Tracks are looking good Ben, you’ll be done with this one in no time if you can dodge the ferocious bunnies today! [;)]
Cheers Bodge & Bill,
I’m really not worried about those pesky rabbits Bill-I’ve always got the 12 gauge close at hand (I do a lot of clay pigeon shooting when I’m not modelling) [;)]
First of all - YES, I KNOW THE TRACKS ARE ON BACKWARDS!!! [:$] I realised after I’d fitted the run and as it was a dry fit I couldn’t see the point in spending 10 minutes in taking them off again to refit just so they looked right for the camera!
Anyway, I got the second run assembled and ‘dry’ fitted this afternoon. I only had a few hours spare this afternoon, what with half the bloomin’ family here for the day! “Wow, look at these models, don’t they look real” etc etc…my family always have to have a look at the latest WIP!
I didn’t put the telly on today, just the radio and, hey presto-I had completed the second run in half the time!
Yesterday I was putting a link in place, picking up a piece of wire and fixing it in place then moving onto the next one. Today I started by counting exactly the amount of links that I had left over in the bag from yesterday and I then removed that amount from the bag of the links to do the RHS run today. I then put the remainder into approximate piles of 20 links and chopped all the wire to do the links into a big pile on it’s own. I’d assemble a run of 20 links, chop off the excess wire and brush a bit of CA along the link holes. When finished I fitted all the 20 link runs together - it was a hell of a lot quicker than yeserday (it could just be down to the fact that I left the TV off today though)! It does seem to be the method to use though…
I’m very pleased with these - the kit links just wouldn’t have been the same. IF I’d managed to get enough links off the sprue trees to do both left & right runs there certainly wouldn’t have been any sag, it would have been a straight run along the top like a Sherman, not good!
What do you think of the amount of sag on these? Since I’ve taken the photos I’ve removed one link fron each side as I think there is too much sag between the rear idler and first rear upper bogey wheel. After looking at photos it seems that I’ve got the sag about right-any thoughts guys?
One question, I’ve looked at quite a few photos of these early Pz I’s and although there is the usual Jerry can/spare wheel stowage I can’t really see any spare track links/short runs stowed anywhere. Would there have been any visible and if so where would have been the usual places?
Thanks for looking guys-I’ve got the day to myself tomorrow so I’d like to get these tools done and the decals on at least.
ATVB
Ben [t$t]
Ben,
I’d say that the sag should be just right if you’ve already removed a link after the pics you posted. As for spare links, believe it or not but they were stowed inside the hull in the fighting compartment in their own small box. [:)] You didn’t really see these little panzers tricked out with more links on the hull or elsewhere due to the problem of weight vs. power. The engine in the Pz I-B was only rated at 100 HP (an improvement over the A’s 60 HP!) and the vehicle weighed in at 5.8 metric tons as a full combat load so you get the idea! [;)]
Thanks Bill!
Good day Gentlemen,
I hope you are all very well.
I have a quick question regarding this kit. I’ve been looking at the figures supplied (3) deciding which on to use. I’m all sorted on that front-I’ve gone for the basic commander figure holding each side of the turret for support.
Now then, on the figure the build guide shows hom wearing headphones (the ‘overhead bracket’ that holds the muffs has to be built using the silver PE supplied). It also shows one of these silver PE pieces around his neck, but slightly undone at the front? The piece around his neck is not the same as the piece for the headphones, it’s nearly identical but it’s more like a straight collar with a ‘bit’ at each end. The piece for the headphone muffs has a little hole so the headphone muff can be fitted to it. I’ve looked at my photo reference library and on the net but this item seems to be either not in use or the guy in the photo is wearing clothing that would cover it up-if indeed he was wearing one!
I apologise if this is a totally daft question but I’m stumped!
Any help or answers as to what this reverse Reverand’s collar is would be great!
