ERNEST - Diving right in now, making new molds.  Intrested in seeing how they come out.  Making resein parts is something have been wanting to try for some time, what all is needed to do this.  Have done foundry work with metals would guess its about the same process?

Anyway, nice to see you get started and look forward to your build

ERIC - Thought you were going to send some of that rain to Texas   Still have not had any, maybe 4 months.  Very hot and dry, need

Hey Carl, it was nice to see a little sunshine this past week. I spent most of early Saturday in the yard.....until it rained. Got my fertilizer with weed-n-feed down. I must say the grass is really looking nice, full, and green.

Always nice to see them updates.

Tonight, I install the other tracks.

Hey guys i'm still in this but its gotten busy around here since the weather is better and i'm finally getting some outside projects started . Then there is my son and his daughter staying with us so i'm not getting any bench time in lately . I know ,excuses ,excuses ............

I did manage to build this radio last week but im not satisfied with it and i may build another.

Thanks for the kind words Ernest .

I was going to try to wait until the 1st of June to get cracking on mine, but if Ernest is throwing his hat into the ring, I'd best get started!

Actually, going to have to wait a day or two until I get my new card reader in the mail from EBay so I can take pics to show you fellas. Hah!

Oh yeah, I'm building a Trumpeter Sturer Emil, in case you all forgot.

PANZERWAFFE

M1 A1 A2 TANKER - That would be nice to see.  Big and aggresive, you have a lot of painting options with it also.  Have this one in the stash and have not seen anyone build it yet so i'm looking forward to it.  I have never done DS tracks before either and looking at them in the box was not to sure about them.  Will definantly be watching how the tracks work out.

How are you other guys making out?

DS tracks saved my life on my Elefant. I had the older kit with the pre-magic tracks. They killed me, but i was able to get my hands on a pair of Ferdy DS tracks. Worked like a gem. I didn't have to reduce them either. Never going to shatter on me like most of my others.

Tonight I shaped the tracks and I think everything went well. These are going to be a bit harder to assemble after painting, because there are outer road wheels. I only did one side tonight, but am very encouraged. I love magic tracks, even If screwed them up. Much better then snipping and sanding them off a sprue.

Ernest, glad to have you back. That's a spendy barrel, but undoubtedly will look much cleaner when installed. You'll probably beat me and finish on time.

So.....what GB is this??   Is this the "Join a Group Build, But Dont Participate Until Its Nearly Over and Then Rush To Finish Your Build Before the GB Ends"  GB?    If so, I'm in the right place!

Just kidding fellas!  Eric.... I was just kidding!!  I know I'm quite late; been busy with other GBs and also in the process of moving, but I did manage to get started (again) on the Dragon1:35 Hetzer Early.  Here's the kit:

Early on I got the Armorscale Barrel and Mantlet - should be an easy upgrade. (did I post these photos already?)

I started the kit back in Oct but only spend a couple of nights on it before stowing it away.  The lower hull assembled with no problems.

But I did run into problems with the idlers.  Each side (they're all duplicates) had nasty pin marks.

Took some work but I managed to clean them up with some Mr. Dissolved Putty and my trusty electric rotary sander (OK, its really just a modified electric toothbrush).  I even have different sanding heads for it!  (Unlike MY rather large and unchangeable noggin)

All the wheels, sprockets, idlers and leaf springs are cleaned up and ready to mount......ummm, uh oh!

RATS!!  I must have lost it during the packing....grrrrrrr.  I was thinking of scratchbuilding a new one, but I have a better idea.  First, lets clean up one of the leaf springs (they have some noticeable sink marks that I WAS going to ignore) and replace the lost detail.

I'll set this aside for later.  Next I noticed that the backside of all the roadwheels have no detail. 

 A little work with a compass cutter and some salami-sliced .5mm hex styrene rod resulted in this backside insert:

I'll make resin copies of the back insert and leafspring.  I also need to make a resin replacement for the jack block which I stole and used for an Italeri Pz.38(t).  Fortunately that polyurethane mold is already made, I just need to cast the jack block when I do the new parts. 

Sorry this update is so long guys!  I'll try to make it back more often with shorter posts!

BTW, I did see some of the more recent pots and what a great job you guys are doing!  I saw Nacthflieger's whitewashed Marder III and Panzerwaffe's Afrikakorps Panzerjager I!!  Those are some SWEET build ups guys!!  Shellback, your work on the 234/4 is OUTRAGEOUS!!  Eric, your King Tiger is......??    You almost had me there dude!!

M1 A1 A2 TANKER - That would be nice to see.  Big and aggresive, you have a lot of painting options with it also.  Have this one in the stash and have not seen anyone build it yet so i'm looking forward to it.  I have never done DS tracks before either and looking at them in the box was not to sure about them.  Will definantly be watching how the tracks work out.

How are you other guys making out?

