As I mentioned earlier I have the work ‘on-call’ phone this afternoon between 2pm and 10pm so I am really restricted with what I can do build wise.
Luckily the phone has rang twice since 2pm (it’s now 7pm - double time, easy money) so I’ve managed to get the Green base coat down and have also painted the rubber onto the tyres so next weekend I can get involved with the circle stencil and Blu Tack and cammo the wheels and the build too.
I opted for NATO Green in the end thinned 1:1 and it really looks very good.
Again I tried to do some pre-shading-last time I failed miserably. This time I tried multiple light coats but hit it with one coat too many and killed the best of it. In the flesh it’s just visible but I doubt it will show in the photos. Next time I’ll get it right!
Two things:
You will notice the EJP holes on the rear track hangers on either side. Normally I’d have filled them in but they’ll be well hidden by the spare track links.
I’m thinking about having the rear escape hatch posed slightly open. What would be the best colour for the inside of the door. I’m thinking Hull Red?
Anyway, here she is so far, ready for cammo! The upper & lower hulls are not joined yet, mainly to aid fitting of the running gear.
Oi! That US tank looks a lot like a Jagdpanther!!!
Interior on German tanks were “always” creamy white. They did experiment with only primer colour inside (Hull red) but tank crewmen didn’t like it. It was very dark - and wasn’t too pleasent to live in!
But… the inside of hatches which would be opened “in the field” were painted the base external colour so as not to provide an aiming point for the enemy. (“Hey dudes, here’s an open hatch. Wait for someone to pop out and shoot him.”) Not sure if engine bay hatches were left in primer or painted the “outside” colour though.
A very good point which I forgot this early in the morning. Hatches were usually camofalgued in some way or other! Either hull red or base colour or either the red brown or the panzergreen.
Thanks Phil and where have you been lately Mr Thun? You’ve become a right stranger around here [;)]
Still running the old Norway GB?
I’ll go with hull red for the inside of the door. It will only be open a fraction but it all adds a bit of life.
Off to work shortly (GRUMBLE [:S] ) so I’ll hopefully catch up with you folks later maybe. I shouldn’t moan as at least I’m one of the few people in Britain with a half decent job!
Thanks JP - you asked for more pictures at EXACTLYthe right time because…I’m about to update my WIP! [:P]
Before I go into WIP mode I’ll answer your re gloss coat (anyhting else you need to know just pm me): When I started out I never used to gloss coat mainly because I was a total newbie with no knowledge of model building! I’d try applying small ‘blocks’ of household gloss varnish to areas where the decals were going to go but that didn’t work very well. I tried Micro-Sol with limited success and Future which I just didn’t like…
I’ve now got a process which I stick to and it works wonders (for me at least) - build, prime and paint model. Get all the tools painted and fitted along with any stowage and then apply ONE SINGLE light layer of Humbrol Rattlecan Gloss Varnish all over the model, not just on the decal areas. Let the spray set. Fit decals and let dry. Apply any washes at this stage as I find that the smooth surface allows pin washes to seep into all the cracks and panel lines and an overall wash just flows so much better than on a gloss than on a matt surface. Let dry, apply Humbrol rattlecan matt varnish and apply pigments etc. It works perfectly for me and there is no hint of silvering around the decals. Just treat the rattlecan sprays with care and ensure your model is totally dry as if the paint hasn’t fully cured I’ve had it eat the paint of figures (luckily no builds yet), I like to give my builds 48 hours before applying these sprays. I’m sure some folk will say this is wrong how I do it but it works for me so I’m happy!
I’m starting on the tools and various bits tomorrow ‘little’ extras tomorrow so today I decided to get the AB out, sort the slightly bent needle and get the crazy cammo scheme going! Now then, you have to remember that this isn’t one of my big expensive builds, it’s a cheap and old Tamiya kit that is lovely but I bought it to try new methods on ie dot filters and more importantly - masked & freehand applied AB cammo schemes!
I’m sure the Germans didn’t release any JP’s with a scheme like this but I wanted to see what I could do with my new AB set up. I must say, I’m really really pleased with the outcome! I started off masking with Blu-Tack but every time I painted a masked section and removed the mask I’d find myself touching up areas that didn’t work. I decided to lower the PSI and remove the front cap and do it all freehand as it looked so much better and the mask was too hard edged. I was hoping the raised edges of the Blu-Tack would soften the edges but it didn’t. I was copying the box art more or less. Green base coat with Red Brown stripes shadowed each side by Dunky Yellow. I used Gunze Red Brown as the Tamiya Red Brown just looked too Brown-no red! The basecoat is Tamiya NATO Green and the Dunky is a 1:1 mix of Tamiya Dark yellow & Tamiya Deck Tan.
I hope you like it. Remember, this is the first time I’ve ever tried anything like this & it’s only been completed about two hours ago so it might be a bit glossy in areas still - I’m going to apply layers of SIN Filter for Tritonal Cammo over the week to tie it all together so it’s ready for more work come next weekend.
