole and it's counterweight.

 

More soon

Ben

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1 hour ago, PlaStix said:

That base looks really excellent Ben. Going to really add another dimension to your project. :thumbsup:

Kind regards,

Stix

Thanks Stix

 

I really enjoy the groundwork part of modelling as I feel it brings things to life and sets them in context.

 

My motorcycle has arrived today so I can get him cleaned up and primered now, and my plastic strip for the barrier supports has been dispatched.

 

More soon

Ben

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23 hours ago, Courageous said:

Now't wrong with your groundwork Ben, looking good.

 

Stuart

Cheers Stuart

 

Have started painting it tonight but nothing worth a photo yet.

 

More soon

Ben

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Ben,

 

this is just looking fantastic. I am really looking forward to the painting-bit and I'm really looking forward to seeing the M/C. They are a bit tricky in 1/72.

 

 

Alan

 

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9 hours ago, SoftScience said:

Wow! Your base is shaping up really nicely. The wooden plank crossing looks very effective. 

 

I look forward to seeing it painted.

 

2 hours ago, Angus Tura said:

Ben,

 

this is just looking fantastic. I am really looking forward to the painting-bit and I'm really looking forward to seeing the M/C. They are a bit tricky in 1/72.

 

 

Alan

 

Thank you very much chaps - I'm on holiday for a few days now so hoping I can find some time to do a bit more on this.

 

Cheers

Ben 

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Well I didn't get to do much on this whilst on holiday sadly but I've been plodding away at it the last couple of nights.

 

The final return rollers are on which finishes all the running gear off nicely and I've started adding a few of the detail bits to the Panzer.

20210223_215127

 

I've scratch built the barrier mechanism using some plastic strip and various spares from a munitions Panzer IV for the Karl Morser. This was heavily based on the Miniart kit and the intention was to convey something that looks like it might work rather than being absolutely accurate. 

20210223_214140 20210223_214127

 

I've also been working on the motorcycle tonight @Angus Tura. As it came the AB figures one had an empty front wheel, which to my mind is better than overly thick spokes or a solid disc. However I had the bright idea to add some spokes using fine brass beading wire!

20210223_213958

 

It's only to give an impression as it was incredibly fiddly to do even this, let alone anything more accurate, but I'm pleased enough with it. Next task is to add the handlebars and brake cables.

 

I've also been doing a bit of painting on the base. It's only a start at the moment but it's beginning to come together.

 

More soon

Ben

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That chopper looks lovely, missus. I think your spokes work really well.

 

I hadn't seen AB figures before. Very interesting. I see that AB calls them 20mm. Are they really 20mm, i.e. 144cm tall, or 4'9",  in 1/72? Not exactly Ubermenschen.

 

Alan

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Yet more excellent progress Ben. Your Panzer III E is really coming together with the extra detailing bits and pieces and your scenic work looks top notch too. As Alan mentioned, above, the spokes work really well. :thumbsup:

Kind regards,

Stix

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21 hours ago, Angus Tura said:

That chopper looks lovely, missus. I think your spokes work really well.

 

I hadn't seen AB figures before. Very interesting. I see that AB calls them 20mm. Are they really 20mm, i.e. 144cm tall, or 4'9",  in 1/72? Not exactly Ubermenschen.

 

Alan

Hi Alan

 

I've been using them for about 20 years - really like the character in the sculpts and was originally drawn to them as they offer a very extensive British range which few manufacturers at the time did.

 

I've measured a couple and they are between 23 and 24mm tall which I get to be approx 5'5" in real life which is probably pretty accurate for 1940s tank crew. They were originally marketed for 1/76 but I think they work well enough for 1/72 and seem "right" stood next to, and in, vehicles (for me anyway).

 

6 hours ago, PlaStix said:

Yet more excellent progress Ben. Your Panzer III E is really coming together with the extra detailing bits and pieces and your scenic work looks top notch too. As Alan mentioned, above, the spokes work really well. :thumbsup:

Kind regards,

Stix

Cheers Stix - I'm enjoying this one again after a few days where I've not had much bench time. I've been testing out a colour scheme tonight on another Panzer III (This one an ausf A) that I built a few years ago and almost finished before I realised it should be in the grey / brown scheme and I'd only painted it in grey before decalling and weathering!

 

I've just received a suitable brown from the Vallejo range (it was difficult to pin down an appropriate colour as there are many conflicting opinions), so have brush painted the brown patches on and it looks pretty ok to me so I'll go with the same colour on this build.

 

More soon

 

Ben

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2 hours ago, BIG X said:

Ben - I have to agree the motorbike looks a lovely bit of kit - great work as always - Steve

Thanks Steve 

I went for the AB bike over the Zvezda one I have in that stash as Zvezda have moulded the spokes as a solid disc which looks a bit rubbish in my opinion.

 

I've just popped out between lessons and primed the barrier (the joys of teaching from home!) so I can now start painting the base in earnest.

 

If I can get time later I'll add the handle bars and brake cables to the bike. I need to dig in my box of etch as I'm sure I have some etched number plates somewhere

 

More soon

Ben

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A bit of a blurry photo but there is progress on the base, although the wash has dried gloss annoyingly 

20210304_192821

 

The fencing I wanted to add has arrived today so I can get this tidied up and trimmed to size now.

20210304_192826

 

More soon

Ben

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