My atempt at armor

Bob,

So this is your first attempt hugh? Well, I can safely say that you did a heck of a job. I wish I could get a closer look at your build but, it looks pretty darn good from here.

Now, let's talk about you totally converting to the darkside

If you could lighten the pictures up and perhaps enlarge them, we could admire your work a little better. I'm still impressed with your topic since it was your first armor build.

"It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it."-R.E.Lee

talk about a expensive kit for a first try i had a look at it in a local hobby store yesterday and they wanted 175$ cdn for it , anyway looks very good , would be interesting to see with larger pics , its realy hard to see the detail on those.

here you go, a little bigger...










I have to say, good job. i doubt i would even attempt that project now!!! you really took a huge plunge into the "dark side", didnt you...

It's good to see that you chose a small and inexpensive kit for your first attempt with armour Bob.

Great job overall. Nice, clean build throughout. This is one hefty project.

Now we just have to teach you how to make this beast all filthy and dirty !!!!

Thanks for sharing Bob.

ahh much better, simply gorgeous , excelent work

THANKS GUYS! As it was my first try I figured weathering was over my head. Figures need work too. This kit caught my eye and I knew I just had to give it a try. Longest build I've done 7 months, those tracks. Like I said I'll get a pic or two on a good sunny day, house lighting isn't good enough for model pics. Bob

Excellent job Bob.
mark956

You'd be surprised at how easy a simple weathering job can be .... even as something as simple as a little pastel application will really enhance your finished product.

Very nicely done. Impressive for a first run at armor indeed.Don't be afraid to weather though, just think of all the things you normally do to keep a build looking good , and do the opposite Hope you enjoyed it enough to stay grounded more.

Well, I say not too ambitious for a first time armor kit. Ha-ha-ha-ha. Just kidding. I never really though that someone will do such a big project (not to mention expensive) for his first time. But guess what, I think you did a great job. I agree wigh LQ, a little bit of weathering will really enhance the job.

Keep it up? If this is for a first, I can only imagine what you will get for the second. LOL.

Good to have you with us in the darkness.

Great job! Hard to believe it's your first attempt. I've always liked the Famo's, too.

demono69

Forgot to welcome you to the Dark Side Bob. Hope you stay with us.


"It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it."-R.E.Lee

Can't see the pics....

I'm a beginner at armour too.. So I'd like to have a look at those pics.. So I can finish my first kit by the end of this year!!!!!

Cheers,
Nandakumar

I changed the batteries and got my flash working. These are allittle brighter. Bob

Good job on your first armor kit Bob!! I will say you don't seem to worry about starting small do you?!?!

Don't be afraid to try weathering an armor piece. It will enhance it so much more and it's really easy once you try it. Keep up the good work and welcome to the dark side!

Eric

Nice work Bob... not everyone would have the nerve to tackle a $100 kit for their first armor project, but you carried it off well.. especially since adding the StugIII to the trailer means you did TWO armor kits! Keep up the good work. I did this kit too and it can be a bear for someone who doesn't know armor, so my hat's off to you. As the others have said Welcome to the Dark Side!*

*P.S. I guess that should be the Dark-Heavily-Weathered-Rusty-Battle-Damaged-Missing-Fenders-Festooned-with-Equipment-and-Personal-Gear Side.

It looks real good, Bob. A bit of weathering would add a great deal to your model, give it 'life' if you know what I mean. It's really not difficult. A simple wash made of artist's watercolour (a colour called 'sepia' will do great on this camouflage), water, a drop of washing up liquid and a drop of white vinegar is the most forgiving way to get started: if you don't like it, it can be washed off. Then (after the wash is dry) a bit of drybrushing with oil-based artist's paints (mix titanium white and yellow ochre) will do the trick. Stains, rust,.. can also be added there and then.

Looks great! I agree with the lads that a little weathering will finish it off nicely. There's no need to go over the top. If you think its not quite enough, you've done the exact amount, especially for a first 'wash & dry'... Keep up the excellent work!

Fantastic man!!! You're making me wanna build more and more armour models!! Looks great!! Keep up the good work!!!

Man oh man for your first armor you don't fool around. You did a serperb job on this beast. Just what I like a truck hauling a tank as it should be!!LOL:-)

Nice Job!!

Welcome to the forum. I like the two bored tankers on the Stug.

Ron.

MANY THANKS. I was given a PzKw IV from Italieri that I've started. I'll try weathering on it. Again, THANKS! Bob

QUOTE: Originally posted by bob3242 MANY THANKS. I was given a PzKw IV from Italieri that I've started. I'll try weathering on it. Again, THANKS! Bob

Good kit to work on, Bob. For it's age it offers some good detail; For my money it has the best-detailed single piece tracks on the market. Also those separate fenders (which is something I would like to see more armor manufacturers do... are you listening, Tamiya??) make modeling dents, missing fenders and other battle damage a breeze.
A couple of weathering tips, if I may be so bold: Be sure to give your model at least two light coats of a flat laquer before starting to weather, especially if you plan to use mineral spirits or turpentine for washes. This will seal the paint and your washes will flow smoothly across the surface. I suggest Flo-Quil Figure Flat, which is more expensive than Testor's Clear Flat but gives a better finish.
Also, while Italeri uses very thin decal films, some manufacturers (Tamiya, again) use much thicker films which weathering will accentuate unless you cut very close to the marking, which is nearly impossible for most of Gemany's division and tactical markings. I would suggest making the purchase of dry-transfer markings, available from VLS and several other manufacturers. They're inexpensive and save a lot of headaches. And while they're impervious to laquer, I have had one or two lift off when assaulted by turpentine washes. I have no explanation as to why. So, after placing the dry-transfers I am sure to shoot a little clear flat over them. Hope this helps. Also, if you're serious about doing more armor, I would suggest you get Shepard Paine's "Modeling Tanks and Military Vehicles." It's a little dated on some of it's info but the chapters about basic construction, weathering, and adding detail are timeless and he offers great advice for beginning track-heads.Good luck and have fun!

Another piece of advice: don't ever paint your threads gunmetal or steel or something like that (looks like gunmetal in your pictures) UNLESS you're modeling a vehicle still on the assembly line or a stationary monument.

Tank threads rust very quickly. The friction with the pavement may strip the rust off the top detail of the thread exposing the shiny steel underneath but as soon as the vehicle stops even that will rust over virtually overnight.

Paint your threads rust and dry-brush with metallic colors such as gunmetal or burnt iron or steel.

very nice work ! does the stug come with, or was that a different kit ?
it's making me want to build a stug soon !
thanx for sharing the pix !
frosty

The stug's a seperate kit, same unit makings though. Thanx Frosty. Bob

Oh and one thing Bob, I think link mis-typed what he was saying about the wash. You want a clear GLOSS coat to apply your wash to, then seal it after with a clear flat coat. If you put a wash on flat it'll hold more than you want in some areas and it's harder to get off or won't come off.

Look through the techniques forum and you'll find some threads about washes that are informative.

Eric