I have 2 local hobby shops and both have 1 ten foot isle for models. The rest is r/c but they will try to order what I need. I like to spend local but I find myself using the internet more & more.

On the m-10 do you have room to put a steel pin in. ?

I do remember those plastic rubber band tracks that where tight bending and twisting my wheels.

Thats what I was thinking, if he could run a metal rod through the body he could move up the idlers just enough to make it work? It's hard to tell without looking at it, I don't remember the back of that beast but the fenders do cover part of them.  

I just looked and that won't work…Fruil.

Blackdog & Terry that steel pin is a great idea! So far they seem to be holding. They're not as tight now that they're on, just had a devil of a time pulling them over the wheels. Being tight and then after the primer and paint coat they'd turned kinda stiff and didn't want to flex. I think they're ok now, I'm crossing my fingers! I'll see about using the pin or replacements if they should snap in the future.

I think a lot of it is my fault- if I'd put the tracks on when the instructions called for it they'd been an easier fit but I always leave them off to the end and paint them separately. Just rarely had this much trouble pulling a set on though!  

Clemons: Wow, for twenty euros I'll consider springing for a set of Fruils, much better than the forty or more I figured you were paying.

[/URL[URL=http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/kingtiger11/media/Marder%20III/Marder%20III%20Dragon/DSC00216_zps1184618b.jpg.html][/URL[URL=http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/kingtiger11/media/Marder%20III/Marder%20III%20Dragon/DSC00217_zpsa0a00290.jpg.html]

I feel like I'm going really slow, but I have the tracks on and some smaller items painted. The interior is done and I'm just about ready to assemble and paint the camo. I used a combination of Gun Metal, Tamiya Earth #52, some beige grout, a little dark pigment and added some white glue to a small mixture to get into the small nooks on the tracks. I'm going to spray over them and the wheels then finish them off with pigments and weathering. I'm also going to do some chipping and finally a winter wash. I might even include some battle damage but either way I'm going to try and get this done in the next week. 

Terry, looks good! I really like the grout mixture mud on the tracks.

Sorry I haven't been very active here lately. The tracks on the M10 seem ok so far (crossing fingers) and the paint is pretty much done. Most of the photos I've seen had them covered with storage so I've been looking around though the spare parts boxes for rucksacks, bedrolls, tarps, etc. The weather has been so nice this week though I haven't gotten much done though.

Jibber   that kit has so much detail it's a great looking build. I know you said you was gonna beat it up a bit.

Can't wait so see it done.

She's looking terricfic, Terry!  I can't wait to see her with the winter camo on!

cliff: No worries, mate. I didn't even start on my Hetzer yet. I really want to build one of those little buggers, but I'm not sure if I'll stick with it for this GB (it's going to be a long project). I'll definitely do the Hetzer if time allows, but In case I don't have the time, I'll probably do a Jagdpanzer IV L/70...

jibber, that's looking really nice.

[/URL[URL=http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/kingtiger11/media/Marder%20III/Marder%20III%20Dragon/DSC00246_zps5e18938b.jpg.html][/URL[URL=http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/kingtiger11/media/Marder%20III/Marder%20III%20Dragon/DSC00250_zpsfcb5aff2.jpg.html][/URL[URL=http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/kingtiger11/media/Marder%20III/Marder%20III%20Dragon/DSC00254_zps6f2c463e.jpg.html][/URL[URL=http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/kingtiger11/media/Marder%20III/Marder%20III%20Dragon/DSC00258_zps9dca4881.jpg.html]

SS I'm going to call this one finished. My plan all along was to build a Marder that looks as if  it's seen a lot of action and roughed up a bit. I found this pic of a real Marder so I more or less used that as a template all along. I applied a winter white wash that I almost completely brushed off, again I wanted to show it's been in the field a while. Three areas show some battle damage, some machine gun rounds to the right side of the cabin and the same side real wheel, then a mortar or similar round to the left side ripping the armor and cracking it in different directions. I added a lot of dirt, leaves, small pebbles and a lot of pigments to get this thing as roughed up as possible which is exactly what my work bench looks like.

