Turetless AFV....Jan 1st 2010....now open!

just copy the IMAGE code below the photo and paste here.right now you are missing part of the code. good luck friend looking forward to seeing your progress.

Got a few more progress shots:

Should have some more later on.

Bob

M1 -- looking good! It reminds me how much fun I had doing mine and how I really have to do another!

Here's a WIP shot of the Strv 103B -- which finished its journey through the spray bay today. The fade coat is on the top, the shade coat is on the bottom and the tracks are now basecoated as well. I mixed the colour from Tamiya acrylics, following the suggestions of reviewers on the web (XF-22 and XF-13, 2:1). I've no idea how close to reality it is, but as there doesn't seem to be a solid reference in English for the variety of camo colours used by the Swedish Army (nope, not even at IPMS Stockholme did I find any, though there are heaps of references for Swedish Air Force colours), I reckon I can live with it!

Next up, wash and drybrush detailing, paint the tools, add the decals, slather on some dust, a couple of antnennas, and this beast is headed for the display case.

Cheers, Mike

Mike I love it.....I love it so much I picked the same kit up this weekend...........LOL

Bob

Excellent....thanks for the lesson on posting picks. 

The Base is super yellow I know, but I plan on really toning it down with dirt/grime.etc.  This has worked for me in the past, and I refuse to go out and spend a fortune on paints at a hobby store...so K-Mart and Wal-Mart colors it is! (with a bunch of weathering....lol)

Cheers!

Mike

Thats funny gax because I to will not buy high dollar paint.Wal-mart acrylics,thats it.If you look you'll find yellow ochre and such,will probably work in an airbrush but I brush paint most everything

Ok Gents, got some more pics.  basically the assembly is completed:

Got it all primed and its drying now.

Letting this dry whil I work on the pioneer tools and shurtzen.  More to follow

Bob

Not to shabby M-1.For an old Tamiya it looks like it came together very well.

Thanks DF....Its been a fun build.

Bob

TB- Looking great especially different shades of green.  Can't wait to see it finished! 

M1- You are a machine!  I have the kit and I am sure it will be fun to build than those complicated Dragon kits. 

Greetings…  I see you accept partial builds; how far advanced in build to still get accepted?

I started a Tamiya Stug IV awhile back, I recon the building phase is about 25-50% done, no painting. Ok with crossovers? Was going to also put it in for Armorama’s Tank Killers GB. Yes ,I need a lot of motivation to finish this one.. lol.. I have to actually undo some of the build, since I now have the Eduard Zoom PE set for that kit.

Castelnuovo – nice start; have no clue about how to make the pics fit, I am still working on having my post not disappear when I post them!

Mike/Thunderbolt – Nice start; good to hear that the kit is not bad. I love the looks of that “tank”, but heard mixed reviews about the Trumpy offering. LuckyModel has some modest offerings in PE/AMs (and rarely Eduard, usually LionRoar, Legend ,etc) and many times they ship free AIRPOST. My own solution for “shine” is Future at various dilutions, but I use enamels, so it wont work with acrylic bases L  I have no clue about the exact color of the S tank.. but between scale effect, weather effects and our failing eyesight, I recon no one would know the difference ;)

Detailfreak – really nice job on the suspension.  Ditto on the “waffles” ;) 

M1Carbine – Nice start; I am doing (possibly) the same kit… you are about the stage I re-boxed it two years ago : ) . (I am reading after the tires/wheels, dry fit of the chasis). Look forward to your build and the reviews by Mike.

I will re-start mine once I finish Winter Warriors. Cheers,

Thank you Jmart, I appreciate the kind words. 

Bob

Got the base coat on. I differed from my usual Tamiya acrylic desert yellow and tried some MM Panzer Dunkelgelb.  It went on nicely, plus it was just sitting in the enamel drawer.:

More later as I figure out what camo pattern I am going to use.

Bob

Hi Jmart,

you are welcome to finish your Stug here. I added you to the list, the lucky 13th memeber. :)

Well, I have been working on this quite a bit...my first build in 6 years.  As you can see, the bright yellow base is pretty mush gone due to the grime and dirt I applied.  I forgot how much of a bastard plastic tracks are.  Struggled a bit putting the left side on.

I'm still going to add a few things here and there, and a figure. 

Also, I am working on the base of the display.....Italy 1944.  Prolly put a few infantry walking next to the Brummbar as well.

Looking forward to seeing other turretless builds.

