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~ ! Clash in Tunisia ! ~ { Final Photos on page 37 }

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  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Thursday, December 3, 2009 9:49 PM

        ~~~Next up..the last vehicle needed for the scene.........   ~ The Opel Blitz ~ German-built 3ton truck ~ Used nearly everywhere the Axis went.    
The kit of choice for me is the fairly new Tamiya item  
Looks to be a beautiful kit, just going by the look of the sprues, and the generally good reviews. I did however want additional details in place, particularly the prominant grill name-badge Tamiya left out so tried to aquire the nice looking  Lion Roar update set but found it sold out at the time , and so, finding a great deal on it, chose the Eduard Photo- Etch set, which appears to be quite extensive, even when short of the replacement floorboards in thier "Big Ed" set. this one having 3 large frets, though one is all for use improving the fuel drums & jerrycans. This set includes an acetate sheet for the dash gauges , but I was sold on using the fine Archer transfers in this case, as they are very accurate, and will probably warrant a door ajar !
There are many choices for the truck-bed, and a cover may be a good idea, as the Tam kit has the widely known flaw of the many numerous pin-marks on the inside walls of the beds' wood sides. I haven't made up my mind on this yet, but am leaning towards a partial bed cover, scratchmade. Whatever I do it's going to have to have some character! Maybe even some custom work from the weldshop  
All vintage photos on this page barrowed for discussion-purposes-only from the marvelous reference site :  Forum van de HOCN  a Nederland site of Opel history  

~~Back very soon~~

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

Mic
  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: AusTx, Live Music Capitol of the World
Posted by Mic on Thursday, December 3, 2009 10:26 PM

Nice job on the Kubel... looks like a real piece of banged up metal. I can't wait to see your rendition of the Blitz, my fave softskin.

Steve

 

Steve M.

On the workbench: every tool, paint, brush, glue I own

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Saturday, December 5, 2009 12:36 AM

~Thanks Steve ~ I'm just gett'in started on this.

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Las Vegas, Nevada
Posted by model maniac 96 on Saturday, December 5, 2009 6:51 PM
OOO, that looks like fun!! I look forward to seeing what you do with it!



Thanks, Jim
"Veni, Vidi, Vici" Julius Caesar: I came, I saw, I conquered.
  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Sunday, December 6, 2009 8:32 PM

~Yup~ FUN

 ~Work has begun on the 3ton truck~      Per usual, the chassis is the 1st thing to build.  
True to Tamiya, this is a very simple and easy assembly, and yet suitably complex. I made a few detail additions, such as adding texture to the exhaust same as I did on the Kubel & motorcycles' exhausts.     I want to portray an early vehicle that's been running around the desert a couple years, so the stock early pattern wheels are what I want, along with the original-type rear springs. If you've read up on the Tamiya model at all, you'll know that Tamiya has supplied the very early wheels with the later type springs. Following Terry Ashley's lead on this, I've removed the added on section of spring, and scratched a new shakle-plate from styrene.  
The steering rack can be built so it's movable,which I prefer so I can decide on the wheels position when I park my truck. I needed to clamp the 2 matching halves of the steering yoke to get them to meet flush, but after curing the steering was movable, although travel is limited so you'll need to file in a bit more clearance if you want the wheels turned hard over(you'll see where if you do this)  
Theres alot of really small bits in the Eduard set to improve the simple hitch, (Among other things !! )  I threw in 1 piece of stryene there too.  
The Eduard brass is really great quality, and anealing is probably not needed if you're sure to get the fold right the 1st time, or want it a little stiffer when you fold, but for the larger assemblies with a lot of folding I'd reccommend it. Out comes  the whole P.E. kit !  
~Looks like I'll get some really nice Photo-etch subasemblies going on this build. Here you can see how much more detail the under-bed-storage-bin has over the kit part. The brass is also easier to create damaged sheet metal with.(The bent-up box lid will make more sense later when I get to the add-on details)  
~~Continuing my research  reading as I go along, I stumbled on this photo of the Opel Blitz truck in production at...get this....The Adam Opel Truck Factory, Brandonburg, Germany !!!         I swear I didn't know before   

~Until next time................

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: Portland, Oregon
Posted by RickLawler on Monday, December 7, 2009 7:25 AM

Wow, quite a bit of progress since my last look-see.  Very nice work on the Kubel, and the Blitz seems to be off to a great start.

 

rick

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 12:57 AM

~ Thanx Rick ~ Very much appreciated ~ !!

