Tamiya 1/48 Sturmgeschutz III Ausf.B (Sd.Kfz.142)

[PlaStix]

Well……… It’s been a while….. 

 

........what do mean you hadn't noticed?!!

 

From somewhere near the middle of last year, I seemed to be struggling with a range of things which prevented me from doing any modelling or being on Britmodeller. I’m not going to bore anyone with the details of the latter, but this project is, I’m hoping, going to get me back into gluing bits of plastic together as a hobby. I did attempt a dual build ‘offline’ but I quickly realised I wasn’t into the project and so stopped. As a result, I didn’t feel I could contribute much to the conversations on Britmodeller either, so only dropped in occasionally to check on some bits and pieces. There has been some brilliant modelling going on in my absence.

Now this build may result in some regular postings, or they may be few and far between. It may just fizzle out. I can’t promise I’ll be checking in on other people’s builds too often either. I will just have to see how it goes.

One of the things I have changed is where I’m doing my model building. I do still have my space upstairs in a back room, but a combination of things made me less interested in sitting up there. Instead I’ve gone back to how it was, before I had the space upstairs. My modelling ‘stuff’ is in a single box file and I’m planning on doing my modelling on the dining room table:

 

 

When I originally got back into the hobby and first joined Britmodeller, most of the building I did was on the kitchen counter. Mrs PlaStix is okay with me cluttering up the table! She plans on doing some of her builds/other hobbies there too.

So, as you can see from the above two photos, I have opted for what I’m hoping will be a fairly straightforward kit to make:

 

The contents of the box seem up to Tamiya's usual standard:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sample of the instructions:

 

 

My plan is that, initially, I'm only going to add these grills to the base kit although I may add some stowage as well:

 

 

As you may have noticed above, I have made a bit of a start:

 

 

 

After I'd got the above parts cleaned up - seam lines, etc. removed with a scalpel blade and wet'n'dry paper - I got the bits glued on and then gave them their first coat of paint. It's Revell's Acrylic Panzergrau, (Tank Grey - 78) very thinned with water and applied with a medium flat brush:

 

Tyre seams cleaned off and paint applied in the same way:

 

 

Track parts given a thinned coat of Revell's Anthracite, applied in the same way with a flat brush:

 

 

Then I gave all the Panzergrau painted parts a wash of very, very thinned Revell's Gunship Grey before using a very fine pointed brush to apply thinned Anthracite in and around all the details. Then, once dry, I dry brushed on some Gunship Grey to pick out some of the details followed by some dry-brushing of Revell's light grey in some areas - again to pick out some detail:

 

 

I did the same processes with the hull:

 

 

The track parts were first given a dry-brushing of Humbrol's Gunmetal before having a thinned wash of Humbrol's Desert Yellow 93 applied:

 

 

And that's where I'm up to. I seem to be getting on okay with it at the moment, so I'll wait and see what happens as it progresses, if it does.

 

Comments and suggestions welcomed.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bullbasket]

28 minutes ago, PlaStix said:

Well……… It’s been a while….. 

 

........what do mean you hadn't noticed?!!

I just assumed that Mrs. Stix had got you modelling dinosaurs🦖.

Whatever the reason, I hope that it's resolved and that all is well with you.

Good choice for getting back into the saddle. Those Tamiya quarter scale kits are good. One of the first that I bought was the Pz.lll.

And it's good to see the hairy stick in operation once again.

ATB.

 

John.

[Stef N.]

Good to see you about Stix, with scalpel and brush in hand. I will follow along if I may as it's always good to follow your work. And I love a Stug.👍

[Muchmirth]

Was wondering where you’d gone. But good to see you back at it and this looks like it’ll be up to your usual high standards. 
best for now, 

Paul.

[FrancisGL]

Hi Stix,

Like other members, I have missed you, (together with @Badder) and I am glad that you have resumed the matter, as always, life stands in between, and the simplest things become uphill... I hope everything has been fixed, at least enough for you to continue with the hobby when you feel like it. As always, a nice job, and with a brush...!

