GAMERA thanks. i agree on the tires. when i took the pics i wasn't sure if i was going to have it loaded or use the long base and have the gun part way off so i didn't worry as much about. today i decided on unload and just finished it up per your suggestion. NOTE TO SELF. plaster of paris is not fun to adjust. took a chisel to the ruts and filled them in with model clay and then sand. also did another coat of sand to add texture. NEXT TIME i will use modeling clay in the "mounting" areas and try spraying the sand area first with a texture paint, than airbrushing the sand color over the texture. may add a couple of DAK figures overrunning the vehicle.

i also may try sanding a flat spot on those kits with plastic tires. really don't want to spent the money on AM tires

Wayne: Looks great, the modifications may have been a PITA but she looks like she's sitting down in the sand now.

Dan: Cool, I like having a crew with my vehicles too, I think it makes it more clear that they did have a bunch of guys bouncing around, sweating, bleeding, and cursing in it more than just a plain sealed up tank with all the hatches shut.

Gamera

Wayne: Looks great, the modifications may have been a PITA but she looks like she's sitting down in the sand now.

Jack, Have several Dragon super kits "D" "E" and Vorpanzer E, looking over the parts all of them share the same individual rims and rubber tires. Believe 6779 was based around the 1944 "D" smart kit with the long 75 gun. 6779 is a smart kit and not share - use the same hull nor suspension parts. Dragon Care reply regarding the issue of 40cm wheels which would be used with 1944 "D" smart kit and is sending out the missing part(s). Armor 86.

Hey now Tojo, that looks kinda familiar! I like your idea for tackling the road wheels.

Thanks Stik,not mine,Tony Lee on his Priest

Yes I have seen it done before. It's a very good idea I think. Might resolve a problem on an upcoming build of mine.

Update on the Dragon Smart Kit - 6779 - Pz iV 'D' DAK - received parts from DragonCare - not the right ones thou ... have more rims without the rubber ........  reply back regarding issue and have not heard back yet. Three days now.  I've got Tristar Pz IV Road  Wheels ready for paint if Dragon comes through with some rubber tires I'll just save for spares.  Armor86

Some nice work there Tojo.

Dan, don't sound like Dragon are doing a good job.

The paint for mine arrived yesterday and I managed to get both colours on, the second colour was free hand so I didn't have to worry about the first being fully dry. I should be able to get some pics up today.

Here the pics of the Pz III. The second colour is still a little tacky, so it will probably be tomorrow before I can get the decals on. But the figures have also arrived so I can be getting on with the rest of the dio as well.

More soon. 

Bish, it's looking good.

Yes very nice work on the Panzer Bish. Like the colour you used for the camo- it already looks faded.

That looks familiar Bish - I finished a Pz III Ausf. Late 'J' long 5 cm Vorpanzer with same two tone color '1942' time period.  What brand paint did you use? Looks great, after weathering and sand dusting it was difficult to see its two tone camo. Armor86

Thanks guys.

Dan, I used the xtracolour paints, its my preferred brand for armour and aircraft. I plan on giving this the full treatment, so I can't imagine much of the scheme being visible. I found that with the Pantehr I just finished. But that how things are in the real world, so I am fine with it.

That looks nice Bish.

Ok, stick a fork in this thing- I think I'm done. Looks like the powders on the wheels didn't work out that well- oh well...

Oh I do like it! Very sharp build there!

Thanks Eric.

Gamera, stunning looking build there, really nice work on the weathering.

Thanks guys!!! Although now that I look somehow the model got out of the ruts I made for the tracks, I know I moved the thing around a little but sheeesssshhhhh... 

What color did you use for the base color?

Gamara - great job on the Crusader, looks right at home for the desert.

Can't recall  if you had said anything about the front idlers, but did you have any problems fitting them and the tracks into the front mud guards?  I just recently learned the idlers need to be shaved down about 0.5mm for a better fit.  To accommodate this Italeri introduced a step in the forward sections of the fenders, when actually they should be flush along the entire topside length.

regards,

Jack

hey bish i like the very subtle camo color. i am going to do that on my libyan BM-21

Gamera

Thanks guys!!! Although now that I look somehow the model got out of the ruts I made for the tracks, I know I moved the thing around a little but sheeesssshhhhh... 

funny. i did a base for a spanish 8x8 CENTAURO. deeper cuts than your base. i looked at the base, added some rocks to one side of the elevation, painted them etal. looked really nice. dropped the CENTAURO in and IT DIDN'T FIT. the rocks made the path too narrow. fortunately i could use the base for other vehicles.

Love the weathering Cliff. Those bolts and such sure pop out.

waynec

hey bish i like the very subtle camo color. i am going to do that on my libyan BM-21

Ye, I rather like it. This is the scheme introduced in 1942, march I believe, of RAL 8020 with 7027 over the top. Its the first time I have done it and I am rather pleased.

The decals are now on, so doing to do some dry brushing to day and then some more pics.

Hey thanks guys!

SP: I initially was going to leave some bronze green under the fenders and the insides of the wheels etc but I really didn't like how it worked out. So I ended up going with Tamiya Earth as a primer coat with pre-shading/ colour modulation of Dark Yellow I think it is XF-60 anyway for the regular paint. I ended up with the top upper shading of Buff and then Deck Tan.

Jack: Not sure about the idlers but I had a bear of a time getting the front mud guards to fit. Maybe I should have sanded down the idlers some but it seems just like poor fit of the mud guard parts. It was really the only thing on the kit I had issues with, great fit on everything else. I did leave off two tow cables since I couldn't figure out how they were supposed to fit though.

Wayne: Lol, I know what you mean! I pressed the model into the plaster as it was setting and then put the sand on so it did cover up some of the sunken areas. But still it fit pretty well, looks like I jogged the model somehow while moving it around during taking the photos and didn't notice.  

Gamera, thank you for the painting information on your Crusader. It looks real good to me!

Tojo, your Semovente is really turning out great! The tracks & interior are beautiful!

Yes, the progress on that Semovente is looking really nice.

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I'm hoping to get back to my Italian entry within the next week.

regards,

Jack