EDIT~ OK after a week OFFLINE due to the Forum switchover  WE ARE BACK IN BUSINESS !!

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Michigan
Posted by ps1scw on Thursday, December 10, 2009 6:38 PM

Took over 2 minutes for me to be able to open your thread.  Glad I waited, everything looks great!

PersonHug

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Sunday, December 13, 2009 7:31 PM

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Friday, December 18, 2009 12:42 AM

Update for 13/12/09   (not glamourous, but a # of steps accomplished)


Now, getting this bonnet assembly together should have been much easier, and I don't know why, but the dash front/firewall piece  in my kit had enough warp that in order to avoid a nasty gap at the floorboard, a had to squeeze the joint together while glue set.. This was a case of needing just the exact correct clamp for the job :


These are cheap,weak & low-tech, but Man! did they come in handy! See how it happened to fit under the moulded-on bumper and bend to meet the  parts at the needed acute angle.
 

Below you see the cab-front without the dreaded gap. I don't know whether you can expect to find this problem with your build too, I hadn't heard of it.
 


My luck, I found the gap had moved on to the next stage, and the bonnet-spine didn't meet the firewall from the radiator. Clamp again!
 


Note P.E. running boards replace the surface of the kit parts. You may also note here that the floorboards have been painted to match at this point. I shot the interior parts, P.E. parts and all with Tamiya TS-4 German Grey, which IS the colour of the kits styrene! The only difference is the painted areas are matt and the bare plasic has the semi-sheen.
 
Naturally things we're a bit wongy when I went to put the rest of the bonnet together, but I had to expect it by now.  I Needed a little stronger , more  controlable clamp here.
 


But in the end it's a front end. Note P.E. louvers added over sanded-down kit parts. I left them sticking out just a bit so thier scale thinness could be seen, maybe too much. I think with paint it will be good.
 


Prep for the rest of the cab includes clean-up of 4 very obvious pin-marks on the rear bulkheads inside face, with a #16 blade- the  pin-marks in the center are behind the seat
 

 
There's a nice brass part for behind the grill, which is just barely veiwable, but I painted it an aluminum colour before fitting so I wouldn't be stuck with brass in there. Here's where the air was knocked out of my sails a bit. The very "Opel Blitz" name-plate I bought the upgrade set for is (not) included the Eduard P.E. set ! I just noticed about the time I started looking for it. I couldn't have imagined this omition as it's the 1st shortcoming of the kit always mentioned.. Due to this I cannot reccomend this set to anyone any longer, a real shame, as the rest of it is quite nice. I've placed an order for the Lion Roar P.E. set that was my 1st choice but not available when I began. I will have some pretty useful spare photo-etch bits leftover, but it seemed better than being beaten by the oversight!
 
 
~Continued.....

 

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Everett, WA
Posted by Schnobs on Friday, December 18, 2009 1:04 AM

You should never model right after eating or you might get serious clamping!

Yes I said it!!!  Tongue Tied

Great detail work man I like it!

Freakin Really Adequate!!!

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance. That principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer
  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Friday, December 18, 2009 1:08 AM
One more job I've got accomplished is the painting of the seats, which needs to be done before closing up the cab. To add some texture, and some scuffs and tears to the old upolstery, I burnished down some Green "Frog" painters tape after digging out the fabrics moulded in details a bit with a diomond file. I think this tape gave a good texture.
 


When I had it just right, I gave it a few thin coats with TS-62 Nato Brown, a  russet colour
 


Below you can see the sort of texture I got with that tape as a surfacer
 


I mixed a few filters with different amounts of Vallejo Camo Black-Brown, Black, and Mig Dark Mud pigment powder, to try to get a dirty aged look, instead of a regular easy-to-read dark wash, so the upolstery kind of just blends in later.
 

~In the next chapter, all thse bits should come together to form the trucks cab.
~CONTINUED


I'll do some more weatherizing later most likely, but until things are complete I wanted to leave it a little bright inside. The dusty colour will need a lille adjusting, and dark washes we're kept very minimal, and in selective areas only.
 


Archer transfers were a bit large for the kits' bezels, something I didn't know at the start, but I wanted thier detail, and the Eduard bezels we're of a type I hadn't seen in photos, so I chose to crush the transfers in, and seal/glaze with Future. Quite decent at normal veiwing distance, not too bad in the zoom, I'd say it's a go~
 


Most of that great floor detail is lost in the "dust", but I'm pleased with my upolstery texture
 

 

 


This Ruskie from TanK came down off the shelf to see this......
 

