"A Balanced Diet" - Late War Winter StuG.III - 1/35 Dragon Ausf.G ***FINISHED***

[Ray_W]

1 hour ago, PlaStix said:

Looks like it's going to be an interesting vignette.

 

Hi Stix,

 

I hope it works out that way. Some Vallejo acrylics arrived today so I can push on with some figure painting.

 

Ray 

[Ray_W]

Weekend is nearly upon and some serious painting to be done. I just posted a question about the remote machine gun on the WW2 AFV thread.

 

 

Trying to understand some detail around this position for my 4th man. Any interior detail on the side opening loader hatches for this variant is also welcome.

Ray

 

[PlaStix]

Hi Ray. Hope you manage to get the information you require.

Kind regards,

Stix

[Ray_W]

No prizes now for guessing the story behind the title. Translate into your best German - "7.92! It is a wonder there is any of the rabbit left" "I missed and just stunned the poor little blighter. Walked right up and picked him up."

 

 

Everyone is now in a position that I am happy with.  Parts swapped around. Heads, arms, hands, and legs cut and repositioned. Gaps filled with Milliput Fine. A few extra features added.

 

 

 

Now the figures are ready for a little sanding, tidy up and wash before painting. Back to the StuG itself.

 

Ray 

 

 

[Ozzy]

Where did you get the rabbit from Ray?

[Ray_W]

6 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Where did you get the rabbit from Ray?

 

Hi Ozzy,

 

I was all psyched up to make a Milliput rabbit then spotted this at the LHS . Includes some useful creatures:

 

 

Ray

[PlaStix]

Great idea Ray!! And I have never seen that Livestock set before. I will have to look out for one! When I used to build exhibition model railways I always used to include some animals for the kids (and a lot of the adults!!) to spot. Animals always add another level of interest to a scene. In one of my exhibition layouts I had a bull chasing a man who was scrambling up over a fence. That always used to raise a smile when someone spotted it!

Kind regards,

Stix

[Ray_W]

3 minutes ago, PlaStix said:

I always used to include some animals for the kids

 

Hi Stix,

 

I had this in mind and thought I can't show a blood-stained rabbit so came up with the back story. Has some fact though, when I was 8 years old I was out with my father and his uncle rabbit shooting, spot lighting. My job was to jump out of the back of the ute and run out and pick up the rabbit. I brought one back and threw it into the back of the ute and it was only stunned or playing dead, got up and jumped out. I don't know who got the bigger fright.

 

I might have to put that mule to good use soon.

 

You can see I am making some progress cleaning up the wheels. sprockets and idlers. Big painting session coming up soon.

 

Ray

 

 

[Ray_W]

Creeping to the painting stage, still finishing the additional bits and pieces. You may of guessed that these days I am in the Finish-As-Much-As-Possible-Before-Painting School.  

 

I replaced the Dragon supplied alloy ropes (some would say springs) with hemp string that I passed through my fingers with a little PVA. Let it dry and then forms nicely and much easier to get into the desired position. I have a couple of spools of such string as used by the ship modellers. 

 

 

Still more to do. 

 

Ray

[Ray_W]

Always a nice stage to reach - construction largely complete and a nice undercoat of Black Mr Finishing Surfacer 1500 thinned with Mr Color Leveling Thinner. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow is a fun day. It is time for a little colour and a new paint. My first trial with the newish Tamiya lacquer range. Plan is to use their Dunkel Gelb LP-55 without modification. Let us see what it will looks like once applied.  

The lacquer paint should provide a robust base for the weathered winter white wash using the hairspray technique. As is my habit, I like using the manufacturer's thinners to start.

 

 

 

And I have started assembling the Magic Track - bottom flat portion only. I will do the bendy segments once the wheels are painted and pushed into position. Such a simple solution from Dragon - shame they went to DS. 

