Panzerjager GB (March 1st - June 30th, 2011)

Late start? Naaaaaah...at least I'm not trying to cast resin wheel replacements!

After taking a look at the Voyager PE set for the first time, I've decided that I'm going to push it over into my other Sturer Emil (I want to build both of the production models) - there are ELEVEN sheets of etch in there, some of which involve a lot of ridiculously small or complicated parts! No way I would do that set justice in the remaining ~4ish weeks.

So, I've started in, went with the resin tracks first (ha ha!) to get them out of the way. Real easy assembly, only a couple of bad links. Have a few more guide horns to clean up, but other than that they're finished. Suspension is all done, working on the roadwheels now. For some reason Trumpeter decided to mold them in two halves, rather than a rim and wheel, which would have been MUCH easier. Should be done with those tonight, so I can start in on the fun stuff - superstructure and interior.

Will take some pics to post up tonight/tomorrow morning!

dupes

Late start? Naaaaaah...at least I'm not trying to cast resin wheel replacements!

After taking a look at the Voyager PE set for the first time, I've decided that I'm going to push it over into my other Sturer Emil (I want to build both of the production models) - there are ELEVEN sheets of etch in there, some of which involve a lot of ridiculously small or complicated parts! No way I would do that set justice in the remaining ~4ish weeks.

So, I've started in, went with the resin tracks first (ha ha!) to get them out of the way. Real easy assembly, only a couple of bad links. Have a few more guide horns to clean up, but other than that they're finished. Suspension is all done, working on the roadwheels now. For some reason Trumpeter decided to mold them in two halves, rather than a rim and wheel, which would have been MUCH easier. Should be done with those tonight, so I can start in on the fun stuff - superstructure and interior.

Will take some pics to post up tonight/tomorrow morning!

Yeah, in retrospect I should have not worried about the backside detail as casting those parts took almost 2 weeks.  GB end date is approaching fast and I should have used that time for regular assembly.  I probably could have made the other replacement parts from scratch in less time to cast all that resin!  And to top it off I just came across some resin replacements for the Hetzer wheels on Ebay, WITH the back detail molded on......  Word to the wise:  Sometimes cool stuff means too much extra work!

11 sheets of etch??  Wow, that is some serious PE!!

Carl-continued great work. 

Ernest-great work on the castings.  I'm not brave enough to attempt resin casting yet.

Dupes-Great to have you on board....looking forward to seeing progress pics.

Eric-Hang in there....you've got plenty of time...and the world won't end if you/we don't make the deadline....will it?

I've hit the 'modeler's block' .......again.  Tools are attached-they just need some touch up painting before the oil washes......5-10 minutes of work at the most but I'm not motivated to do it.....maybe tomorrow....

ERIC - Good to hear you have the base on   Just dont rush things and give yourself time to come up with a scheme your happy with.  Have some kits in the stash that have been sitting there forever just because have not decided on the paint scheme so know what your talking about.  Sure things will go good after another

CARL - Really looking great!  Amazing what a little color does even if its primer.  Looking forward to the real color coat.

ERNEST - Wow!  Nice casting, parts came out nice.  Thanks for posting the process, will be trying this out in the very near future.  Your post will be very helpfull.  Unfortunately I am packing for my move also.  Sooo tierd of moving all the time, I feel your pain.

DUPES - Nice to have you get started.  That will be sweet to have a build of both production models, I'm jealous.

BOB - Sounds like a great time to take a breather.  With all the small bits done you can give it a wash whenever you get the urge.  Just get back to it when your up to it and will look forward to your next update.

I want to the scheme more or less to my liking, because that's one big vehicle to repaint.

Would it be safe to do a wash with mineral spirits on the tracks? I'd hate for the tracks to loosen up and fall apart, or should I just go straight to pigments?

Eric, personally I avoid doing a mineral spirits wash on indy links.  The very low viscosity of the spirits allows it to seep into any unpainted nook and cranny and it can be "hot" enough to melt or weaken even glued joints.  I've had tracks literally fall apart after doing such a wash, usually when I'm trying to install them at the end....what a pain it is when THAT happens!

Instead I paint the tracks with a enamel based paint like MM or Humbrol and do pigment (MIG) or pastel washes with alcohol or Tamiya acrylic thinner: these chemicals won't damage plastic or joints. At least not on any I've done! 

Thanks Ernest, I had that feeling. I think I got lucky on my KV, but I do recall the tracks fallling apart in areas. I think I'll play it safe and just apply pigments. I still see some wheels and lower hull that need another shot of base.

My thinking is the camo will be quite simple. That way if I do screw it up, It won't take a whole day of respraying. I might even go with either green or brown.

Another stupid question. Would you spray over the tow cables? They are kind of a nickle color or whatever. My gut says yes.

tigerman

Thanks Ernest, I had that feeling. I think I got lucky on my KV, but I do recall the tracks fallling apart in areas. I think I'll play it safe and just apply pigments. I still see some wheels and lower hull that need another shot of base.

My thinking is the camo will be quite simple. That way if I do screw it up, It won't take a whole day of respraying. I might even go with either green or brown.

Another stupid question. Would you spray over the tow cables? They are kind of a nickle color or whatever. My gut says yes.

Good question actually Eric . Everyone paints those cables a metalic color , including me . But when you think about  a soldier painting the tank probably wouldnt bother pulling everything off of the tank to paint it in the field . The cable would be painted over in place more in likely . But it looks good on a model if its metalic .

OOOOOGH I'm finally done with these heinous roadwheels. I could do 3 or 4 panzer IV's in the time it took me to do these...anyone want to do the ones for my other Sturer? Heh.

Tonight the real fun starts!

