Sd.Kfz.9 & Sd.Ah.115

[NIK122]

Good evening. Some more on the trailer. The oils have dried and been sealed with more gloss coat and a Tamiya black panel line has been applied to the planks. After some procrastination I've decided to just add the license plate decal and not the large optional number on the right rear mudguard as I can only find one image showing this feature which incidentally is what the kit box art is based on. Instead I opted to mask and add the white width markings on the rear mudguards to add some interest. The license plate decal was a pig to fit and needed notching. With hindsight I should have removed the three raised details as I can't find a reference image with them on. I couldn't bring myself to do this though after the paint was added. It ended up being academic after damaging the paint on the right mudguard whilst removing the mask for the white markings.

Moving on, the bits and bobs for the winch were next. This consists of some after market resin parts and a doctored towing eye from the spares box. The hook is from the trailer kit and the single link is from a chain I've found that is near enough for the other details that will be added.

The problem with the towing eye was the open side where the cable is attached. This has been fixed with drilled out stretched sprue. It will make gluing the metal cable to this part a lot more straight forward.

Below are all the parts for the end of the towing cable and the bracket for fixing down the spare wheel.

Finally it all added to the trailer. I turned blue holding my breath when cutting the tow cable to length as messing it up could have been a disaster after gluing the winch housing in place. The spare tyre has been weathered but nothing else.

Everything is glued in place apart from the chain tensioners as I don't fancy crimping on the chains in situ. The cable eye and rollers etc need picking out with a gun metal paint. It's all looking very shiny but not for much longer.

Another dry fit. The wheels have been weathered and that is it for now.

Thanks for looking

 

 

[NIK122]

Good evening. Some more progress and the start of the display base as follows. I've started chipping and weathering the trailer. I don't seem to have taken any photos of the chipping so here's one of the rear axel after the fact with a dust wash.

I decided to build the base this weekend as a break from the more involved process of weathering and to help bring the project together as one unit.

I started with the obligatory piece of oak plank. This piece is 600mm by 160mm. A bit of a beast. The intention is to build a base representing a section of road with a ditch running the length of the base but not parallel. Why make it easy? With the trailer being so low I figure raising up the terrain will make the finished display more interesting and the subject easier to look at? Its ended up looking like its on an elevated or banked road. With the addition of foliage and maybe telegraph poles it may remedy this.........we will see.

Dry fitting the base and model below. I started with the model running right to left but after thinking about it, left to right made more sense with the vehicle parked up on the side of the road on the continent.

The terrain is framed with pine, 28mm by 10mm. Both ends of the pine frame were shaped to form the ditch and then it was just a case of following the contours, left to right with the cardboard strips. Anyone familiar with model railways will have seen this technique before. Its cheap, surprisingly relaxing and well, the grounds the limit. 

I added more card from another box to form the road etc and pinned it down. A wash of thinned PVA was applied to the whole surface and when this was touch dry weight was added to the surface over night. If I do this again I will use more rigid card as once dry it was a little more spongy than I would have liked. 

The following morning when dry I've added two part wood filler over the whole surface. Two part car filler would have been just as good but as I wasn't bothered by a super smooth finish it wasn't a problem. This was then sanded back after 20mins. This is what I like about the product. It lets you get on with it.

Mig acrylic mud has then been applied over the surface. Neat over the verge and slightly diluted on the road. I used a hairdryer to speed this up and then fine sandpaper to remove the coarseness of the texture on the road for variation and so that all the wheels and tracks will sit down on the surface.

And finally a test shot. I've a static grass applicator in the post, something I've never used before, so the next post will follow on from here.

Thanks for looking

[Redcoat2966]

That looks awesome mate........really been a pleasure to follow along. Interesting way to do the bio terrain.......

 

Cheers

Simon

[NIK122]

49 minutes ago, Redcoat2966 said:

That looks awesome mate........really been a pleasure to follow along. Interesting way to do the bio terrain.......

