Very nice, a cool build. Like it a lot...cheers....Kenny

Cheers Clay!

I really haven't got the room for building proper dios (nor the skill as yet as my figure painting needs major improvement BUT I do intend to start making some bases. I made a picture frame/plaster base for a 1/48 German Halftrack I built that looked pretty cool and I'd like to do a few more.

The whole diorama thing doesn't really appeal to me. The guys who are good at them make them look AMAZING but I'm happy with a good build build - I'm even happier with a good base to go with it. I'm about to start work on a Normandy Tiger I for Tigerman's Steel Cats GB and might well do one for that Tiger?

Again, thanks buddy,

Ben

SWEET WORK Ben is there a dio in that tiny tanks future?? again very cool build.

Clay

Ben, went back and looked the whole WIP over start to finish, super sharp work there! Nice build and the dust looks really good!

Looking forward to the Tiger! Funny how panzers went from this little guy to an armoured behemoth like the TIger in less than five years.

That is an awesome build and finish.

Cheers guys,

You are too generous!

Admittedly I am rather proud of her though!

Now I've got this Tiger to start on - I'm thinking of which way I can take that in terms of 'looks'? So, it's Normandy and it's '44. I'm assuming my Tiger is not exactly going to be production line clean and more than a little battle damaged?

Any ideas for a good looking Normandy Tiger I lads?

Thanks again for the great feedback everyone - it's made my day seeing Steve's post! LOL!

Ben

Ben

Excelent work

Cheers guys,

I'll be starting work on the Tiger I for 'Steel Cats' now Tigerman. I'll be going the other way with that one and will be keeping weathering light. I'll be concentrating on a serious quality build with that kit and plan to try some new methods along the way too.

Ben :-)

Nice dusty finish on the Pz II. Sharp build.

Glad to be of assistance Ben! Nice work on the Pz II and can definitely see an evolution in your finishing style, keep it up!

An informative blog and a build to be proud of,nice work Ben

Nice looking Pz II.  But if it's only the 16th... How do you know it's done?

Hey Ben your finish looks great!  I think just enough chipping to give the effect without over doing and the light dust coat has been applied nicely   I really like how this one came out, NICE job

looks amazing that water and buff mixes does leave a nice dusty effect might have to try it out on one of my old kits to see how it looks.. I loved watching this can't wait to see your next one

Hi Guys,

Well, apart from taking a file to the Friuls and showing some bare metal on the horns and adding some stowage later on, she is complete - and dammit! This is my best model yet - I'm so pleased with how this has come out! The weathering looks perfect and after adding a link to each Friul run - it's turned out so well! This will look great sat between my Pz IA and Pz III N!

I followed Bills advice re the chipping which helped a lot and hit her with a very watery buff (9 parts water to 1 part buff) which dries to leave a great dusty finish. I got October's FSM with Bill's Wespe on the front and copied (ahem) his recommendation to use 4 particular types of pigment that I have and apply onto the wheels and running gear, allow to dry and then scrub off with a stiff brush - I used an old toothbrush.

After that some more streaking, mig engine fluid effects around the filler cap and engine/gearbox housing hatches, more pigments and to finish her off I added some small chain onto the towing hook. The Friuls were treated with AK's Blemishing fluid but they didn't look too good so I added some Russian Earth Pigment to some AK Odourless Thinner and allowed it to soak around the links which blackened them perfectly. Some Dry Mud pigment was then brushed on. A Graphite stick was used on wheel rims and exposed edges after weathering to show fresh wear.

I'm planning to go back to this to add a little bit of stowage and spare track but I'm keen to get going on my Tiger I for the Steel Cats GB!

Btw - the barrels and the antennae are from RB Models.

I also need to sort out some smake candle pulls but have nothing suitably small enough to use! Suggestions.

Well, I hope you like her guys - I know I do a lot. Thanks for all your advice along the way lads!

I hope you like chaps - I'd love to read any comments.

Next up - Dragon Late Tiger I Ausf E for Tigerman's 'Steel Cat's' GB!

Cheers guys and have a great week,

Ben

Ben,

As a suggestion only, you might consider going back over the bare metal chipping effect with some darker color like Burnt Umber or Raw Umber to deepen/vary the effect a bit and not rely solely on the dust effects to come to tone it down. That way it won't look like it's chipped aluminum underneath the dust but actually primered steel peeking through or similar. Just a thought in terms of adding some layering/effect to the finish.

As for your question as to which Ausf this really is...it is in truth a C but that's down to the choices Tamiya made in the style of the visor ports for the hull and turret. Otherwise the c/A/B/C variants are virtually indistinguishable from each other from the exterior. HTH!

Looking GREAT!  Nice work on the chipping... can't wait to see it weathered.  That's the easiest part and of course fun part too.

Cheers Rambo,

From the start I'd always been planning a dusty look for this tank. I tried using a tiny piece of sponge for the chipping (a rough piece of sponge use for skin scrubbing so it's very loose, not tightly 'packed together' like a normal sponge.

I'm going to get the rest of the kit on board, add some further streaking effects and then start adding pigments - dry brushed into crevices, wet slop on the wheels to be later scrubbed off and the usual muffler weathering. This will tone it all down and I'll just keep playing around with it until I'm happy. As I previously mentioned airbrushed water and buff mix will be gently bown up against the corners as it dries to great effect.