 

 

Ray

[Ozzy]

Coming along nicely Ray, I’ve just ordered a set of those figures for an 88 project I’ve got on the go. Looking forward to seeing how the lacquer turns out.

[Ray_W]

3 hours ago, Ozzy said:

Looking forward to seeing how the lacquer turns out.

 

Hi Ozzy,

 

The paint sprayed very nicely. No issues. Maybe 40-50% thinner at 15 psi.

 

Colour is not quite the same as their XF-60 Dark Yellow. Seems lighter, a tad greener. Anyway, I always mix 50% XF-55 Deck Tan with 50% XF-60 for Panzer subjects so this result, LP-55 out of the bottle, seems OK. It does appear a little more yellow in natural light and not quite as washed out as the photos. Soon to be chipped, white wash and weathered so nothing I will get hung up on.

 

The time to touch dry seemed longer than Gunze thinned with Mr Color Leveling Thinner. This time I used Tamiya Retarder Type Lacquer Thinner. Still quick drying though. Not as smelly as Gunze and has a faint hint of the smell of the Tamiya aqueous acrylics from the 70's and early 80's. Simply a no-nonsense paint.

 

 

 

 

Now, onto some detail painting.

 

Ray

[PlaStix]

Good afternoon Ray. WOW! Excellent progress and that really is looking awesome in it's paintwork!! Very nicely done.

Kind regards,

Stix

[Ozzy]

Looks a nice coverage Ray, maybe an area to venture into in the future.

[Ray_W]

11 minutes ago, PlaStix said:

Excellent progress and that really is looking awesome in it's paintwork!!

 

Thanks Stix. Not in the same league as your amazing brushwork, but it will suffice. I have come to really enjoy my AFV builds by assembling as much as possible before paint - a task that is much easier to do with an air brush - and why your builds are even more impressive.

 

10 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

maybe an area to venture into in the future

 

Definitely worth a go. I still prefer my Gunze although, strange to say, I seem to be using Tamiya mixes more of late.

 

Ray

[Retired Bob]

On 25/04/2021 at 11:55, Ray_W said:

Colour is not quite the same as their XF-60 Dark Yellow. Seems lighter, a tad greener.

Perhaps it's closer to Tamiya XF-88 their newer, lighter shade of dark yellow.

[Ray_W]

8 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

Perhaps it's closer to Tamiya XF-88 their newer, lighter shade of dark yellow.

 

I think you're right Bob. I did not even know XF-88 existed till I read your post. 

[Retired Bob]

5 hours ago, Ray_W said:

I think you're right Bob. I did not even know XF-88 existed till I read your post. 

Hi Ray, I found out about the "new" Tamiya German tank colours about 18 months ago, I read a review about them saying they were a more accurate shade for the last year of the war.

XF-88 dark yellow, XF-89 dark green and XF-90 red/brown.  The XF-90 looks very olive coloured even when it dries, here is a King Tiger I used all 3 colours on, I prefer using XF-79 Lino brown instead of the XF-90, it looks less olive.

 

[Ray_W]

3 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

XF-88 dark yellow, XF-89 dark green and XF-90 red/brown

I expect these are equivalent to the lacquers - LP-55 Dark Yellow 2, LP-56 Dark Green 2 and LP-57 Red Brown 2. So, new panzer colors. You learn something every day.

 

Nice looking King Tiger.

[Ray_W]

Well we do this hobby for enjoyment, don't we? And, I have to say I am enjoying this build greatly. My first StuG III and what a delightful Dragon build. 

 

In terms of progress, most of the detail painting is done and I am fiddling around with some washes and modest chipping.  The sprockets, idlers and rollers are just pushed on for the photo. 

 

 

My replacement rope is a tad too thick. Oh well, one to watch on the next build. 

 

 

I chose to include the Balkenkreuz to liven up the later white wash weatherig even though Dragon do not show these for this subject.