Have fun.

Mike

Good evening all.  I got some of the camo pattern on and the extensive weathering process will begin shortly.  Here are some of the latest shots:

Now back to the bench for more relaxing enjoyment with the lovely sound of Strauss echoing through the room.

Bob

Ok well a lot more progress has been made this weekend.

Got the filter applied:

after i let that dry for about a day, I jumped on some pin washes and dry brushing:

Tomorrow some more will be completed but for now break time from the bench.

Bob

I like your fat spots camo!  Which paint do you use because I like the colors and I want to use it for my 8X8 GB... most of times I use MM because it is easily available at local hobby stores here in Indy.

Andy - Thank you.  The colors used were:

Base coat = MM Panzer Dunkelgelb 1943    #2095

Camo blotches consisted of:

Red brown = Tamiya XF-64

Deep green = Tamiya XF26

dry brushed with:

Armor sand = MM    FS30277

Thats what I used buddy.  Are you in the 8 wheeler GB??

Bob

Hi Bob!  Thanks for your quick response.  I believe I already have MM Panzer Dunkelgelb 1943 already.  Was thinking about using MM Italian Brown but yours looked more reddish than what I have.  That's why I had to ask...

Yup, still working on my 234/1 for 8 wheelers GB.  Airbrushing job stalled because it is still too cold to do it in the garage.  But I might have a shot this weekend. 

Andy - flirt with a little disaster.....put a space heater next to you in the garage..............................LOL.

I have to hop over to that GB and check some progress of the other builds.  All are looking beautiful.

Bob

Ok gents; Im almost at the end.  Here are some more shots. 

Tracks are drying and some tidbits but the next set of pphotos should be the finally.

Bob

Hey Bob!  WOW!  Your Stug look better every time you post and I am loving it.  I hope you are happy because I decided to take your word to flirt with the disaster by airbrushing my 234/1 finally in the freezing garage next to a little space heater last night! LOL  I added another item to my wish list... a BIGGER space heater to keep me and paint warmer!!! 

Andy - just be caerful......................lol.  Thanks for the kind words.  Im looking forward to seeing your painted PUMA.

Bob

Bob, that is a great looking Stug! I especially like the weathered side skirts - how did you create that effect? Well done.

Sorry I've not been as active as I'd like. I finished my build in a matter of hours, so the speed at which I worked made me over look WIP pics. I mean, its a 1/72 scale piece so I could basically sneeze in the same amount of time to put it together. But I'm just cutting my teeth on 1/72 scale armor, this is only my second one ever so please, be critical as it can only help to make me better. Its not much but here it is:

Its all brush painted, mainly because its simply too cold outside for me to want to airbrush out there. So, not really a finish I'm happy with but I'll live with it.

So, what do you think?

Thanks

Gygax – looks very nice, I really like the base.  Decal looks maybe on the thick side? Sometimes hard to tell from the pics. Look forward to the whole assembly.

M1 – nice camo pattern; those MIG filters seem to work really well. I have the winter set and will try them out for the WWII GB. I am not an expert, but your vehicle looks spot on.

Deafpanzer – I have the same problem.. AB booth in an unheated attached garage, cant/wont AB IN the winter (I use enamels). I DID flirt with a ceramic heater once lol.. problem was, paint was too cold out of the AB, got splotch patterns.. then you end up having to heat the paint. Too much of a hassle, so I just build and box kits and make a queue: one waiting for primer, one for flat black, etc.  works for me! : )

oddmanrush - looks good to me! I tried 1/72 and came rapidly back to 1/35. My eyes could not deal with it.... detail looks nice. good job all around.

Good work gentlemen. Love the Stug and the Jagdtiger in 1/72. I have never built something in that scale. Hopefully I'll finish my Jagpanther in few days.

Cheers....

Well Gents shes done.  What a joy to build.  Here ya go.

Well that wraps up the GB for me and I have enjoyed it.  I cannot wait to see everyone elses build come to fruition.

Bob

Beautiful!  How come you are holding a M-16 instead of M1 Carbine... you traitor!  LOL  What are you planning to build next? 

Andy - Hey I can always update the avatar again...............LOL  Im working on painting some figures that I had put together about a month ago when I got all my Vallejo paints.  Didn't like them so I stripped them down and started again after gettng my third set of Vallejos today.  This will be a good break and then A wingy thing while I kick the dio theme around in my head for the Stug IV and the figgies.

Bob