I myself have started to do something again, after another hiatus, I don't know how long I will continue wanting to do something that I like, but I think I will be able to finish what I have started....

All the best,

Francis.👍

[echen]

Great to see you back. Looking forward to seeing this build progress in your customary style. 😀

Edited January 23 by echen

[Keeff]

I'll echo the comments of the members above and welcome you back to the bench/table.  I must say, I like the 'compact' equipment set up .... unlike my stuff in a big plastic box! 

 

The build is coming along nicely, and I have to say, your brush painting skills are great ..... the details really stand out. 

 

Keith  😁

[Geo1966]

Welcome back Stix. Looking forward to seeing another one of your excellent builds progress.

 

George

[edjbartos]

Great to see you back Stix, definitely missed you on this site. Good start to your build and painting is excellent as always..

 

all the best

 

Ed

[Hamden]

 

Great to see you back, you have not lost your touch whilst on leave!

Looking forward to watching this one cross the finish line in your own good time

 

    Stay safe            Roger

[PlaStix]

Hi @Bullbasket, @Stef N., @Muchmirth, @FrancisGL, @echen, @Keeff, @Geo1966, @edjbartos & @Hamden.

Thank you all very much for your comments. They were all very much appreciated.

So far, I have kept up with this project and have been enjoying what I have done. It's quite nice at the end of a long day to get home and just be able to sit at the dining room table and work on a little bit of the kit - either trimming bits, sanding, etc. I tend to save more involved bits until I have a bit more time later in the eveing or at the weekend.

So, progress so  far-

 

Tyres painted with thinned Revell's Anthracite applied with a fine pointed brush plus some other light weathering added all over:

 

 

 

I have also started assembling some of the upper hull parts together:

 

 

Then, on the lower hull, I added a bit of Vallejo's European Mud texture to the sides - applied using a cocktail stick:

 

 

Finally, yesterday, I added some basic weathering to the sides - stippling on first some very thinned Humbrol Dark Earth. Once dry I stippled on some very thinned Humbrol Desert Yellow, to represent some dried mud areas. Then, again once dry, I added the streaks using very thinned Anthracite, Light Grey and some Railmatch Light Rust - applied with a fine pointed brush:

 

 

As I mentioned, I have been enjoying this project so far. More soon I hope.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

[Model Mate]

That hull mud looks excellent!

[Keeff]

The build is coming along nicely.  I'm taking note of those mud effects for future use! 

 

Keith  😁

[Ned]

Welcome back Stix! I love seeing you work your magic with brushes.

[edjbartos]

The weathering effects on the hull sides looks fabulous Stix, looking forward to seeing more

 

all the best

 

Ed

[Hamden]

 

Very nice progress, this is coming together nicely. 

Looking forward to more of the same

 

   Stay safe          Roger

[fatfingers]

Aye up Stix,

 

Great to see you back in the fold and this is shaping up to be another excellent build 👍

 

Regards,

 

Steve

[Bullbasket]

You've got that mud effect spot on Stix. Superb work.

 

John.

[FrancisGL]

Hi Stix,

I see that you haven't lost your touch with the mud, it looks very real and accomplished...good job.

Cheers and TC

Francis.👍

[echen]

Great weathering. Reminds me of your Pz. II or it might have been a 38(T)  (memory a bit dysfunctional) from a while back - very understated but effective. Almost a pity to hide it behind the wheels and tracks!

[PlaStix]

Hi @Model Mate, @Keeff, @Ned, @edjbartos, @Hamden, @fatfingers, @Bullbasket, @FrancisGL & @echen. Thank you very much for your kind comments.

I have still been enjoying my build. I think, working in the new location - on the dining table - has helped me a lot. I'm keeping the kit and the file box of stuff on the table. This means I can sit down at any time (like when I'm back home from work) and just sit and do little bits on the build.

