Well here she is fellow modellers …… the final showing of the Staghound.
Just to remind everyone of this kit, it is a Staghound Mk.I and is manufactured by S-Models from Poland. To say this kit was a bit of a challenge would be a massive understatement.
The vehicle represented here is a fictitious Armoured Scout Vehicle of the South Alberta Regiment in 1944. The name “Hellhound” was well earned during the building phaze of this kit.
The bulk of the kit is resin, with vacu-formed fenders and 1 fret of Photo-Etched parts. The fit of the resin parts was at best … bad, with just about every part needing some form of adjustment. The carrying racks on the side were scratch-built using sheet plastic cut into strips. Most of the bedrolls were also home-built using a combination of methods; 2 were made by rolling out Das Pronto Clay and rolling them into shape, 1 was made with 2 part epoxy putty and then covered with tissue paper, and the last (and smallest) were made with tissue paper soaked in a 50/50 mix of white glue and water. Camo netting is cheese cloth soaked in the same mixture of glue and water and laid into place. Lifting rings were all made with solid core solder which I find to be far easier to bend than using rod. Grab handles were fashioned from staples. All sacks came are from the spare parts box.
The vehicle was painted with a base coat of Tamiya’s XF-61 Dark Green. Weathering was achieved through dry brushing with Tamiya’s XF-56 Metallic Gray. Followed by an application of graphite brushed heavily into the entire model and finally dusting of pastel chalks (browns & grays).
The mud on the vehicle was created through a mixture of white glue, model railway ballast, Woodland Scenics Turf, and Tamiya Acrylic Brown Paint. The conglomeration was brushed, poked, crammed and stuffed onto the model. When dry it was dusted with pastels.
The groundwork is Celuclay mixed with kitty litter and model railway ballast for textures. The grass is horse hair cut to length and placed into the groundwork in clumps. The groundwork was then sprayed with a 50/50 mix of white glue and water and Woodland Scenics turf was sifted onto the surface. Once dry, the groundwork was brushed and dusted with the same pastels used on the model. He tree stump is …… well …. a branch from a tree that seems to fit in just perfect.
I hope you enjoy this model. Even through all the building pains, I am very happy to finally have a completed Staghound on my shelf.
Very well done Robert!!! You turned that beast into a fine looking model!! I know some of the trials you had from our conversations and I must say I’m quite impressed with the results of your labor!! [:p] [:D]
It fits the base and is well balanced! Great job on all of it.
very nice Robert nice and muddy
ive always wanted to do a Staghound (Come on Tamiya [:)] )
the base looks good as Erush said it fits perfectly
just one thing have you thought about putting a figure next to it to show how bit the Staghound was? ive got a nice Wolf figure thats carrying a petrol can that im going to use on my Cromwell, Churchill or Firefly
Once again you have shown that you have a wonderful command of plastic & resin. This is a great little show piece. Everything looks great and I am once again impressed. Golf clap my friend. Well done. Thanks for the pics. They provide some great inspiration. I guess considering what you had to go through with this little green monster, there’s hope for the 97. (c’mon, you know I had to find some wa to slip it in)
Thanks all for your most kind comments, they are certainly appreciated.
Jon - it would be sweet if Tamiya would release one of these, but please Mr Tamiya, release this one after you release a Sexton [;)] . I admit a figure would work well in this scene, in the immortal words of Dirty Harry “A man has to know his limitations” and figures and I don’t get along very well.
Steve - good to see you lurking around the Armour Forum instead of the Skeet Forum [:p]
Iluv3ggs - horse hair cut to length. Then I poked a whole in the groundwork while it was still moist, grabbed a tuft of hair, dipped it into glue and inserted it into the hole. A little dusting with pastels to give it a little depth and colouration.
Build22 - in regards to the fenders … close, really close. [}:)]
Erock - just too stubborn (and cheap, the beast cost $80) to know when to give up. And I’m glad I didn’t !!!
Well Robert, I’d have to say your trials and tribulations were well worth it, as evidenced by this fine work of art!
Excellent build, splendidly presented.
Really makes me want to build something greenish for a change![;)]
You just proved that Success is 1% inspiration and 99% persperation (or perserverance maybe?) Very impressive.
I know what you mean about figures, but I think with your talent you could overcome that. Go on, give it another go or two.
I am new to this forum stuff and have enjoyed viewing/reading all that you guys have contributed to the site, although the time differences between there and Australia leaves me a little behind most others.
A very good job Robert,… as usual!!! now that you mention it a sexton sounds very good, I would be one of the first to buy it if the big T puts it out. hmmmmmmmmm… “skeets” (haven’t heard that before) now I have a word to call their creations them the next time they call our creations targets[:(!]
I’ll certainly consider doing a figy … won’t promise anything, but maybe it is time for me to try one again, it’s been a long time.
When it comes to the Sexton … I’d be first in line if it was Italeri, DML, AFV, Academy or Tamiya … just any one of the big plastic boys. Anything but resin, please. I already have one of those waiting to be built … but it’s by the same company that made the Staghound. [V]