 

 

~Still a ways to go before it's on the road......... I'll be back again soon!~

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Saturday, December 19, 2009 12:55 AM

 ~~~~Thems some mighty fine words Wayne, thanx~~~~

~ Hello again Gents...got some work done to the front end that I thought might set this Opel apart a little bit . I scratchbuilt the custom pushbar from soldered  brass rod.
 



Not quite the same,  not as wide, but inspired from this one fitted to this desert "Blitz" truck, I wanted mine to perfectly frame that blessed name badge(you can even see the "radiator" sheet in this shot)    Sorry about the dust, construction underway!
 
The Lion roar kit happily included some other nice parts not found in the Eduad set, like these black-out light covers. The kit parts are not at all awful, but I really like the look of the P.E. parts here, an importaint area. I don't like them to look empty behind the slit, so I fit a small piece of blister-pack material inside, mostly to later suport a bit of dirt
 

 

 


I dented up the brass a little for some minor wear
 


I needed a piece of styrene to represent a thick bit of iron strap-baseplate, as if a cut-off from a discarded panzer perhaps, I'm concidering adding some torch & weld detail, but the front of this truck is going to be so covered in dust there's not much point.   I try to  remember it's the army of figures running past these vehicles that's really going to matter. That said, I try to find a happy balance of rich detail and reasonable build-time.
 
 
I had to check that this looked likely enough from the drivers seat too.
 


No where near experienced building with solder, I think I managed to get what  I was after at the very least. There's still a few tuff jobs ahead with this build too, so onward..
 

~One of the infamous flaws of the Tamiya 3ton 4x2 German Cargo Truck. All those nasty sink- marks on the "wood" of the bed-sides. Next chapter we'll see if  I can come up with a clever way to solve this problem(short of replacing all of it and spending all that  time !
 
 
It's been my absolute pleasure to  be able to bring you this update, I trust it wasn't too painful! ]Zip it!
 ~ Indy  Music

  

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    October 2009
  • From: South Carolina
Posted by jetmodeler on Saturday, December 19, 2009 8:14 AM

Every thing you have built so far for your dio came out good so far. Now I can't wait to see the truck finished.

Nice Job.

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Tonawanda, NY
Posted by joelster on Saturday, December 19, 2009 8:48 AM

Wow!

Those seats look incredible. GREAT job so far!

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Sunday, December 20, 2009 1:42 PM
~Jetmodeler~ Thanks for that-  "Good so far" is the name of the game. I'm about halfway through
~Joelster~ Welcome and thanks. Out of everything in the thread you liked the seats the best? OK, We will see when it's done what stands out to you , hang in there.
~OK then... The terrible case of the pin-marked wood bed sides......(I go into detail here) {Note: I'm building an early truck that's managed to last a number of years in this ultra-harsh environ,  If you want a factory-fresh look here, you'll need to try something else}


1st thing I filled all the sink-marks with putty. Nothing terribly clever about that. Except maybe that I used 3M's(Green)Spot Putty, which is FAR finer in grain than hobby putties.
 
 
Next thing I scribed in the "panel lines" with a scribe tool, followed by the (back edge of) my knife in places I wanted to breakthrough, to give gaps in the wood. Then I sanded the entire area of the panel with a cut-down 220 grit sanding stick, then a 320, removing most of the kit wood-grain, trying to leave the 'steel' edges intact as I went.
 


This panel shows (3) STAGES  of my heavy texturizing process. Left to right : panel lines scribed, rough work began(basic shape of wood parts started), & finished, except for removing the "fuzz" of which there's a lot of to do with all this scraping. Most of this work is done with side to side scrapes with my #11 blade(see also a step by step I did on wood texturing HERE   Yes I also used this small rasp(gift from a modeller friend of mine)dragged on it's side, as well as this square of VERY heavy sandpaper(40 grit?) given to me by a carpenter friend and sometimes incorrectly refered to as "German toiletpaper"
  


I retextured all surfaces of the 'wood', and went especially heavy with the sandpaper on the bed-floor, to get a different look, that of a very crushed, compacted wood from all the heavy cargo. The wood sides got alot more knife-work, to "open the grain" as if it's been beaten by sandstorms and freak rainstorms for a few years. Research reveals wood grain exposed to desert elements can become quite unrecognizable from factory standards. This also gives a nice strong contast when painted.
 
 
Again, if you wanted to model a "new" truck this effect would represent an out-of-scale woodgrain, but as I want this wood to look ravaged by elements, this should be good.
 
 
