Enzo the Magnificent Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 I have been fascinated with the Sturmtiger ever since I saw an article about it in Military Modelling magazine in the early 70s. The author converted the 1/35 Tamiya kit of the time. He used a number of household items to create the mortar, including a table tennis ball for the mantlet! Nowadays, of course, we don't need to convert anything. According to Scalemates there are at least seven 1/35 kits that have been available. There are three kits in 1/48, at least seven in 1/72 and even kits in smaller scales. We're truly living in a Golden Age! I'm going to build one in 1/48, using the Tamiya kit. I love these 1/48 Tamiya armour kits. They are perfect mojo restorers. There are two of these sprues The model does not have any zimmerit moulded in, but Tamiya produced an aftermarket set which you peel off and stick on. I have used these before and had good results. This is gonna be fun. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stef N. Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Fantastic choice Enzo. I love the ridiculousness of the Sturmtiger and the size of it. Good luck with it and if it is as good as the Tamiya 35th you should enjoy it. 👍👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted March 30 Author Share Posted March 30 Off we go. Hold on tight, rider! I like my tank models to have a bit of heft, so I add ballast. Mr Tamiya obviously agrees with me as there are four metal ballast weights included in the kit. The upper hull and casemate mostly complete. It builds up quickly. This is about forty minutes work! Some of the parts in this kit are identical to ones in the Tiger I kit: the wheels and tracks and the lower hull. However, the differences between the two are covered with different parts which are added. The two models have different hardpoints for the towing cables. Sturmtiger in front and Tiger I behind. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keeff Posted March 30 Share Posted March 30 1 hour ago, Enzo the Magnificent said: Hold on tight, rider! If I scream, will you build faster? 🤔😂 Detail looks great, but it's Tamiya, so wouldn't expect anything less! I'll follow along .... Keith 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 I've got one of these kits and that same zimmerit set, so I shall be following your build very closely, looking to pick up tips as you go along! Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 On 3/29/2024 at 8:47 PM, Enzo the Magnificent said: I have been fascinated with the Sturmtiger ever since I saw an article about it in Military Modelling magazine in the early 70s. The author converted the 1/35 Tamiya kit of the time. He used a number of household items to create the mortar, including a table tennis ball for the mantlet! Nowadays, of course, we don't need to convert anything. According to Scalemates there are at least seven 1/35 kits that have been available. There are three kits in 1/48, at least seven in 1/72 and even kits in smaller scales. We're truly living in a Golden Age! I'm going to build one in 1/48, using the Tamiya kit. I love these 1/48 Tamiya armour kits. They are perfect mojo restorers. This is gonna be fun. Good choice of subject, when the kit is all styrene I agree with you completely but I find the metal tubs a real mojo destroyer. Hope it keeps going well for you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted April 7 Author Share Posted April 7 Zimmerit applied. This is a straightforward process. The adhesive doesn't seem to be very strong and the pieces can be repositioned easily. However once pressed down firmly the pieces sit nicely. However... having said that, I sealed the edges with superglue. Yannow... just in case. The casemate front and top panels completed. I have also added a piece of foam for the figure to stand on. Casemate closed up. The upper hull has had the detail parts added (the mortar muzzle is just a push fit at the moment). The front mudguards have been distressed slightly using a candle. The side mudguards will be fitted shortly but they will probably be severely distressed with whole sections missing. The white is overspray from priming the interior, just in case any of it is visible through the open hatch. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonT Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 3 hours ago, Enzo the Magnificent said: The white is overspray from priming the interior, just in case any of it is visible through the open hatch. Will you be able to see through the cavern that is that mortar too? Looking good, like your idea with the foam too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted April 8 Author Share Posted April 8 4 hours ago, SimonT said: Will you be able to see through the cavern that is that mortar too? No, that is blocked off at the bottom. As long as the barrel isn't set approaching 90°, the end shouldn't be easily visible. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted April 9 Author Share Posted April 9 I added the mudguards on the sides. Well, some of them... I thought that this vehicle would have spent a lot of time in urban environments with a lot of resulting damage to the flimsy mudguards. Therefore I cut some sections away and distressed the remaining bits. The model has been primed with grey plastic primer from a rattle can. You can see that some of the zimmerit overlays need to be sealed with superglue. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonT Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Looking very cool! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted Monday at 16:22 Author Share Posted Monday at 16:22 Sprayed overall with Tamiya XF-088 Dark Yellow 2. The camouflage was then sprayed freehand using XF-089 Green and XF-090 Red Brown. Running gear sprayed up ready for fitment. Like so. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonT Posted Monday at 16:24 Share Posted Monday at 16:24 What a beast, great job on the paint! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stef N. Posted Monday at 17:38 Share Posted Monday at 17:38 Aye, that's great work.👍👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted 14 hours ago Share Posted 14 hours ago Lovely job with the paintwork and camo Enzo! Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keeff Posted 13 hours ago Share Posted 13 hours ago Very nice Enzo! 👌 Keith 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted 9 hours ago Author Share Posted 9 hours ago The next step was to paint the link and length tracks. For this I used Vallejo Panzer Aces track primer. Tracks fitted. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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