PaulR Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 (edited) Evening all, am predominantly an aircraft builder, but occasionally venture into the 'dark side'! The Porsche turreted King Tiger is my all time favourite tank, and when I saw the Trumpeter edition with Zimmerit in my LHS, it mysteriously leapt into my pocket . . . anyway, I also wanted to do a small diorama to go with it. I've already started this project, in so far that I have glued this bits together and primed it using Tamiya primer; I have also mixed my own version of the red oxide primer the Germans used with a Tamiya red and black mix and airbrushed that on. I'm hoping this will act as a pre-shade, as well as allowing me to chip the topcoats back to the primer. The diorama base is a rectangular plinth I bought for a couple of quid about 10 years ago. I want to have the tiger moving along a country track with raised slopes either side, so I looked around the house to see what I could use. In the end, I found some old 'Oasis' green block (the sort used for flower arranging et al, not that I flower arrange you understand!) and carved this into shape before PVA gluing it to the base. I used plasticard to edge the sides. I then applied a quick layer of ModRoc (the stuff railmodellers use) to smooth it all out. I've placed the tank on it to give an impression of the diorama when finished. Not that you can see it, but I pressed the tracks into the plaster to make track marks in what will be mud. Lastly, I am using five Revell German army figures to animate the scene. Three of them will be a machine gun team to be placed on the slope, firing in the same direction as the tank gun; the other two will be placed behind the tank, with one soldier describing the skirmish up ahead to his commander. These have got their first coat of Humbrol 66. Anyway, there it is! More updates as I move along. By the by, any tips for painting tracks?!? Paul Edited November 7, 2011 by PaulR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris S Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Thats looking good . I have that kit in the stash myself . For painting the tracks in this scale I usually basecoat with a dark brown ,followed by a wash of an orange/brown ...to give a rusty look ,then rub some graphite from a pencil on the high spots ...from then on its down to what weathering /groundwork you're doing . Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 A quick point of order Paul - the Zimmerit wasn't (AFAIK) painted with primer. It was applied after the tank was at least primed, and was a grey sort-of papier mache colour, based on examples with chips out of it seen in museums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 Cheers Mike - wasn't aware of that! I'll have a go at that later! By the by, am I correct in thinking that there were Porsche King Tigers in Normandy with the two part barrel? If not, I've still got the monobloc barrel in the box! Best regards, Paul A quick point of order Paul - the Zimmerit wasn't (AFAIK) painted with primer. It was applied after the tank was at least primed, and was a grey sort-of papier mache colour, based on examples with chips out of it seen in museums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robw_uk Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 that looks really nice.... since coming back to the hobby I have only built aircraft but do fancy something with tracks (or wheels) for a change, and like the simple idea on the base. Will the machine gun team be positioned behind something? a wall or a bush or out in the open? I will be following for more tips, would love to get my hands on an old Matchbox kit - the ones with the in=box mini diorama, if I remember the Hanomag had a part destroyed house and the Sherman Firefly was on a bridge - something like that would suit me for starters...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 Cheers for the comments! Ref. the machine gun team - they're probably be going to be under a tree for cover, but I'll play around it with it to see how it looks! And I know what you mean about the Matchbox Firefly - probably my favourite matchbox model as a kid, particularly because of the ruined bridge! Regards, Paul that looks really nice.... since coming back to the hobby I have only built aircraft but do fancy something with tracks (or wheels) for a change, and like the simple idea on the base. Will the machine gun team be positioned behind something? a wall or a bush or out in the open?I will be following for more tips, would love to get my hands on an old Matchbox kit - the ones with the in=box mini diorama, if I remember the Hanomag had a part destroyed house and the Sherman Firefly was on a bridge - something like that would suit me for starters...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 (edited) Bit of update. I have finished the base. This was coated in modroc, and the road given a coat of playsand over PVA glue. I used a mix of scatter grass for the slopes, and airbrushed dark earth over the sand to darken it and blend it all in. I also added a couple of trees left over from another project. The white plasticard sides were airbrushed matt black. I have added on the tank plus a couple of figures just to give a sense of what it will look like, You'll see that I have changed the two part barrel for the monobloc barrel; looking at the tank I want to model I might have to change it back again! Oh well . . . Edited September 14, 2011 by PaulR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotorheadtx Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 Thats looking good . I have that kit in the stash myself . For painting the tracks in this scale I usually basecoat with a dark brown ,followed by a wash of an orange/brown ...to give a rusty look ,then rub some graphite from a pencil on the high spots ...from then on its down to what weathering /groundwork you're doing . First off, good work so far on the KT - I prefer the looks of the Porsche turret too, shot-trap be damned. Secondly, I agree with Chris S's method of painting the tracks; I've got a modified Jagdtiger on the go right now, and the tracks look fine with that approach. I think I used a 6b pencil for mine - the darkest and softest I could find. Only problem I've had is the graphite rubbing off on my fingertips - be sure to seal with a topcoat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 that looks really nice.... since coming back to the hobby I have only built aircraft but do fancy something with tracks (or wheels) for a change, and like the simple idea on the base. Will the machine gun team be positioned behind something? a wall or a bush or out in the open?I will be following for more tips, would love to get my hands on an old Matchbox kit - the ones with the in=box mini diorama, if I remember the Hanomag had a part destroyed house and the Sherman Firefly was on a bridge - something like that would suit me for starters...... Sherman still available in a revell box: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=77985 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trackpin Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 (edited) Excellent choice for a diorama there Paul, I bet your tank commander was nervous about going through there, excellent ambush site, but he's insisted on infantry support judging by the MG34 crew, looking forward to seeing this one through. Edited October 1, 2011 by trackpin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robw_uk Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Sherman still available in a revell box:http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=77985 just looked on revell website and they have quite a few.... tempting..... and now back on topic.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 Well, thought I'd better get back onto this! I've basically finished the tank itself, including drilling out lifting hooks and (as can be seen from the pic) filled in the mounting lugs for the spare tracks. This going to be finished in the three tone ambush scheme, as per tank 114 of the '503' unit based in France mid 1944. This was also fitted with the two part barrel. Am intending to finish the camouflage this weekend, and ditto the soldiers. Until then . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ad2408 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Looking good, love the German armour but can't get to grip with the camouflage schemes (dont have an airbrush) so looking forward to admiring this when it's finished! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moofles Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 really looking good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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