Shellback

 

tigerman:

 

Thanks Ernest, I had that feeling. I think I got lucky on my KV, but I do recall the tracks fallling apart in areas. I think I'll play it safe and just apply pigments. I still see some wheels and lower hull that need another shot of base.

My thinking is the camo will be quite simple. That way if I do screw it up, It won't take a whole day of respraying. I might even go with either green or brown.

Another stupid question. Would you spray over the tow cables? They are kind of a nickle color or whatever. My gut says yes.

 

 

Good question actually Eric . Everyone paints those cables a metalic color , including me . But when you think about  a soldier painting the tank probably wouldnt bother pulling everything off of the tank to paint it in the field . The cable would be painted over in place more in likely . But it looks good on a model if its metalic .

Sorry Carl, I wasn't very clear. I was wondering since the cables are metal already, would you prime it black and then drybrush metal, or leave them be.

Marc, looks like you're making some great progress there. I understand about wheels. 36 on the Jagdtiger and you have to clean them all and paint the outside of the rims metal. More work then one would guess.

Well Eric if you want the cables to look weathered ...............give them a wash of flat black to bring out the detail of the the separate strands IMO .

Dupes ...... looking good !!!

Hows this look ?

It looks great!  I am a big fan of pre-shading.  I normally use black paint for pre-shading so I am very interested to see yours come out.

dupes - Looking good!  Are those WORKABLE resin tracks??  If so, wow!

Carl - Smart looking camo on the 234!  I think its camo....Andy's comments makes me think its actually pre-shading?

Eric - I think the pigment approach on the tracks will work great for you!  As for the tow cable, Carl's advice seems good, but I've never tried washes or pigments on bare metal...  Can't wait to see that big monster of a tank all painted up!

No more work/updates on the Hetzer until next week.  The move is coming down to the wire so I'll probably be vera, vera busy for the next few days!  My biggest worry is transporting all my finished models safely to the new house!!   Wish me luck!

bufflehead

dupes - Looking good!  Are those WORKABLE resin tracks??  If so, wow!

Carl - Smart looking camo on the 234!  I think its camo....Andy's comments makes me think its actually pre-shading?

Eric - I think the pigment approach on the tracks will work great for you!  As for the tow cable, Carl's advice seems good, but I've never tried washes or pigments on bare metal...  Can't wait to see that big monster of a tank all painted up!

No more work/updates on the Hetzer until next week.  The move is coming down to the wire so I'll probably be vera, vera busy for the next few days!  My biggest worry is transporting all my finished models safely to the new house!!   Wish me luck!

Its camo but i can see where it looks like preshading ...............pre-shamo ???

And good luck on the models !

Ernest - indeed they are workable resin tracks! That, and they just click together, too. Go here to check them out:

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/lionmarc/cl30007.htm

Luckily I have a set for my other Sturer, too. Hey - good luck on your move! Be careful with your babies!

Marc, those tracks do look awesome. Was there much cleanup on them?

Carl, you're driving into the home-stretch with the camo laid down. Very nice too.

Ernest I don't envy your situation at all. When I moved here 10 years ago, there were hardly any models left. However, I'm thinking ahead. I want to downsize when my daughter gets out of college, thus one more move is needed. I'm deliberately putting off some of the more complicated builds until after that. 

Painting der veels und tyres .

Makes getting 9 of completed easy

LOL!  You sure got me... thought it was pre-shading!  You see what just happened?  I was fooled by a good job camo and it worked. 

That's a clever way to mask the rims Carl. Worked very well.

deafpanzer

LOL!  You sure got me... thought it was pre-shading!  You see what just happened?  I was fooled by a good job camo and it worked. 

Well , you know i can see where it looked like pre-shading so i can see what you were talking about . I've never done well with the whole pre shading thing so i do my shading last ..............guess that would be called post - shading ?

Thanks for  your comments .

tigerman

That's a clever way to mask the rims Carl. Worked very well.

Thought i'd share the idea .........................................

ERIC - Advice already given about the tracks is the safe way for sure.  Usally do mine as so: Spray MM (always used enamel) Burnt Sienna as a base and then lightly overspray them with MM Burnt Iron non buffing metalizer then drybrush with MM steel or use #2 pencil.  For weathering use artists watercolors thinned heavy with Wendex and give it a wash or just pigments or both pending on the look trying to acheive.  Never had any problems doing it this way.

For the tow cable, I say paint it.  When the vehicle is weathered think it looks out of place (too shinny) with natural metal.  Can use the same process on the cables as with the tracks.  Sometimes substituting the burnt iron with MM Engine Gray.

DUPES - I'm not jealous anymore with all of those wheels.  Nice work with them and the tracks

CARL - I LOVE THE CAMO!!!  AWESOME!!  That cap made an excellent mask, wheels look great.

ERNEST - Good luck, hope its a smooth move.

Panzerwaffle - Heh...I'm just glad they're done!

T-man - not much cleanup at all...just opening up a few of the guide horns. Other than that, I would have thought they were REALLY well-molded plastic.

Getting a lot of hull/interior stuff done, really need to stop to take some pics for you guys. Tomorrow for sure!

Thanks Rob. I already primed and sprayed the tracks my usual way on last weekened. I think I'll just go straight to the pigments, because the wash pretty much gets obliderated by the pigments. IMO.

Some more painting done . This time i added a little green to the camo and misted a light coat of sand color to tone down the colors for that ever saught after scale effect .................i think thats what its called .

That's what I do on my camo job s too Carl. It really helps to tone it down.

this is the first time i tried it Eric ...................not sure i liked it at first , spraying over all of that freshly painted camo was difficult !

It's hard to get used to, but it really (at least in my mind) makes it look much more realistic and "battle-weary".

Don't know how thin you went with your mix, but you can go SUPER thin (like 5%) and build it up in layers if you're really worried about overdoing it.