Many thanks guys & ATVB,
Ben [Y]
Ben what you are seeing is the commanders “throat microphone”. It was worn around the neck so to pick up his speach directly with no interference from vehicle noise.
G
Aaaah,
I’d never had guessed that!
Better get Googling!
Many thanks AG,
ATVB
Ben [t$t]
Ben,
That wee beastie is looking good! The Fruils are going to look fantastic when painted and weathered. I feel your pain about the weather. Here in the Pacific Northwest there is always a 40% chance of rain during the summer. The rain festival runs from January to December. [st]
Cheers
Dave
Hey Dave,
Thankyou for dropping by and offering your kind words-she’s coming along nicely!
As I spent last weekend on Fruil then Family duty I got very little done so this weekend it’s washes, chipping and general weathering. Then onto the figure.
I’m going to a local show at the end of the month and she’s going to be on the MAFVA display table. I’m entering my last build (DML StuG III Ausf A) into the competion too and, if this little Pz I turns out ok, I’ll enter it as well. Obviously I won’t stand a cat in hells chance of winning anything seeing what the other lads can build but we all have to start somewhere right?
I’ve applied a couple of layers of MIG ‘Filter’ so far and it really makes a subtle but beatiful difference! It’s made the grey/medium blue mix base colour come ‘alive’!
As for the weather, various forecasts are predicting the UK to have a warm & sunny weekend! I’ll believe that when I see it but saying that yesterday was gorgeous - Proper T-Shirt weather!
WIP update this weekend guys,
ATVB
Ben [Y]
Good evening gents,
It’s been strange not having FSM up & running! It feels like I haven’t been on here for ages!
I’m VERY happy to say that the Panzer I is complete! Last weekend like I said I got very little done except for the Fruils and the decals. I had opted for the decals like you see on the box art (see my first post on this thread) but they were just so damn awkward to get on! When I was happy with them I was gutted to find that they had silvered quited badly, had lifted slightly and obviously needed a replacement! The original decals put her in the 7.Pz.Div France, 1940 so I changed them to put her with the PzAbt zb V40 1940 (Denmark) so apart from looking good and adding a bit of colour (the remaining decaks were very bland and basic) these markings mean she can go into Lasse’s Norway GB!
Anyway, the build itself this weekend has mainly been a total disaster! I’d got the Fruils perfect and was getting ready to give them a wash prior to painting. I dabbed them dry with some paper towel and strung them across the upper grill part of the oven (obviously the oven nor the grill were on at the time) to dry properly whilst I popped into the home office for 15 minutes to send an Email to work & during doing so my Mother decided to go and put dinner on which I didn’t know about. Basically, you’ve guessed it; she put the little gas hob on-about 2 feet below my track runs and managed to melt them into several messy pools of molten lead [00ps] I can’t blame Mum and I should have known better so I salvaged what I could, made up short runs using the spare links and actually managed to cobble together two runs again! Although the Fruils are now held together in several places with CA they are ok(ish) and do the job!
I decided to use the Commander figure mainly to add some scale to the vehicle-God it must have been a squeeze! Over the course of last week I tried out some MIG Filter which worked well (3 applications in total). The washes turned out really well and the figure is one of my best too. If it weren’t for the Fruil disaster I think she could have been one of my best but as things go I’m very happy with her.
Have a look…
This was supposed to be a small relaxing build before I tackle this monster Dragon Panther G which is up next-unfortunately it was far from relaxing but I like her!
Sorry about the photos-camera woes as usual!
Thanks for loking guys,
ATVB
Ben [H]
Hello Ben,
Please don’t take this to be overly critical. I just want to help, and I hope you see it as such.
