Winter Warriors GB 2008

WIP My M 8 howitzer primed I think I will need to steal a hedgerow cutter for th front {either that or fill in the HUGE hole in the hull where it goes

Wow! I see what you mean about that big gap...surprising from a Tamiya kit.

Were the M8's equipped with hedgerow devices?

Good luck filling that hole if you can't find one.

arki30 wrote:

Interesting that they mention the lower surfaces being RLM 76, but it doesn't look like it in the picture? Maybe it's just me being colorblind, but it all looks whitewashed to me.

So it looks like you need to do the whole "regular" upper scheme and then coat with a thin layer of white to get the original stuff to just show through. Should be very interesting!

Dupes, agreed on the picture not representing the underside color callout correctly.  And yep, I will have to paint the "regular" scheme before applying the whitewash so it will slightly show through.  You'll notice I'll also have to apply some or all of the markings as well since it appears that there is some overcoverage from the whitewash.  But that will be a pain in the to get right.  Not looking forward to it. 

I'll have to spend some time doing more research before I start the painting.  For now I've started assembling the engine.  Nice detail, too bad none of it will be visible.

I do believe the underside should be RLM 76.  I did a similar scheme last year on a Hasegawa 1/32 Bf 109G-14 flown by Erich Hartmann.

First I free handed the upper camo, mostly for free hand airbrushing practice, but also to add to the realism of a slightly worn winter camo scheme.  I then deliberately sprayed it kinda patchy, yet with decent coverage at the same time. 

I have a few decent photos of various white washed schemes that I'd be more than happy to scan and post when I get home from work this evening.

Yep, Scott, that's essentially the same path I'll attempt to take.  Did you apply the decals after the whitewash? 

Post any reference pic you have!  I can use whatever I can get my grubby mitts on!

Wow Scott, that 109 looks great. You managed to achieve almost EXACTLY the opacity with the whitewash coat that they were showing in Arki's markings scan.

Was that one coat of white over the top of the "usual" camo, or did you have to go with multiple passes? 

Thanks! 

I made a thinned mix of Tamiya Flat White XF-2 and basically ran the airbrush all over the plane in random, spaghetti noodle patterns holding the airbrush fairly close to the surface.  These are some of the references photos/profiles that I used for inspiration:

The decals went on after the whitewash.  Normally, on most schemes that you see, there should be areas where no whitewash was applied, especially around and on the numbers, balkenkreuz etc.  The references I had for Erich Hartmann's aircraft appeared to have had the markings applied after the whitewash.  He used this aircraft only temporarily while commanding JG54 (if I remember correctly).  The references show his aircraft was very well maintained and very clean. 

When I originally put the decals on, the balkenkreuz decalss on the fuselage sides and upper wings and the yellow fuselage tail band wrinkled up something fierce when I applied some decal setting solution solution..... I ended up having to sand the decals off, which you can see in these pictures:

And then re-apply the whitewash in those areas, being very careful to replicate the same look and feel from the original, non-sanded areas around them.  It was tricky, but the gods must have been smiling down upon me that day.....

dupes wrote:

Wow! I see what you mean about that big gap...surprising from a Tamiya kit. Were the M8's equipped with hedgerow devices? Good luck filling that hole if you can't find one.

EDIT: yes the Self propelled guns {squadron book} back cover shows one, I don't like the look so I plan on filling the hole. Most of the pictures also show it without the side fenders so they are GONE

espins1 wrote:

Thanks!  I made a thinned mix of Tamiya Flat White XF-2 and basically ran the airbrush all over the plane in random, spaghetti noodle patterns holding the airbrush fairly close to the surface.  These are some of the references photos/profiles that I used for inspiration: The decals went on after the whitewash.  Normally, on most schemes that you see, there should be areas where no whitewash was applied, especially around and on the numbers, balkenkreuz etc.  The references I had for Erich Hartmann's aircraft appeared to have had the markings applied after the whitewash.  He used this aircraft only temporarily while commanding JG54 (if I remember correctly).  The references show his aircraft was very well maintained and very clean.

Woohoo!  Thanks for the pics, Scott.  I'm rethinking the whole decal sequencing now.  Because 1) it may be more accurate to place after the whitewash, and 2) it'll be soooo much easier.

And like a total doofus I completely forgot I own Osprey's Bf109 Aces of the Russian Front.  There is good reference material in there for whitewash schemes. 

Excuse while I go read for awhile

arki30 wrote:

And like a total doofus I completely forgot I own Osprey's Bf109 Aces of the Russian Front.  There is good reference material in there for whitewash schemes.  Excuse while I go read for awhile

I was just about to start scanning some goodies out of that one for you!