I hope you like it-please comment and make suggestions as this is a ‘learning build’ for me!
Blu-Tack mask…
My favourite side…
I hope you think she’s ok guys. Remember it is my first attempt so go easy on me! [;)]
Man, that looks good. I’m not sure if the scheme was applied to the Jagdpanther, but, if anything else, it sure does look cool [H]
You know, that cammo scheme looks so good, I think I may have to try it with a couple of my models (to be specific, a couple of military trucks, and mabe on a 55 Cameo, to replicate a hunting truck…)
Blu-tack is basically silly putty, right? (Or, is it poster putty used to place a poster on the wall?)
Again, I’m not sure if the Germans used this scheme but it looks VERY similar to one of the options in the build guide! Anyway, who cares? I think it looks cool and, when filtered, washed and weathered, should look superb.
At least I’m getting the hang of my AB now!
Blu-Tack comes in a firm rectangular slab about 4" x 8" and about 5mm thick. It’s meant for posters and stuff like that. You just pull a bit off the slab and knead it until it goes soft. It can be rolled like a sausage or stretched thin to cover a big area when masking but it doesn’t stick to a matt surfaced model very well but it works.
I think Silly Putty is more ‘gooey’ isn’t it? I’ve heard of people having a nightmare getting it off models and having to freeze the model! I think Silly Putty is available over here but under what name I don’t know.
The scheme you’ve chosen is very plausible Ben and it’s good to see you stretching your legs with your AB and learning new techniques. The factory schemes usually were hard-edged and masking with blue-tack is my preferred method for those types of schemes as well. The weathering and filters you have planned ought to tie it all together nicely. [B]
I’ll be honest, ad-libbing a camo scheme is no easy fit. I use an example and usually contort it into something that I call my own. Doesn’t mean I’m happy with it. At least it gives me something to go on.
She’s turned out ok after being left over night. My only (little) gripe is that I’d get to a stage where I thought I’d finished then I’d see an area that needed touching up so I’d go back and add a tad more Red Brown over some Red Brown that I’d added earlier. Obviously the earlier applied Red Brown was well on it’s way to drying so there are areas that ‘overlaps’ show up and it doesn’t look good.
It’s only tiny areas but the Filters and weathering will get rid of this overlap 100% plus it’s a lesson learned which was the main point of this build - AB technique building!
Next scheme like thisI think I’ll drop the ‘make it up as I go’ approach and mark out the entire vehicle in light pencil where I want Blu-Tack fitting. That way I can hit it all in one go and hopefully avoid ugly dry/wet overlap marks.
Overall I’m pretty chuffed - especially as the only masking was done on the front, the rest was 100% freehand.
I’m glad I didn’t go with the Tamiya Red Brown as it’s just too brown imo! The Gunze paint is way better and I noticed that it sprayed so easily compared to the Tamiya Dunky. The Tamiya Dunky thinned with Tamiya X-20 tended to spatter a bit but the Gunze thinned with Mr Colour Lacquer Thinner was dead smooth without a hint of spatter? Strange!
Ryan - if you can’t get Blu-Tack in the states and want to try it just send me your details and I’ll buy & send you a new pack to be getting on with. Next time you see me you can buy me a drink [;)]
I was planning to hand paint the tools, assemble some stowage that I have and even make a start on the figure today BUT after spending 3 hours writing a massive application for a promotion at work, having lunch with visitors and dozing off in front of the TV for two hours I’ve…
…just this minute applied the first layer of SIN Filter (Tan for Tritonal Cammo)! [:(]
The tools will be pretty straightforward and the figure is a corker (as far as Tamiya figures go)! So, next Weekend following a couple more applications of filter in the week, it’s tools in place, gloss coat, decals, gloss coat, washes and dullcoat. I’m working from home next Sunday so If I’m quiet I’ll at best get as far as the wash stage on Sunday.
There’s a great article on weathering a Panther that in a magazine I picked up yesterday with a lot of ‘different’ methods so I’m looking forward to getting stuck into some weathering. The weekend of the 28th/29th August is a bank holiday so it’s a three day weekend so lots of buils time then. The wheels and tracks are going to be left until last-I want to try some fancy ‘triangular’ cammo on the outer wheel hubss.
I’m gonna really hit her with some new techniques. chipping using a super fine brush and red oxide paint for deeper scratches and very light and darker grey for surface scratches. On my MIG DVD I watched the modeller use a muddy wash mixture and soak a big brush in the wash. He then used his AB to blow onto the build by blowing the bristles of the brush in a splattery random fashion on a high PSI setting. I was going for a factory type clean build but like I said I wanted to use this build purely to try some AB techniques and practice but why stop there - I may as well go the whole hog and try some new weathering methods too!
Here she is after the fist Filter application - already I can see the difference!
