OFF TO THE THEATER! - African Operations of World War II - 2021 GB

The PE is really helping that kit out. 

Good work, guys! I can hopefully start my kit for this build soon! I'm gonna build Airfix's 1/72 Wildcat, a gift from this last Christmas. :)  I bought paint for it yesterday; but I still have to get decals for Operation Torch. 

GreySnake

The PE is really helping that kit out. 

 

Agreed completely, even if the set cost more than the kit and it slowed my progress to a glacial pace, I think the upgrade was well worth it.  

Progress on the 109.... spots next

My double action was acting up so I did spots with the Paasche H - not as nice but here we are.   Spots on and clear coated.

Calling this one done.  Nice kit 

Congrats on the finish, Keavdog! Got a photo preference? :)

Did you use acrylic paints or enamel?

Probably the 2nd pic.  I used a mix of tamiya and model master.  Flory wash to finish it off

John . Well done thats a stunning Me-109.

Well done John!

Thanks all.   I need to breakdown my krome ab and see whats going on. 

Thats a fine looking tropical Emil Kdog!

Another update about my 8 wheeler. Got most of the suspension done, added another 34 parts and the floor and sides are next. 

I'll get your pic on the roster pronto, keavdog! How do you thin the Tamiya? I know some acrylics can thin with water but that others can't. 

Good work, plasticjunkie! Complex suspension!

Here's some of my progress:

As it turns out, Zinc Chromate doesn't seem to be the historically accurate color for the cockpit; but, oh well! The pilot will have to be content living in a French's mustard bottle! 

...and the engine:

Also, here's some cool history on the Wildcats of Operation Torch! (These planes battled with American planes that the Vichy French had!)

https://www.historynet.com/wildcats-battle-hawks-casablanca.htm

Nice John, even that putrid green cockpit.  

I am nearly finished with the PE after last night, just a few more bits to go:

I knocked loose the Jerry Can rack at some point in this process, I need to reglue one side of it to the fender.

That rack was really my only major mishap so far.  I had a usual case of the dropsies after bending it into a box, and it naturally landed right behind my chair wheel...resulting in a flattened box.  It took an evening of unbending, straightening, and flattening with a hold 'n fold and a peening hammer to get it back to its current condition.  I thought of trashing it and cutting the storage case off the original fender instead, but I kind of like this dented and mangled look.  I'll dig through my spares to try and find some cans to put in it, that may help give it more structure.

The kit shovel also disappeared, but all that was needed was the handle, Aber replaced the metal part, so I grabbed a spare from the extras box and did a little extra trimming because it was a modern era shovel with a grab handle at the top.

Speaking of spares, I will be looking through the spares box for a DML/Dragon MG34 to use instead of the horrid gun Tamiya wants me to use.  I may end up just ordering an aftermarket MG34 barrel instead to match the main gun.  In for a penny...

On to the Friuls!

Finally got started on my Bedford truck today, engine and chassis work:

An old update from last weekend, all pieces are now affixed to the tank.  And the "commander dummy," as Tamiya refers to him, is temporarily occupying his spot.

My week has otherwise been bogged down with more mandatory OT and drilling out the holes of the Friuls.

This is one side all drilled out, 120 links or so.  I have not opened the other bag yet, won't do until the other run is pinned and installed.

Hey John 3:16 LJV!  Would you mind if I joined up?  Finished or put on hold all my other projects so I have time for some desert madness!  I have a load of N. Africa kits that are itchin' to be built!

Bufflehead, you can absolutely join up! Welcome!

Good work there, Glamdring! Those are a lot of links! 

Awesome!  Thanks John 3:16 KJV! 

So I looked through the stash and I want to submit these two kits for the build:

Dragon Panzer I Ausf. A

And an Italeri Crusader Mk. I

Both have been in the stash for a while and I've been looking for a good reason to build them! 

Latest progress on the Bedford:

Nice work AA!

I decided last night that I am going to forget the cut brass wire pins that Friulmodel wants me to use, after stabbing myself 3 time in the course of assembling 20 links.  I am going to substitute it with #11 beading needles instead.  These should go faster as they are more rigid so I can use my mini peening hammer, and I should get 3 or 4 link pins per needle.  

Pouring more money into this project isn't my ideal, but I figure my fingers are worth an extra $10 for the cheap-o bulk needles I found on Ebay.

Finally finished drilling out the links for the other track run, went much faster than the 1st set.  Now I am in a holding patern until the pins arrive, hopefully Monday or Tuesday at the latest.

Latest WIP on the Bedford truck, working on finishing the cab interior:

Oh, I also decided to make a change to may Bedford QL truck project.  The original version of this kit (under the Max Peerless brand) was a gun portee equipped with a six-pounder gun; when Italeri re-released the kit, they just issued the truck, with no gun.  Since the truck looks a bit empty, I've decided to go ahead and include a gun.  I'm going to install a German Flak 38 20mm gun and depict it as a captured British truck which the Germans have pressed into service as a mobile gun platform:

I remember some years back at a local military collectibles show a vendor who had a white British style pith/cork helmet with the German badges affixed to the side.  When I asked what the deal with that was, he claimed the Germans overran a storage depot in north Africa and issued the helmets found inside.  I thought it sounded fishy, so passed on it because I wanted an authentic AK helmet.  For several years I saw this same helmet sitting on the same table by the same guy.  I tried researching this tale, but could never find anything.

Eventually, I decided I was going to make an offer on it after the 4th year in a row.  Naturally it was gone, and hasn't returned since.  

Just a random thought brought on by your idea, Armor_Aficionado.

Evening all!

I managed to get started on the little Pz. I.  Over the weekend I worked to get most of the major assembly done.

Suspension & tracks first:

Hull and turret:

About halfway through the upper hull I noticed that a few parts were missing from the kit.  I think I stole them years ago for an old Italeri Panzerbefehlswagen....things like the jack and other tools.  Ah well, I'll figure out what to do about them later! 

Have to work double shifts this coming week so no work on the kit for the next few days!  Might give me time to figure out how to replace the missing kit parts!

Latest progress on the Bedford. I got the cab interior finished and the cab and wheels mounted to the frame, and the 20mm flak gun that is to be mounted in the bed is coming right along:

Progress is being made with the tracks and beading needles. I have been pinning runs of approximately 10 links together, cut off the needle with my Dremel, and moving on to the next.  I can get 4 track pins from each needle, if I had more confidence with my dremel skills I could probable get a 5th from all the excess sticking out, but I have more needles to spare than tracks.

Last step will be to grind down the excess and dab some CA on the end to hold the pin in.