It seems to me you need to take a little more thought about your weathering. Look at real pictures of vehicles (they don’t even need to be of your exact subject, just so you see how real vehicles weather.) You seem to be too heavy handed with the pigments. Rememebr they are there to accentuate your build. To add some realism. What it looks like right now is you overpowered your build with the pigments. You spend considerable effort laying down a perfect base and then hide it under pigments. The heavy pigment use also washes out detail and blends it into the vehicle pretty much making detail turn invisible. And you also picked two color pigments but applied them randomly which looks confusing rather than realistic. Also with the spilt fluids, try more randomdrips rather than blobbing it. Remember that the key to great weathering is such that it looks real, but compliments the build as well.
Also, the last couple builds I noticed you have dry brushed accents on fenders and etc. using silver. You may want to avoid bright silver for this as it looks unrealistic.
Hope you don’t mind the critique. [Y]
Hey NH,
I know exactly what you mean and I’m annoyed with myself that I used the final pigments at all.
No problems pointing out my errors buddy, it all helps.
Cheers NH,
Ben [Y]
Good afternoon chaps,
After spending most of last night absolutely fuming with myself for covering my Pz I with pigment and therefore basically covering up what was basically a very nice grey/blue finish that I’d used for the first time I decided to get the arsenal of modelling weaponry out and try and bring this bland little thing back to life!
I came to the conclusion that last night I had reached the end of my tether with this model and in my frustrations and rush to get it done I was acting before thinking and rushing everything I was doing i.e. too much pigment where actually none was needed (on the upper hull) and a huge ugly blob of MIG Grease Stain around the oil cap where a tiny couple of drops would have looked far better; and that is to name just a couple of things I wasn’t happy with…
Seeing as I had today booked off for a Monday holiday-no reason but what the hey, I decided I’d try and do something with this Panzer to make it look like it deserved a place amongst my decent builds! I won’t go into detail but with the use of White Spirit, a sponge brush, matt rattlecan varnish and a lot of patience I managed to shift most of that Godawful pigment and get my base coat showing again. I’ve spent some more time sorting the running gear out and (imo) she is a big improvement on the poor offering I gave you yesterday! The one thing I was happy with was the figure - he is definately my best yet!
I’d really apreciate a couple of comments on this (hopefully) new & improved version! (I understand the tracks aren’t 100% after the cooker disaster)…
Looking at these photos now I’m definately a lot happier with her. The ‘fuel spill’ is now faded and very subtle-not overpowering like it was before. The Pz actually looks like it is painted Panzer Grey and overall it’s a big improvement.
I’ve definately learnt a bit on this build!
- THINK before applying pigments to the upper hull. Are they necessary at all? If so what colour?
- If I find myself getting frustrated just calm down, tidy up, clean the brushes, walk away and come back tomorrow-DON’T get angry!!!
- Take my time - you great guys keep telling me this yet I keep doing it! DO NOT RUSH BEN!!!
Now then, I’m back at work tomorrow so no builds until next weekend. Obviously it will be a brand new WIP. I’ve got three kits.
- Two Tamiya 1/48’s - the newish Halftrack kit with figures and the early model Tiger I (The Tiget I was the first kit I ever built last May/June) but being my first build it’s pretty poor so seeing that the Tiger I is my favourite armour piece of all time I want to do it again-this time using the new skills I’ve picked up and she’ll be painted in Dunkelgelb instead of Panzer Grey.
- The Dragon 1/35 Panther G with Zim. This looks like a beauty of a kit! I’ve got the replacement Aluminium turned barrel and a replacement MG34 barrel for it too. I’m going for the basic colour scheme-Dark Green & Red/Brown over a Dunky base. The red/brown & Green will be applied via a piece of packing foam cut to size and dipped and dabbed onto the base.
I’m undecided on what to build yet-the Panther will be a big build and should take a couple of months at least-I’m definately not rushing this one! The Tamiya 1/48’s are also tempting, especially the Halftrack?
What do you guys think? If you were me what would you be looking at building next?
Many thanks guys, especially to New Hampshire who really motivated me to sort this build out!