 

Cheers

Simon

Thanks Redcoat! I'm glad you like it. The terrain technique is something that I picked up from my dad's model railway projects. He used to use 'modroc' over the cardboard. It's the stuff they used to use for broken bone casts. It's something I unfortunately don't have in my stash

[Model Mate]

Looking really nice - you'll have fun with the static grass - it's a blast

[NIK122]

15 minutes ago, Model Mate said:

Looking really nice - you'll have fun with the static grass - it's a blast

I hope that's not sarcasm? 😆 No idea what I'm letting myself in for 

[Model Mate]

oh no - I really like dabbling with the vegetation

[NIK122]

Good afternoon. Here's a little more. There's been a bit of a gap since last posting as I've moved house so before and after the move as follows.

So following on with the base. I'm trying for an old asphalt surface. The texture was achieved by white gluing fine sand to the surface and then sanding it. It's kind of OK at this point but was improved on later. 

I've added a telegraph pole from Miniart to give the display some height.

Next the static grass was added with mixed results. It started well but then ended up a little on the thin side. I think this is due to a lack of experience as it was my first attempt.

The road surface has had more loose material added and then picked out by brush. I used the surplus rubber tyres from the kit to add the wheel marks on the surface. The static grass has been redone.

Tall grasses were created from an old, or new paintbrush.

Glued in clumps with CA.

And airbrushed.

Added to the base as randomly as possible and thinned and shaped a little with scissors. The static grass was airbrushed before this to tone it down😬. It's still looking a bit bright maybe but under natural light natural enough.

 

 

The whole thing toned down more and any patches of missing grass made to look boggy.

Finally for this post some leaf litter. I'm seriously considering changing the leaves for miniature oak leaves as the Famo and Bison1 I will be modelling are both from the 1st Panzer regiment, so the leaves would become a nod to the regiments badge.

Back to the Famo and trailer. Everything has been clear coated and the weathering has begun. Not too much to show on this but there will be next time.

I couldn't resist a shot outside.

There still seems to be a lot to do with all the additional missing parts but I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel. The seats have been airbrushed with Tamiya matt black then dry brushed with a light grey enamel.

They were then given a wash with burnt umber oil paint.

Lastly for this post the wind screen. This part has been giving me nightmares but after the best part of a day, some choice words and several attempts and alterations to get the tiny parts to sit right I'm happy with the results. 

The kit parts as they come.

The lower transom on the opening part of the wind screen was first to go as it's incorrect. Also the molded on wipers and a dozen injector pin marks were removed. Sorry the pictures aren't great.

The assembled frame.

The stays consist of five parts each. There are still the wipers, wiper motors and cables, searchlight and glazing to add. A model within its self.

Thanks for looking

 

[Lummox]

Loving your work here Nik, the build, paint-job and diorama are all excellent. I especially like what you have done with the seats - lovely stuff 👍

 

Am I right in assuming that the scissor hinges for the tilting windscreen are from the Royal Model accessory set? The reason I ask is that I'm currently struggling to manufacture something similar.

 

Cheers, Paul.

[NIK122]

On 5/5/2022 at 11:03 PM, Lummox said:

Loving your work here Nik, the build, paint-job and diorama are all excellent. I especially like what you have done with the seats - lovely stuff 👍

 

Am I right in assuming that the scissor hinges for the tilting windscreen are from the Royal Model accessory set? The reason I ask is that I'm currently struggling to manufacture something similar.

 

Cheers, Paul.

Thank you for the kind words Paul. 

I did start off with a combination of the Aber set and the Royal model set as it reduced the number of parts by one😅per side. 