'
 
Here's that 'compressed' look of the bed-floor. Compare with the original texture below
 

This is of course the bed-bottom, and if you're one of those guys that finishes the bottom of your models, (not I ) you have another 30 pin-marks to go!
 

A finishing job like ths absolutely requires a light primer coat to evaluate your work. I used the fine Floquil Light Grey Figure Primer spraycan.
 
 
Well, I don't know how clever all that turned out to be but I thnk it worked. About 3 hours time (I'm sure that I've spent 3 hours doing stupider stuff before)  Surprise   With this done, I can steam-ahead with the whole rest of the build......Now it gets good !!
 

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Sunday, December 20, 2009 1:47 PM
~Continued~
 
OK ,  now this build can get going..................
 
 
With that bed made-up, all the major assemblies can come together. The cab to the chassis to start, and the spare is added as its difficult to do later.
 

Then a dry-fit of the cabs roof and the truckbed---suddenly it looks like a truck !!
 

You'll notice I've removed the  awful oversized hinge from the cab-roof that hold the triangular convoy light. I haven't heard anyone else complaining about this feature, and most Opel trucks had them (but not all).   I chose to just get rid of it. The styrene was a little unstable under the hinge, so a little filler was needed .
 

There's the basic truck. A "truckload" of details to add-on still.....
 

Here's the test of any  German truck. Some Feldgendarm stands outside demanding       "Your papers! Your papers pleaze !"  The truck has to stand up to that at least   Surprise
 
That's what I got so far, let me know what you think & thanks for reading along

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: 41 Degrees 52.4 minutes North; 72 Degrees 7.3 minutes West
Posted by bbrowniii on Monday, December 21, 2009 8:53 AM

INDY

Man, your work is amazing, AND your WIPs are outstanding.  You ability to show a technique and so clearly explain how you have done it is superb.  You are setting the bar for WIPs.

I've been printing off sections of this thing and adding it to my personal 'techniques' binder.  Thank you!

'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing' - Edmund Burke (1770 ??)

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Reno, NV
Posted by espins1 on Monday, December 21, 2009 5:07 PM

Wow! Great job beating up the wood!  It looks perfect!  Surprise

Scott Espin - IPMS Reno High Rollers  Geeked My Reviews 

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Tuesday, December 22, 2009 7:48 AM

~Boyyd~ Hey Man, that's greatly appreciated. I endeavor to communicate well. Help yourself to it too.

~Scott~ Thanx for that ~ One of many successes so far & a ways to go. Reno huh? I usd to live around those parts,never had a moment for models then though....

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Northern Va
Posted by psstoff995's lbro on Tuesday, December 22, 2009 9:20 AM

Great work!

That blitz is coming along great. 

-Will young modeler Test fit master
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Reno, NV
Posted by espins1 on Tuesday, December 22, 2009 10:03 AM

I love Reno, been here since 1985 when I left Germany... and I still don't get as much modeling time as I would like.  LOL

I'm going to give your wood weathering technique a try on a future project I have in the works.  Great stuff!  Cool

Scott Espin - IPMS Reno High Rollers  Geeked My Reviews 

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Tuesday, December 22, 2009 11:34 PM

~Will~ Thanks Buddy Big Smile

~Scott~ Right, who does? (the unemployed---not worth it! Tongue Tied) I just noticed you've been posting here a very long time. You're dance-card is near full! So what's on the bench?

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: Cary, North Carolina
Posted by M1Carbine on Thursday, December 24, 2009 4:53 PM

Stunning Indy....just stunning.  beautiful work on the wood.

 

Bob

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Sunday, December 27, 2009 3:55 AM

~Very much appreciated Bob. Very much.          Update coming Sunday

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Tonawanda, NY
Posted by joelster on Sunday, December 27, 2009 8:41 AM

Still loving those seats! Wink I just like how you take ordinary household stuff and apply it to the models, such as you did with the tape for the seats. The rest of the model looks incredible as well!

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • From: mass,USA
Posted by scratchmod on Monday, December 28, 2009 9:01 AM

Adam looking great so far as always. I love the detail you put into each model you build, especially all the PE, wow, hats off to you my friend. Keep those updates coming.

 

Rob

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ventura (at the beach) in California
Posted by *INDY on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 7:42 AM

