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Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) Ausf.E/F - Tamiya 1/35 - Finished 18/02/22


PlaStix

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 05/01/2022 at 12:52, Carius said:

Fast and nice work so far Stix,

Thank you Cesar. Appearances can be deceptive, though! It may look quick but I can assure you it isn't! I'm struggling for time to work on this at the moment, although I have got a bit more done.

 

On 05/01/2022 at 13:44, Lazy Modeller said:

Without any pretense of criticizing your construction methods, fo course, but I  am little curious. Why do you paint the pieces still on the sprues? Doesn't that make it harder later to glue the pieces together? Especially the tracks? And also the part of the pieces that is cut from the respective sprues after having to be painted too doesn't that make it more difficult?
Just curious about the method... because you're no newbie on the matter...

Cheers
LM

Hi LM. I quite understand the reasoning behing the question but it's just something that I've done for years. Wherever I can, I assemble stuff which I think I will be able to hold safely and brush paint and then add further parts to it/them later. Because I paint with brushes, I like to leave other parts on the sprues for painting and, sometimes, base weathering, so I have something to hold on to while I apply the paint and weathering. I originally tried the idea of using things like cocktail sticks and Blutack and so on, but the Blutack covered more of the plastic than a sprue joint piece and it also didn't hold the parts as well while I painted....too much wobbling! As I use acrylic paints, I have never had any issues with gluing painted surfaces together although, in some cases, I do scrape away some of the paint if necessary. I mostly use Revell Contacta and Tamiya Extra Thin glues....and they seem to melt through the acrylic paint just fine. Though I do use glues very sparingly. I usually try to only leave parts on the sprues where I think I'll be able to cut the part away easily and clean up well after, and repaint the area easily too. All the track on on my tanks, where they are the link & length type, have been done in this way without any problems.......so far!! You will, hopefully, be able to see the tracks starting to be assembled in the post below in a bit.

 

On 05/01/2022 at 14:01, Bullbasket said:

Blimey Stix. You don't hang about. Still on page one, and the decals are on already. But, as usual, it does look good. This is one of the few German tanks that appeals to me, and you're doing a grand job on it.

John.

As I said to Cesar, above, appearances can be very deceptive John. It's taking quite a while to make and it's only on page 1 because I'm findling it difficult to find time to post on here too!

Thank you, as always, for your positive comments.

Kind regards,

Stix

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On 05/01/2022 at 14:13, edjbartos said:

Getting better and better Stix, looking good...

Ed

Thank you Ed!!

 

On 05/01/2022 at 17:44, vytautas said:

Hi, Stix 
The tank and painting look excellent! One question - do you use for decals gluing something like Micro Set?

Vytautas

Hi Vytautas. Thank you for your comments and your question. On this model I applied the decals using water but, as I mentioned in the earlier post, I do cut the clear film away, right to the printed design, to avoid any silvering under the clear backing film. If I'm putting decals over raised or recessed details, I use Humbrol's Decalfix, which usually does the trick. On the turret the only raised detail was a bolt head but the decal actually split the instant I tried to settle it down, so the bit over the area of the raised bolt head is matt white paint.

 

On 05/01/2022 at 18:57, Lazy Modeller said:

I think its paint not decals... but my eyes are s...

Cheers

LM

Hi LM - please see my reply to V above.

 

On 09/01/2022 at 19:38, Pawel Szczudlyk said:

Hello Mr Stix😁...I get back to the forum after long time and I see that you are getting better and better 😁.

Nice tank I like the shape of it and I remember you in 1/48 scale so I can't wait how this one turn up.

Cheers

Hi Pawel. Thank you for stopping by. You are too kind as always. Yes, I still make stuff in 1/48 but try the odd bit of 1/35th as well.

 

On 18/01/2022 at 10:47, Longbow said:

Looking good Stix, but you seem to have stalled out on page 2 :D

Crack along, there’s a good fella ;)

Thank you Longbow.........I just wish I could find more time in a day!!

 

I'll hopefully post an update soon. I have done a bit more, just not a lot.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

 

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1 hour ago, robw_uk said:

stunning, as always 😉

Thank you Rob. Too kind!

 

As mentioned above, this is what I have been doing recently. First off I decided to do the weathering on the areas which will be behind the tracks and wheels. First I stippled on some very, very thinned Humbrol Dark Earth before stippling on some very, very thinned Humbrol Desert Yellow. Once dry, I applied some Vallejo Mud and Grass texture, using a cocktail stick, before using a fine pointed brush to create some streaks and runs with very thinned Anthracite, Light Rust and Light Grey. I also applied some Citadel Nuln Oil. Most of this won't be seen eventually:

51824769880_b798d06e67_b.jpg

 

51823105852_baef457ae2_b.jpg


I have also been doing some work on the tracks - more weathering:

51823105792_2eaa12ba53_b.jpg

- before cutting them from the sprues and tidying them up where the sprue gates were. Then, as I usually like to do, I glued the necessary number of individual links to idlers and drive sprockets. Finally, on these I added the top runs onto the sprockets:

51824158098_fc675c62e1_b.jpg

The sprockets and idlers themselves will be weathered later.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome. 