The Royal model hinges come as one piece per side with tabs for fixing. They are not quite the right shape and a little basic in detail. After removing the tabs and adding the Aber brackets at either end I couldn't get the hinges to sit right on the frames because of the moldings on the kit frames. I went back to the drawing board and the parts used are entirely from the Aber set with two stretched sprew spacers added, one on each side to enable the scissor hinges to sit true through the frames. It was incredibly fiddly. I'd recommend assembling the two hinge leaves and wing nut on each side, prior to attaching them to the brackets on the frames. Sorry if this is a bit convoluted. I hope it helps 

PS, Paul the photoetch set with the scissor hinge as one piece was from Eduard not Royal model. My mistake. The RM set is separate pieces 

Edited May 6, 2022 by NIK122
Correction

[Peter2]

NIK122, I was looking back at this build and on page 3 you mentioned that you plan on building the Cromwell ARV. I read a detailed article in the "Collector's Edition" "Military Vehicle Special" issue of "Military Modelling" published around April 2001 or April 2002 (?)[but I'm not 100% sure of which year] which described building one of these using the Tamiya Cromwell and the AA aftermarket resin conversion parts. That article was perhaps about 4 or so pages long with some WIP photos: if you can find it or a download online, it may help you. I can't find my copy so I can't be much help with actual details. I've just noticed online that magazineexchange.co.uk sell some Military Modelling back issues for say £2, so they may have it? Website is at

https://www.magazineexchange.co.uk/cw/military-modelling-magazine-late-april-2002-issue.html

Edited May 6, 2022 by Peter2
I entered wrong publication date for magazine

[NIK122]

5 hours ago, Peter2 said:

NIK122, I was looking back at this build and on page 3 you mentioned that you plan on building the Cromwell ARV. I read a detailed article in the "Collector's Edition" "Military Vehicle Special" issue of "Military Modelling" published around April 2001 or April 2002 (?)[but I'm not 100% sure of which year] which described building one of these using the Tamiya Cromwell and the AA aftermarket resin conversion parts. That article was perhaps about 4 or so pages long with some WIP photos: if you can find it or a download online, it may help you. I can't find my copy so I can't be much help with actual details. I've just noticed online that magazineexchange.co.uk sell some Military Modelling back issues for say £2, so they may have it? Website is at

https://www.magazineexchange.co.uk/cw/military-modelling-magazine-late-april-2002-issue.html

Thank you for the info Pete. I will order a copy. I have seen a digital copy of another build possibly from AFVmodeller. I don't seem to be able to find it though. The Cromwell ARV will be my next build. I have aftermarket tracks and tow cable already for it and I'm wondering if the vehicle was ever fitted with deep wading kit? Any info on this welcome. Cheers 

[Peter2]

Nik, I checked the Internet just now and, when I entered the search terms "Cromwell ARV  Military Modelling", results included a modeller on Armorama in 2005. He says "The only bad thing is the [Accurate Armour] instructions on some of the parts placement Thankfully I have the MMIR Engineering and Recovery vehicles book as well as Military Modeling vol.31 No.4 magazine Both have an article on this kit Both have some great photos as far as parts placement" [The exact magazine is "Military Modelling. Special Issue: Modelling Military Vehicles. Vol. 31 No. 4 13th April - 3rd May 2001". Other articles in that Issue include M5 tank in Tunisia; 1/76 Stug & FAMO 9 diorama; Little Willie [the first tank]; Updating Italeri Horch; 1/76 Dunkirk diorama; 1/35 Czech T-34 recovery vehicle conversion; Hybrid Firefly; "Polish" Hetzer; Late War FAMO 9; WWII Soviet light tanks; detailing Demag halftrack. Hope this helps. Maybe the French library system can loan you a copy of the book or magazine? Bonne chance!]

Edited May 6, 2022 by Peter2
Added a sentence.

[ThreatLvlMidafternoon]

Wow, the build from beginning to end simply stunning. Well done 

[NIK122]

Good evening. Some more of my eye torture. Wiper motors and cables added. Cables from copper wire and cable clips from drilled out and halved stretched sprue. They are a little scale heavy but my eyes and patience are both wearing thin. Still, no giving up at this late stage.

Its not too clear here but I am reasonably sure that the cables should be attached to the black switch/socket what not, on the dash board directly above the speedo/rev counter.

There are still the fixings to add that lock the windscreen frame in an open or closed position. This really is starting to feel like the trials of Sisyphus.

Thanks for looking

[Lummox]