Terry: I think you nailed it, she's a dead ringer for the photo!

Kudos sir!!!

You really nailed it there, Terry! She looks exactly like the on in the picture! I'll get her on the front page asap (PB is being wierd again)

Jibber.     Very nice looks a color version of the picture.

Great work there Terry,looks spot on to me.

Terry, I got your Marder posted on the front page! Just yell at me if you're unhappy with my choice regarding the pic.

I think it's perfect, Thanks.

In progress shot of adding storage to the M10. I haven't seen many photos without something hanging off the turret and I figured the crew would toss a tarp over the open top overnight so I added one with some epoxy putty which I crinkled up like they'd pushed it forward to clear the open turret. Added a camo net and some ration boxes to the rear deck tonight. Get all of this painted and I'm pretty close to being done!

Looking good, Cliff! That tarp is a nice touch!

Cliff I think it's perfect, love the shading..

Thanks guys, wish the photo had turned out a little better. Oh well, I'll see about taking more when the rear storage is dry.

Nice looking M10. Nice to see one of these built.

Thanks Bish, surprised you don't see more around, it's a very nice kit. Excellent detail and solid fit. Only issue is the typical AFV Club injection pin marks over everything but this kit is designed well enough it's not generally a problem. Only bad ones are the ones on the front hatches, due to the raised lip it very hard to sand them even with a file. The mess I left there would kick the model out of any competition-  I've seen aftermarket replacements, I may replace them but I want to get the kit done now.

Hi there, can I get in on this one? I have an Italeri Hetzer in 1/35 that needs building!  Thanks so much!

Sure, welcome aboard!

I finally got the List for the Russian vehicles added to the front page, as well as the Russian badge. I don't know that much about russian TDs and SPGs though, so any input on that (very short) list is more than appreciated.

Here is the Hetzer I am making.  I may do an SU-122 later but for now I will concentrate on this kit.  Its a very old one that was an Ebay special.  I have made a little bit of assembly progress so far.  Top isnt glued on yet, just set it there for the picture.

SS -- I never thought of Russian vehicles... I have an Su-85 in progress, but it's well along, tracks are assembled and the paintjob is about half way there. I could have entered it ages ago!

M/TB379

That's a nice looking Hetzter. Cody! The SU-122 doesn't qualify though. It was an assault gun with a howizer as the main gun and never intended to be used as a tank detroyer. The SU-152 doesn't really belong here for the same reason...

Gamera

Thanks Bish, surprised you don't see more around, it's a very nice kit. Excellent detail and solid fit. Only issue is the typical AFV Club injection pin marks over everything but this kit is designed well enough it's not generally a problem. Only bad ones are the ones on the front hatches, due to the raised lip it very hard to sand them even with a file. The mess I left there would kick the model out of any competition-  I've seen aftermarket replacements, I may replace them but I want to get the kit done now.

No, you don't see a lot of those. I think someone, possibly Clemans, is doing an M 10 and a Panther/M 10 for the Armour in the west GB. That will be an interesting comparison to see. I've got a few AFV kits in the stash, but have never built one yet, I will be later this year. Do a lot of them have the same problem's.

Nice start on the Hetzer Cody.

Cody: Very cool there! I can tell the age from the box! But she looks nicely detailed and I've always had good luck with vintage Italeri kits- my first 1/35th model was their Panzer IV.

Bish: Yeah I have to note most AFV Club kits do have way more injection pin marks than say a Dragon kit. Most of the time they're easy to sand off or hidden. Issue here is the if you pose the hatches open you have the problem- if I did them shut no issues at all.

Clemons was talking about doing both, I believe. And may end up doing the Dragon ersatz M10 too- we'll see how things work out.