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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  • PlaStix changed the title to Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) Ausf.E/F - Tamiya 1/35 - update 19/01/22

like (love more like) that mud.... My wespe will be the test bed for me improving my weathering/mud.... need to read up and absorb videos over the next weeks to prepare for the ordeal

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On 19/01/2022 at 17:47, echen said:

Terrific weathering Stix. The tracks look good, really heavy and metallic.

 

On 20/01/2022 at 07:14, robw_uk said:

like (love more like) that mud.... My wespe will be the test bed for me improving my weathering/mud.... need to read up and absorb videos over the next weeks to prepare for the ordeal

 

On 20/01/2022 at 08:13, Bullbasket said:

As Mr. Punch is wont to say, "That's the way to do it". It just looks so good. Nice work Stix.

John.

 

On 20/01/2022 at 08:17, edjbartos said:

Super weathering Stix, particularly behind the wheels and tracks, very effective.

Ed

 

On 20/01/2022 at 16:41, Lazy Modeller said:

Its looking really nice!

Cheers

LM

 

On 21/01/2022 at 08:25, diablo rsv said:

Very nice work Stix, I really need to up my weathering game, I play it safe too often, good idea trying out different methods on unseen areas.

Wayne.

Hi all. Thank you very much for all your comments. I'm sorry I haven't been updating this very often but general day to day stuff is still getting in the way a lot.

 

Last weekend I did manage to get a bit more done. First job was finishing off a bit more weathering on the lower hull sides......before hiding it all away for good! :sad:

 

Then I added some subtle base weathering to the wheels, sprokets and idlers before attaching them to the hull and fitting the tracks. This was the result at the end of play on Saturday:

51836273729_674d78fcc7_b.jpg

 

51835922101_9604a35e09_b.jpg

 

51835922086_88e39668a2_b.jpg

 

51834973657_99f8be10d5_b.jpg

 

51836655720_5cc2254e95_b.jpg

 

51834973607_d1ee3567d3_b.jpg

 

I know some people don't like them, but I was quite pleased that Tamiya have started using Link & Length tracks in their 1/35 kits. Always thought they were great in their 1/48 kits. I'm happy with how they turned out on this build.

 

On Sunday I did start the weathering on the rest of the hull but didn't have an opportunity to take any photographs.

 

Hopefully, next weekend, I'll get the base weathering sorted on the rest of the parts and be able to start some detailed assembly and weathering.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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  • PlaStix changed the title to Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) Ausf.E/F - Tamiya 1/35 - update 25/01/22
33 minutes ago, Stef N. said:

Looking great Stix, with a special mention to the tracks. A masterclass in brush painting.👏

Really so!

Pz.38 is one of the most beautiful tanks for me, and you prove this perfectly with your build. Looks really great.
But I noticed one little thing - in Pz.38, the edges of the wheels were usually wiped down to the shiny metal. But now it's probably too late to change anything.

spacer.png spacer.png

 

Vytautas

 

Edited by vytautas
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7 hours ago, IJNfan said:

Interesting tank historywise and intriguing to see how people weather tanks, its still plastic but still the difference to ships is huge.

Hi IJNfan. Thank you for your comments. Interesting point!
 

7 hours ago, Stef N. said:

Looking great Stix, with a special mention to the tracks. A masterclass in brush painting.👏

Hi Stef. That’s very kind of you to say! Thank you.

 

6 hours ago, vytautas said:

Really so!

Pz.38 is one of the most beautiful tanks for me, and you prove this perfectly with your build. Looks really great.
But I noticed one little thing - in Pz.38, the edges of the wheels were usually wiped down to the shiny metal. But now it's probably too late to change anything.

spacer.png spacer.png

 

Vytautas

 

Hi Vytautas. Thank you for your comments. You are a star!! Thank you for mentioning the shine on the edges. Definitely not too late. When I realised - once I’d got home and had tea…..out came the Humbrol Gunmetal acrylic paint and a fine brush and this is the result:

51842688071_3eaf67981f_b.jpg
 

51843429690_02f9d58684_b.jpg

 

I had to take the photos under electric light but hopefully you can see the result? Thank you again for mentioning this.

 

4 hours ago, Lazy Modeller said:

Agree! Very realistic.

Cheers

Lazy modeler was here

Thank you LM.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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