M1 A1 A2 Tanker

I was going to build this starting tomorrow:

 

Dragon Models Limited 1/35 Scale ‘39-‘45 Series Kit No. 6465; Sd.Kfz. 184 Elefant w/Zimmerit

 

So can I jump in this GB with it?

Yes you may. I kept the door opened for late arrivals. LOL

Just be aware that in order to receive the badge, the build must be completed before the end of the GB, which is June 30.

Looking at page one it appears you're good!

How does the molded zim look? I've read mixed reviews...I guess the only drawback is everyone's zim would look the same?

I was going to build this starting tomorrow:

Dragon Models Limited 1/35 Scale ‘39-‘45 Series Kit No. 6465; Sd.Kfz. 184 Elefant w/Zimmerit

So can I jump in this GB with it?

Thanks Eric!

Nate

Wonderful Marder III Nate. Love what you've done with it and the figures add to the scene. Chilllyyyyyy.

Nachtflieger

Thanks a lot Bob, I appreciate it!

I just noticed you're from WV. When my mom was alive, she lived in Kenova, just outside of Huntington. I used to visit quite often, and I'd go right by Charleston. Beautiful state you have there, I miss it.

Nate

Small world...I went to Marshall University in the mid-70's....born in Charleston, raised halfway between Charleston & Huntington right off of I-64.

Yes, it is a beautiful state and thank you.....not a lot of job opportunities for manufacturing, but it's still a great place to live and raise a family.

Ahhhhh! Sure enough!

I couldn't make them out in the other shots. My apologies, sir.

Dupes!

Thanks for looking. Believe it or not, there actually are track marks in the snow behind it. They show up best in the last pic. I didn't want the ground to be be churned up by the tracks because I wanted it to look frozen solid.

Nate

Nate - great looking Marder!

One comment - you should probably add some track marks behind her...unless she got airdropped in place?

Thanks for looking Rob!

I have the Marder I Hotchkiss, Marder II, and the Marder IID left. Plus, I'll probably replace the Tamiya Marder IIIM with the Dragon version I have in the stash.

Nate

The base really compliments the Marder.  Looks GREAT but cold.  How many Marders do you have left to do?

Thanks a lot Bob, I appreciate it!

I just noticed you're from WV. When my mom was alive, she lived in Kenova, just outside of Huntington. I used to visit quite often, and I'd go right by Charleston. Beautiful state you have there, I miss it.

Nate

Nate-Outstanding work....very impressive....

Well, I finished up my Marder III, and made up a simple base to display it on. I thought I had bought Cellu Clay, but instead it was actually a type of paper mache, so I mixed up a small batch, and used it for the ground work. It took about 4 days for it to dry completely. Next I sprayed flat earth over the whole base. Then I brushed on a mixture of water and white glue before sifting on a small amount of Verlinden winter static grass. I then added some Woodland Scenics field grass, and finally sifted on baking soda over the whole base. Lastly, I sprayed hair spray over the whole thing.

This was my first attempt at making a simple display base, and I can definitely see doing so again!

It's been fun building with you guys, and I'm going to keep checking in to see everyone's progress. Thanks for looking.

Nate

I see everyone is plugging away.  I must say the finished builds look pretty darn terrific and the WIP's look like they are going to be the same.

Well I assembled, sans glue the tracks. Did a littl filing along the way. If I'm couragious tomorrow, I'll apply the glue and cross my fingers. Want to get this bad-boy finished.

I agree about the weathering Eric , its done just right on that model . I admire the weathering that some guys do but sometimes its too much . I have a hard time putting on a paint job and then covering it up with dirt and grime .

I wish Carl. It's really well done. Not to weathered. 

Anyway, no progress today. I needed to get some yard work done before the rain hit. It's poured heavy at about 4pm, and off and on since. Supposed to rain for many days now, so I should be able to get back to the bench.

Just dropping in to see whats what,  Rob that panzerjager I is finished beautifully, Carl congrats on the great progress your making on this one.

Terry.

Had me going there for a sec Eric

It's finished. Hope everyone like it.

LOL, I wish this was mine, I really love this scheme and finish.

Not sure yet Rob. I'm trying to conclude what was the most common theme. I have to realize there were only 80 or so produced. I've seen some that are kind of striped, that are interesting. The example you provided is a Porsche suspension with a sort of splinter camo.

I don't know. Camo painting always brain-drains me. I was thinking tri-color camo, but as of now am undecided.

Carl-keep the progress pics coming-continuing to look great.

Eric-keep us posted on your progress-the Magic Tracks weren't nearly as bad as I thought they would be...but I just had a handful compared to your build.

We're on the road....again...travel soccer....so I won't get anything done....but it's all good.  I finally got the periscopes painted-just need to install, glue the top down, paint and attach tools and then weather-might need to burn a sick day soon...cough...cough...