So, as a result, over the past week I have managed to make a fair bit of progress.

The tyres had some weathering applied using some very, very thinned Humbrol's Desert Yellow:

 

Then it was time to add the weathering to the wheels, sprockets, idlers and return rollers. I used exactly the same process as I did on the sides of the hull - hopefully so they match in okay:

 

 

On the underside of the edges of the upper hull I got them painted first and then applied some Vellejo Mud and a bit of light weathering:

 

On one evening, when I didn't want to do anything on the muddy parts, I got the parts for the gun, and the area around where it will go, painted and weathered. Basically done in the same way as I did the hull and wheel parts originally:

 

I did this because I figured they area will be quite hard to get at once all parts are assembled in place:

 

On another evening I decided to add some damage to the front and rear fender flaps. In photos of Stug IIIs in WW2, these flaps often seems quite damaged - or indeed broken off. I used a small pair of pliers to get the effects:

 

 

Then it was time to add the running gear and tracks. First I got the necessary parts glued to the sprokets and idlers:

 

And then all in place on the hull sides:

 

 

 

 

Then the upper hull was fixed in place using just the screws Tamiya provided. The superstructure wasn't glued on at this point:

 

 

 

 

I discovered that there was quite a large gap between the glacis and the front plate - so I had to use a bit of styrene strip and filler:

 

Then I got the superstructure and photoetch grills glued in place:

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, for this long update, I got the base coat of Revell's Tank Grey applied:

 

 

Been fun again so far. Next up will be some basic weathering on the upper surfaces.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

[FrancisGL]

Hi Stix,

A good handful of progress with the kit, as always, I love the effect you give to the mud, very real. A very good idea to join the two parts without glue, since it gives the option, it is always convenient, in case there is any last-minute arrangement or adjustment, I have not glued my JT at the moment either, and although it has no option like the Tamiya one, it is very convenient not to glue it at the moment.

Cheers and TC

Francis.👍

[PlaStix]

23 hours ago, FrancisGL said:

Hi Stix,

A good handful of progress with the kit, as always, I love the effect you give to the mud, very real. A very good idea to join the two parts without glue, since it gives the option, it is always convenient, in case there is any last-minute arrangement or adjustment, I have not glued my JT at the moment either, and although it has no option like the Tamiya one, it is very convenient not to glue it at the moment.

Cheers and TC

Francis.👍

Hi Francis. Thank you for your comments. The mud seemed to go on okay on this one. I'm never too sure about the best way to do it, but I'm reasonably pleased this time. And I agree about having the oportunity to remove the upper hull if needs be - although in this case, thanks to the gap at the front and the fact I had to fill it - it couldn;t be removed once the glue and filler was set.

 

Small update.

Over the past few days I've done a lttle bit on the build. First I dry-brushed everything with Revell's Gunship Grey. Once dry, I dry-brushed over the more raised areas with Revell's Light Grey. This was the result:

 

 

 

You'll perhaps be able to see that I have painted, using a stippling brush, the white areas on the ends of the fender flaps that should have been decals - decals 20, 21, 22 & 23 as seen here:

 

As I'd inflicted 'damage' on the flaps, I knew the decals would be a problem - so figured painting the areas would be easier. I used a small rectangle of Tamiya masking tape to mask off the bit I did't want to get paint on:

 

 

Also, because I'd stippled on the very thinned Humbrol White acrylic paint, it gave a more worn appearance straight off than what the decals would have done. Having said that, most of these areas will be mud covered anyway!

 

Decals next, I think.

 

Comments and suggestion welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

[Stef N.]

Nice work Stix. It's coming along excellently. 👍

 

When you dry brush with acrylics do you add anything to the paint to stop it from drying too quick or is it straight from the tin?

[Bullbasket]

Nice work with the dry brushing Stix. That's really made the detail pop, and you be hard pushed to realise that the tools are moulded on.

 

John.