~Joelster~ Thanks Bud, yes ordinary if you happen to have that particular specialized item! Stick around, gets better!

~Rob~ Thanks for that-I always value great words like that from an artist like you(never stop Big Smile )

~Update for 12/29/09~

~Guys, I'm really looking forword to the paint and weathering myself! ~ For that is where I really believe my  real talents are. Meanwhile, despite all the lovely holiday Who-Ha and all, that's had me away from home, not to mention the bench, I've gotten a ways along with all the many details that must go into place ahead of the painting.  As it happened, this is my 1st build employing two different Photo-Etch sets, and it's tons!

 
Of course much was gained as each kit contains many parts the other doesn't . The Eduard kit for example,  had exterior doorhandles, not interior ones, the Lion Roar kit, the reverse! It seems each company found different details importaint to provide, and some while provided, we're very simple, like Eduards tool clamps. I fitted the 4-piece clasps from L.R. and they we're about as demanding a fiddely thing as I've seen. I wanted these empty of tools as these will be very recently used and littered about in the Dio.


Here's the small sheet in the L.R. set. 3 parts + the bracket+lots of folds. You super-detailed-panzer builders know all about these, no doubt.
 


You may get a better view of them in the over-all shots at the end of the post. Parts for the hood-clasps(totaly left out by Tamiya) have a similar # of tiny parts & bends. The jack's brackets are very standard stuff.
 
 
This under-bed-jerrycan-basket is just the sort of thing I find the solder essential for, as it's designed to be joined end to end and any glob of glue would be out of place and it needs strength enough to hold that fuelcan during the rest of the build.
 

This is one of the jobs I break out the X-tra hands for, as there's a few things to keep lined-up, and the clips also act as heat-sinks to safeguard the  welds as you go.
 

Tiny pieces of solder are picked-up by the irons tip and touched to the joint after brushing it with flux. Not too tuff after you got the heat needed gauged. My results are getting better, but I still have a ways to go with it.
 

I'm trying to work-in some new photo-equipment I recieved for X-mas. See if you notice any improvement as we go along into the future, still getting familiar with it all.
 

The doors(still not fitted) took a fair amount of sanding to remove injection-marks(interior) and an odd molding line(exterior), sorry, I sorted that all -out with no photos to show. Quite a number of P.E. additions to the doors. Here's the outsides for now.
 
 
~Here's a lovely bend to try. More shaping, than folding, the kit instructions show you how to burnish the shape in with a "ball-pen", still, it took a little coaxing!
 

Afterwards, parts are added-on for hinges and hasps. Now that's yummy detail !
 

Keeping in mind the age of the truck I'm modelling, I don't want everything factory-fresh. so I just smashed this one in and drilled-out the hinge where the bolts may have held it previously. Something I get to rust-up later!
 

That nifty brake-line isn't in the Lion Roar set, though I supose modelling it from very fine wire is quite possible. You no doubt have noticed I've "dry-fitted" the wheels so we can take a look at this thing as it is so far, easy to do with Tamiya's soft bushings.
 

Finnally coming along  Big Smile   BUT    Somehow plenty left to do !!
 

Likely I'll leave off the mirrors & width markers 'til the very last thing, as knowing me, I'll knock them loose beforehand. Could be the driver of this old truck already knocked some  of that gear off himself already !  WinkIndifferent
 

One more little teaser before I go.Doesn't that platform for the Notek light seem to bend 3 different ways? HHmmmmm. Neato.
 
~Pretty soon I'll have to see to the glazing, mount-up the doors, get that cab squared away, build my tilt, a little plan for some of the stowage, and BAM I'm painting----I'll get to try out the  brand new Iwata The Lovely Mrs. sprang for !~~~~~~
     Until next Gentlemen.....................................................................

"Well...you gunna pull them pistols, or just whistle Dixie?"

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: 41 Degrees 52.4 minutes North; 72 Degrees 7.3 minutes West
Posted by bbrowniii on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 12:30 PM

Indy

There can be no doubt (at least in my mind) you are the reigning supreme dio builder on this site.  Amazing attention to detail... Amazing detail itself.... and, as I said, superior WIP thread....

Man o man o man o man..... I can't wait for the next one...

'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing' - Edmund Burke (1770 ??)

 

  • Member since
    October 2009
  • From: South Carolina
Posted by jetmodeler on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 1:19 PM

I agree.

 

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