deafpanzer

I am so glad the hose has finally arrived.  Apparently our mail men are not as quick as they used to be.  

Couldn't agree more with your comment... it looks great for a kit from 1975.  

Hi Andy,

Strange it took so long - it's not like it's Christmas or anything???

Anyway it's here and looks perfect - infact, the hose finishes it off nicely.

If it weren't for your Marder II I wouldn't have known about 'Coal Thief' so thanks. I'll be taking it to the club meeting tomorrow night.

Onto the Tiger - paints are ready and she's primed. I've got the radiator for the workshop here so I can air brush in the warmth tomorrow!

Check the blog tomorrow guys!

All the best,

Ben

I am so glad the hose has finally arrived.  Apparently our mail men are not as quick as they used to be.  

Couldn't agree more with your comment... it looks great for a kit from 1975.  

Hi folks,

Thanks for the kind words.

Now onto the Tiger I which is primed and ready for paint. It's too cold in the workshop today (all airbrushing is done in there-parents orders) and the heater in there is awful but it's a lovely workshop with double glazing so my Dad is bringing home as big oil filled radiator he has at the farm so I'll get it toasty in there for tomorrow prior to painting!

I know I said she was complete - she definately is now as Andy Deafpanzer's hose he sent to me turned up

Final photos:

Hose in place:

Final photo with RB Brass Antennae now fitted:

A nice build - not bad for something originally moulded in 1975!

Cheers guys,

Ben

Gamera

Ben,

Great job there! Always nice to see someone take one of those older, not so great kits and build her up into a great looking model!

Cliff

Thanks for that Cliff,

I'll be keeping my eyes open for more of these older cheap kits - perfect for trying new methods on and not a total disaster if it goes wrong!

It's a great Kit, one for all SPG fans to look out for if you fancy a quick Marder II build.

All the best,

Ben

Ben,

Great job there! Always nice to see someone take one of those older, not so great kits and build her up into a great looking model!

Cliff

deafpanzer

The hose hasn't arrived?  I mailed on 26th so how many days does it normally take for a letter to be delivered?  I think you should have gotten it by now... hope it is still on its way.

Hi Andy,

It could well still be on it's way. I'd say that most stuff sent to me from the US would take a week maybe but there is a very good chance it's floating around somewhere - the whole country is covered in snow and things may well be running well behind.

Take care buddy,

Ben

The hose hasn't arrived?  I mailed on 26th so how many days does it normally take for a letter to be delivered?  I think you should have gotten it by now... hope it is still on its way.

bufflehead

Very nice work Ben!  I missed the earlier posts, but managed to catch the last bit of work you did bringing this classic into fine shape!!  Its amazing how a well constructed, well painted and weathered build can overcome an old kit's deficiencies! 

Now I'm eager to see the Tiger!

Thanks Bufflehead,

I'd have to say she's definately one of my better builds! The main issue that you notice is the monstrous amount of ejector holes that are very visible. You think you've filled them all and you notice another couple! The MG would have looked nice but the kit part was awful. It's supposed to be an MG34 mounted on a post with a bracket enabling it to elevate to shoot at aircraft but it's moulded as a single piece which is why I'm going to try and make something instead from the spares tub.

This is the Panzer III that I built for Andys Pz III GB (this is the Ausf N Tamiya version with 'Leningrad' Winter splinter scheme). Basically it's just whitewash patches over the German Grey basecoat and this came out really well so I thought it was about time that I had a 1/35 Tiger in my cabinet so I built the Dragon Initial Production Tiger I which will be depicted in the Leningrad scheme again (pictured with my Marder at the bottom of my 'completion' post) and all I have left to do now is paint and weather it - simple

I'm going for an exact same finish so they are going to sit side-by-side in my glass cabinet.

Leningrad Panzer III N:

I reckon I can do even better with this Tiger - fingers crossed eh!

Take care buddy,

Ben  

Ben

This one slipped right past me.

Really well done. I love the whole Marder family. You did this one proud!

Well done Ben, you really brought her through to the finish line in style. Now collect a Blue Peter badge and a cracker Jack pencil.

Terry.

Very nice work Ben!  I missed the earlier posts, but managed to catch the last bit of work you did bringing this classic into fine shape!!  Its amazing how a well constructed, well painted and weathered build can overcome an old kit's deficiencies! 

Now I'm eager to see the Tiger!

deafpanzer

Beautiful work!  The radio is probably my favorite part.  Be sure to print a small sign to be placed next to your Marder to remind your friends that the kit is older than you... 

Get your butt back to the Tiger!  Can't wait to see how it stands next to the Pz III... 

Cheers Andy,

I've got the Tiger ready for priming tomorrow morning and I'm going to prep a few tools etc. I'm visiting the family tomorrow lunchtime so next weekend I'll be able to get some colour on her and get cracking.

I was covering the work phone from home between 2pm and 10pm today but luckily it was very quiet-why does someone always phone when you are holding a loaded brush ar holding to parts together whilst glue sets!?

Next weekend is all mine so I'm hoping to get a chunk done but no rushing and I'm going to get Friuls I've decided - a kit like this deserves them!

After the Tiger I'll be hitting the stash, going 'green' and building my Bronco Comet, Dragon Firefly (IC Hybrid) and newly purchased Tamiya Willys Jeep which is TINY but looks great fun and is a perfect size for a little base to go in my cabinet! The Sherman is a stonker of a kit and will be a long old build but boy does she look nice

Oh, that hose didn't turn up Andy. It must have got lost in the post I suppose? Shame but I'll find something!