Guys:

WIP-SU122.  I'm just about ready to start painting:

The assembly was a piece of cake on this kit.  The two areas of concern, which I knew were coming because I just built the T34 (SU122 is based on that kit), were the rear deck grill and the gap below the fenders.  Instead of spending the $ to buy the PE grill (mistake) I cut out the plastic and fashioned my own:

I am not real happy with the results, but from past experience I learned it's best to sometimes leave well enough alone and see if an idea comes along as I build to "improve" the situation.  I fixed the fender problem by adding styrene strips:

I'm not worried about small gaps or seam lines because they will get mud and/or snow later.   The putty will be sanded and the screw and hole, which adjusts track tension,  will get filled later too.

I added a strip of styrene at the front of the lower hull for some relief.  The kit had some weld seams molded in the plastic, but again from the experience with the T34, I found these were lost in the all the paint and weathering layers.  To accentuate those seams I added a styrene strip where I felt a seam was missing and then used a hot-tipped wood burning tool and burned the "welds" where appropriate:

Also note how shiny the model is.  What I did was take the liquid plastic glue straight from the bottle and cover all the armor, small sections at a time.  The glue "burns" some texture on each panel.  I used 4-5 layers of glue on the parts that would be sandcast.  This technique is a substitute to Mr. Surfacer and sanding.

O.K....time to paint!!!

Question?: Does anybody know if the SU122 ever had the "box" type versus the "drum" type, reserve fuel tanks added to it?  I think the back of this beast would look good with this addition. (I'm leaving the drums off either way)  I may add the "boxes" anyway...it's a hobby for fun...afterall.

Good progress SMJ! Glad to see you're about to hit the painting...that's where it gets fun.

Scott, thanks for posting those WIP shots - very interesting to see how you managed to achieve that great scheme. Are you going to go the same route on the Pz.III? 

dupes wrote:

Scott, thanks for posting those WIP shots - very interesting to see how you managed to achieve that great scheme. Are you going to go the same route on the Pz.III?

I'm going to do something similar, but as to application of the white wash I haven't decided whether to brush or paint on the whitewash.  I need to find some reference photos of the scheme I'm doing so it will depend on the "look and feel" of the whitewash in the photos. 

Dahut, didn't you order that back in November?

Another big NFL weekend...looks like I'm going to be assembling the traveling workbench and heading downstairs for at least 4 games worth of coffee-table Panther building.

Getting back into this, I found a website that I thought was very helpful for the 109s. You all probabilily have a link, but just in case.....

 http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2000/02/stuff_eng_profile_bf109.htm

There was also an interesting article on using laundry soap for doing the whitewash finish.

So for what it's worth.

T.S. 

I've shot the RLM 66 in the interior portions, and the engine is assembled and primed.  The cockpit is okay, but the IP is pathetic.  Just some stamped circles with no raised or relief detail, and not even a decal to indicate instruments.  Thankfully, this will be closed canopy anyway. 

WIP-SU122.  The painting is completed.  The shininess on the "turret" is where I apllied "future" expecting to add white numeral decals; but after further review of the instructions I found out that the white camo' should be applied before the markings, the numerals will be black. I did some research to help answer my question about the reserve fuel tanks, and although I couldn't CONFIRM the "box" type were ever used, the manufacture dates of the T34 variants with the "boxes" coincided with the SU122...I like how they look too!

***IF YOU PLAN TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH MY WINTER CAMO' TUTORIAL THIS IS THE "OFFICIAL" STARTING POINT.  BE LOOKING FOR MY POSTS IN ARMOR***

Ho ho! Looking real good, SMJ. Those box tanks look fine to me, I swear I've seen pics of an SU122 with those on them in one of my "T34's and Variants" books at home.

I'll have to ask (as usual with Sov armor) whose green you used?

dupes,

The green is Tamiya XF-67 Nato Green. 

WIP-"clouding" of straight white added:

Finally decided on my entry Dupes and hopefully get a start on it the beginning of next week and i will look forward to catching up on everyone else's build

biffa,

Nice choice!!!  I saw a color drawing of that tank in "T34 in Action" and liked it.  I'll be curious to see how you do that pattern that goes up the hull and over the turret.  Hey, by the way, SPECTACTULAR work you did there in that Kursk GB!!!

Biffa - nice choice! As usual, you've picked a kit right from the heart of my stash. I swear they must be nearly identical!

Can't wait to see how this guy turns out...do you plan on using the decals for that funky mesh pattern, or shooting it freehand? 

WIP-SU122, making good progress today!!!