Update tommorrow!

Ben

It's looking really good right now can't wait to see it after weathering.. Have you thought about adding some primer chips too to very the color a bit? I'm guessing that you have something amazing planed to do with her to bring it all together so I'll keep watching

chipping does look good

Hey fellas,

As usual here is the Saturday update!

First off - how do I know what Ausf Pz II this is?

I really need to get this build wrapped up asap as I have a spanking new Dragon Ausf E with Zim ready to go for Tigerman's 'Steel Cats' GB.

Last week the Friuls were completed (still to be treated which I'll do tomorrow). I do think they looked a bit tight so I'm going to add another link to each side tomorrow then I'll put a dab of CA Gel onto the to front and rear return rollers to make sure they hold the tracks properly allowing me to add some sag between the rollers.

Today I painted and fitted the tools (apart from the Jack which I lost if you recall and the replacement needs assembling again), applied a Raw Umber wash made by my fair hand from W&N oil paint. I then carried out general tidy-up work and painted some Vallejo Dark Rubber onto the road wheels. 

The work done this afternoon looks good and I'm very pleased. You'll notice that I've done some heavy bare metal sponge chipping which will look out-of-place on this early WWII Pz II at the minute but please, bare with me and don't give it too much thought at present because I'm going to show the build as being very dusty which covers up the chips so it works in reverse and they show through only slightly with great results. I'm going to use some Panzer Fading Grey Mig Pigment on the build to provide some variation in the grey tones. I've used this method before where the pigments have covered up the chips and the results were impressive, to say the least!

Next week I have Friday and the following Monday off (i.e. a 4 day weekend) so I'll be completing this on the Friday and starting my Tiger I on Saturday

Photos showing today's work:

Below: The build, the chipping sponge set-up  and the roadwheels:

More tomorrow mainly pigments and airbrushed buff and water (8 parts water to 2 parts Buff) which dries to leave a great dusty effect. Also Friuls will be fitted and lower hull weathing will start.   

Remember there's going to a lot of dust on this thing so try and ignore the chips at present - it will work out fine!

Update tomorrow - she'll be nearly done I hope!

Take care,

Ben

man them tracks look good might have to order me a set for mine. Can't wait to see yours done its been helping me work on mine

Hi guys,

a VERY quick update!

Erm, both links of Friuls are complete. I'd have a lot more done but an unplanned day out yesterday and having to work today as someone phoned in sick left me enough time to assemble the entire second run from scratch.

These were the fiddliest Friuls I've worked with so far-even worse than the Pz I's!

At least I can get really stuck in now! I have the blemishing fluid so the tracks are good to go.

For those thinking of building this kit with Friuls I used 103 links on one side and 102 on the other. I'd have liked a saggy look but it looked odd and they wouldn't sit right. Add one extra link and it really messes things up on both sides!

Now, lets see where some light weathering takes this thing!

Update next weekend!

Ben

Cheers guys - appreciate the generous comments,

I'm not sure why I asked that question re the chipping? I think I must have been half asleep when I wrote that last night and intended on enquiring about something else?

As you say, some very light chipping yes but mainly light dust. This isn't going to be a mud covered, beaten to bits hunk of junk!

Glad you like the clamp handles - God them clamps are a nightmare. It didn't take me long to decide to just stick the handles on! LOL!

I will use the proper full PE clamps for my GB Tiger I build though.

Cheers guys,

Ben

Looks good Ben. I agree with Darren on that.  I know it hard to stop once you get going but less will be more on this one.

Hinksy

I hope you like her chaps. I'd love to hear any suggestion for weathering/chipping (basically how much)?

Hiya Ben, for the weathering I would go for a dusty with the areas where the crew clamber over kept mostly clean

While I'm not a massive chipping fan if you are going to do it I would keep it light given the speed of the campaign, the fairly new condition of the vehicles and theamount of time in service.

Cheers

Hey buddy!  Great camo job!  Nice short cut using claps to the molded tools.  Never thought about that earlier. LOL

I have to build a Pz II next year... thanks a lot!

Moving right along Ben, the PE clamp handles add some nice detail to the Tamiya tools for sure.

Cheers guys,

Rambo - Friuls are brilliant  Being made from Lead they have a scale weight so natural sag easily occurs and it does look VERY natural too! I'll use AK's Blemishing Fluid to complete the tracks - I soak the Friuls in the AK liquid for ten(?) minutes and they take on an aged, blackened/rusty appearance but they can be primed and painted as normal too. The high points on the tracks can be rubbed down with a file to expose bare metal to show track wear from running on concrete road surfaces.

Imo the kick ass - much better than Modelkasten tracks as they can take all the pulling around they need. Theya re affordable as long as you aren't knocking out one build per week! Here in the UK they cost £20-£25. Modelkasten plastic workables cost about £15-£20.

The extra weight given to the model really helps too.

Tigerman - I wish you could have too bud! She's going to be good! I'll be building my Tiger I Ausf E for your GB straight after this build! Probably at the start of October?

Ben