Thanks for all the kind comments fellas - I really appreciate it

All the best,

Ben

Nice work on this one Ben. When you resolve the issue with the MG you might also want to hit the molded-on tools on the front fenders...the crank starter in particular that's on the left fender would look nicer if detailed instead of left in the hull color as it is now IMHO. Can definitely see a progression in your work, look forward to seeing what you do with the Tiger.

Beautiful work!  The radio is probably my favorite part.  Be sure to print a small sign to be placed next to your Marder to remind your friends that the kit is older than you... 

Get your butt back to the Tiger!  Can't wait to see how it stands next to the Pz III... 

Hey cheers Master and Tigerman,

It would have been nice to have put some decent tracks on her but I wanted to keep it as it would have been in 1975. They painted up ok and because the kit was so cheap I didn't have to worry about experimenting with different methods etc.

She's turned out real good.

Thanks again - much appreciated!

Ben

Thanks for the ride on this old vintage kit. Brings back some memories.

You've done some good work with this one.......

And you get better with each one.

Cheers guys

She's a cutie alright,nice job.

Tony lee

Very nicely executed! A great balance on the weathering. Lots there wihout being overdone.

Hi guys,

Good news - she's finished (I think)

I say 'I think' because I'm still looking at ways of replacing the kit MG and mount and knocking up a Dragon MG34 and mount and using that but for the time being, I'm very happy.

The tracks aren't great but I did say OOB so I stuck with them. The money saved will go towards Friuls for the Tiger build. The only added extras were an RB Antennae, Radio nicked from another kit and a tow cable that wasn't going to get used (that's wrapped round the front of the build on the spare track).

Anyway, she's turned out really well and I'm really pleased. You'll see in the final photo the Tiger I (Initial Production) that I'm now going to complete.

I hope you like her chaps!

My completed Marder II and my next wip on the bench - my assembled Initial Production Tiger I (Dragon kit #6600) now waiting for painting and weathering.

Thanks for looking guys,

I'd love to hear any comments etc.

I'll go find my Tiger blog and get that running again - I'm looking forward to getting stuck into that one now.

Cheers fellas,

Ben  

terry35

This one looks great Ben especially for the older kit. You have given it a new lease of life.If its a subject you like then you should definitely consider the dragon offering.

Terry.

Hi guys,

I just love my SPG's and I bought this to save me having to fork out double for the Dragon one. Sure it would be better but this built up lovely and the instructions could be followed!

I've decided that after I've finished my Tiger I I'm going to tackle the Dragon Bison II that Bill is building right now.

Cheers for the buddy!

All the best,

Ben

This one looks great Ben especially for the older kit. You have given it a new lease of life.If its a subject you like then you should definitely consider the dragon offering.

Terry.

The MG34 was normally stowed on the right side of the interior with about half of it hidden behind the radio gear, so it's really only the barrel portion that's visible. Up to you I suppose...if I had a spare DML MG34 laying around and it was better detailed than the kit part I'd definitely replace it.

Cheers Bill,

I'll have to see what I can bash together!

I suppose I could stow a nice MG34? The kit one really is a horror!

Cheers,

Ben

Ben,

Regarding your MG question, the answer is "yes" it should be an MG34...the infantry received priority for the MG42 which is why you don't see them mounted frequently on vehicles until much later in the war.

Can't offer you any advice on the vinyl tracks unfortunately. Sounds like you've got this one pretty close to the finish line.

Thanks for the comments guys,

We had family over for lunch but they popped out to a garden centre-needless to say I didn't go   

She's had some pin-washes, metallic dry brushes to make some details pop, basic wash and the beginning of some mud and muck build up on the running gear to sit behind the road wheels (they've had a wash too and the road wheel bolt detail will also get a bolt-popping dry brush when they go on.

As for the upper hull and interior that's it now. I'm leaving it there as it looks great (imo) and personally, I'm happy to leave it like that. I've given the upper hull a very light air brushing of Vallejo Matt Varnish and will do the same again next weekend then brush on some very light pigment left unfixed.

Apart from that it's paint and fit tools that hang on the outer wall and rear, sort the one piece tracks out (old style hot screwdriver things which look okay but they will need some TLC to look good enough to use. I'm reluctant to go anywhere near the tracks with a hot screwdriver so I might stitch and staple them together at the joint and leave it out-of-site. 

She'll be complete by next Sunday which means I can get back into my Tiger I build!

Thanks for looking guys.

I'll post a final completion post next weekend when the tracks and road wheels are on and all the bits are in place.

Not sure what to do re the MG as it's a real dog (kit version). I'd like to use one though and have plenty of nice Dragon ones in the stash - I'm assuming that because it's an earlier war build it must be an MG34? 

Also, the old type vinyl tracks - any tips on painting them? Will they take paint ok without flaking (Acrylic)?

Please let me know if you have comments or suggestions for improving the inner compartment or the general build.

Have a great week and take care chaps!

Ben

Hi Ben,,,  not sure how I missed this thread,, but I have caught up now though....  luv what you have done with this ole kit,,,,,,    great job all-round!

Bill

Looking real good there Hinksy Far better than mine turned out 24 years ago... And yes, the old kits are a bit more fun with the do it yourselfsprucing needs. Great excuse for adding tools to the workbench drawers.