  

 

I will keep playing with the weathering and then its time for some hairspray and white wash while undertaking some meditative exercise called "Assembling Magic Track". This is never that bad with an audio book playing. Currently listening to Donald L. Miller's "Masters of the Air" having read it before. Motivated as production has started on this the third of the trilogy (Band of Brothers, The Pacific) - darn, this time not on HBO but Apple TV+.

 

Ray

[PlaStix]

Hi Ray. Looks like you are still making lovely progress. It looks very smart and I'm looking forward to seeing it with the whitewash weathering on. And I'm really pleased you are enjoying your build.

Kind regards,

Stix

[Retired Bob]

That's looking good Ray, have fun with the magic tracks, I've been painting mine today. 

[Ray_W]

I hope you do not mind intrepid modellers if I post a few more photos. I have reached a critical juncture where it is time to visit the hairdresser.

 

 

And for that reason this nice little StuG is going to disappear under some white wash and at the moment it sure is looking pretty (as pretty as a StuG can look). So bear with me if I post a few more photos in case disaster strikes. Let's say, just in case. 

 

 

 

 

 

I made the Magic Track up fitting a section at a time and finished with one gap underneath the rear road wheel. I can then slip it on with sprocket, idler and return rollers removable. Actually the road wheels are removable too. I will remove all to do the white wash and then muddy the hull a little on the inside before fitting them for good.

 

 

 

Tomorrow with any luck it will be in its winter scheme.

 

Ray

[Ray_W]

Finished the white wash with no disasters.

 

 

Also fitted and weathered in the tracks. Left side good ...

 

 

... right side ho hum.

 

 

It still needs a touch of flat coat in some areas, but I will save that for later.

 

 

If I was not adding the crew, then, an evening of details and it would be done. However, I think it's time for the guys to get a life.

 

EDIT: I was asked some questions on my hairspray technique so have added these comments:

 

1. I will apply a flat clear coat before the hairspray if I am concerned about possible damage to the colour coat. In this build I dispensed with the clear coat as I was using a robust Tamiya lacquer as the colour coat. I like applying the hairspray over a flat coat. 

 

2. Hairspray was applied after completing the weathering, such as chipping of surfaces, wear marks and pin wash. In other words, get the model looking like what it would look like before the white wash was applied. 

 

3. In this build I used TRESemme Fine Spray Extra Hold because it was what I could buy. I would of preferred a finer spray as this went on a little heavier than I wanted (heavy coats can lead to a more heavily/larger chipped appearance). I sprayed the model at a very long arms length to try and overcome this. Two light coats while ensuring good coverage with a quick hit with a hairdryer between coats and after to speed the drying process. We are talking a few minutes. Dries very quickly anyway. 

 

4. I then put the model aside and mixed up some Tamiya XF-2 Flat White using water as a thinner. How thin? About this or that, let's say thinner than normal but did not pool when sprayed. Sprayed the model immediately so total drying time between first coat of hair spray and first coat of white was lucky to be 10 minutes. Random coats of white to your taste.

 

5. Let the XF-2 dry - 10 minutes - and then it is time for the magic. Go to work with some water and a well used paint brush (I prefer an old softer Tamiya 3 mm and 6 mm flat).  Just work a small area at a time. It might be a panel or edge. Get the feel for what is going to happen. Apply more water in the area if needed and continue to work the selected area. I use the same brush to apply the water. One of those things where you wonder if anything will happen and then it starts. You can use different implements and experiment - stiffer brushes, tooth brush, toothpick. You can spray your white and leave the model for a considerable time, possibly days, and still come back and get the effect. Just that I do all in one sitting.

 

6. If unhappy, and after cleaning the surface (I use a 1/4" and 1/2" wide soft brush, chux wipe and Q-tip to remove any residual material) then a another light coat of hairspray and repeat as necessary.  

 

 Very simple process for great results. All done within 30 minutes.

 

Ray

 

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2021 by Ray_W
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[Ozzy]

Nice job Ray.