ATVB & take care,
Ben [Y]
Wow Ben!! You must calm down! At first I see the WIP as you’re doing the tracks, suddenly you got a figure up and it’s all done - before I even get to write you up for the GB [:O]
But that kit looks so freaking sweet right now. It really does. And that commander is just excellent work!
I have to point out that the sag is a tad too much. It’s very visible at the rear, and that much sag would make the tracks often bounce off… I see it especially on the right-hand side!
What you’ll build next is the same for me… I’ll grab a snack and enjoy it anyways! [Y]
Cheers!
-Lasse
Hey Lasse,
First off, it was nice to chat with you on Saturday! You sound like a realy great guy!
Thanks for the kind words on the ‘completed build #2’ post! I started work on this build on the 31st March and spent about 7 hours every Saturday & Sunday between the 31st March and today getting her done. I took a few days holiday this month so there is a few weekdays to count too. In all I estimate I spent 50 to 70 hours on this Panzer. One entire day was spent on the Fruils and half a day spent playing with dot filters etc but the rest was normal build time. Tbh I spent a lot more time on this than I thought I had!
I was very gutted yesterday when I stupidly slapped pigment over it completley oblitering my nice grey/blue paint job but I managed to shift the pigments using Mineral Spirits, a medium flat head brush and a Tamiya sponge brush and it left a really nice look. I have to thank New Hampshire Brian for that one as I was unsure about the pigment look and his post decided for me! If you check out the ‘completed’ post from last night which shows the over use of pigments and todays ‘completed’ post you can really see the difference.
Re the tracks I had them perfect but if you read the bit about the cooker and the melted Fruils I was left with little option but to repair them as best I could using the 20 odd links that I had left. The track runs are held together by CA in a couple of places as there were no holes left for me to join the links using the normal method. I really can’t risk messing about with them again and trying to remove more links and making more CA joints but I’ll see if I can make them look tighter-somehow!
As for the GB, I think I may have one here that will be suitable-I’ll message you shortly.
Take care buddy,
Ben [Y]
Hi chaps,
I’m off to a show next weekend and my buddy John wants me to take a couple of my builds along for the MAFVA stand. I was going to take my StuG, Marder and this one - if I could get the tracks sorted.
So, I’ve chopped them dow and done a rejoin - now they have a ‘respectable’ and not excessive sag and the yactually look half decent now so I’m happy! I’ve also given the figure a light oil wash of Umber on his face as he looked too much like a china doll!
Now I’m definately calling this one done!
ATVB
Ben [H]
Real nice Ben. Hair is a bit stark yellow to my taste but that’s me. Track sag looks good.
Ben,
I think you’ve managed to improve this one substantially given the problems you encountered with it along the way. Enjoy the show next weekend! [B]
Thanks guys,
The hair is VERY blonde isn’t it? I might tone it down a bit-I was hoping the wash I ran over him might have took the edge off that. It worked well on the flesh but the hair didn’t change. I think he might go brunette!
I couldn’t bear to look at them bloody awful tracks like they were for any longer! It was just a case of chopping a short section out and giving it a blob of solder to fix the ends together.
I do like this piece so when funds permit I might get some replacemement tracks for her. Shame about the tracks but overall she looks pretty good ‘in the flesh’.
I think I might rig up his headphones and wires for the throat microphone before next week too.
I’m yet to have any of work on a table yet but the guys say for a relative beginner the StuG and Marder are particulary good and they want them there so [Y]
ATVB
Ben [t$t]
Ah, Ben, looks gorgeous… A bit too much sag for my taste still! [:P] But do not fear, it is lovely.
Have to agree on the hair though… Looks like he has some mishap with a chemical weapon? [clwn] But I have to say, your painting skills on figures especially are improving a lot!
It was nice to chat with you too. You got quite the accent, and I love it… I got a “mancrush” [proplr] And hey, don’t fear calling me again! I’m usually by the phone, ready to talk about anything - anywhere! [;)]
-Lasse