ARMOR - Towed Gun Group Build (ends 7/1/04)

I'm working at details & have started painting my Long Tom.
As I brush paint armor, and have recently switched to acrylics, I find I have some challenges, not the least of which is (fully dried) drying time down here.

ED: I usually do this to the figures.

Uniform: 1st Coat: Field Grey + a little flat black - >paint overall
2nd Coat: Field Grey - >drybrush in most areas
3rd Coat: Field Grey + a little white (acrylic in tubes) -> dry brush in raised areas

This will give you a well-shaded look on the uniforms

Now I use just field grey on the helmet and drybrush it a little with a whitened field grey.

Overall, the helmet will have a tone that looks different than the uniform.

Dwight,
thanks!
last night i painted the helmets field grey w/ some metallic grey mixed in.
also painted the rounds for the gun,
and painted the seats for the Quad (leather).
i have no reference for this, but i figured they must of been leather or canvas,
and i wanted some contrast in the interior.

did a bit more assembly on the Quad, w/ transfer case & drive shaft for winch.
painted the fan belts for the engine,
glued up the wheels/tires so i can fill the seam tonight & then paint the rubber tomorrow.

tried to work out a mask for the camo, but it did not go well.
try it from a different 'angle' tonight.

QUOTE: Originally posted by JKWilson Hi everyone! I've recently been corresponding with Larry about his Mack and he invited me over to the group. Unfortunately with my current schedule I'll never make the GB, but it is on my project list (Mack NO with a 155mm Long Tom). The reason I popped in was to offer help with your chain hoist rigging Larry. Hopefully this picture will help. http://home.mindspring.com/~mopony/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/hoist.jpg

Awsome! I'm on vacation, so not posting or online much, but I wanted to take the time to thank you for this! See you guys next week.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Larry_Dunn Awsome! I'm on vacation, so not posting or online much, but I wanted to take the time to thank you for this! See you guys next week.

Say it ain't so, you left the model at home & took the wife & kids ????

QUOTE: Originally posted by jratz Say it ain't so, you left the model at home & took the wife & kids ????

It ain't so! I am just on a home, bumming around vacation. I like to take one every year. But I've been cooped up in the house because of bad weather, so I've been offline mostly, working on the Mack NO. It's almost ready for the primer. In fact, I may go finish a few details on the windshield, and then wash the sub assemblies so they can be primed. See ya tomorrow!

Well, two weeks to go & the Long Tom is sorta shaping up.
I've been making bigger sub-assemblies out of smaller ones, which in some cases has been akin to re-arranging deck chairs ....
I've started painting, which is good, but bad in that a couple seams showed up, so they needed fixing.
I've sanded down the Masters Production wheels so the gap is reduced.
My airbrake lines on the limber are a bit sloppy so I'm trying to fix them.
I have two things to scratch -- the aiming posts in canvas bags & the ammo hoist -- they are on the trails in travel mode.
It all looks do-able, but down to the wire (the HST went by the board weeks ago). Will be lots of little details, both PE/scratch & paint the further I go.

Thanks for the suggestion Dwight. I've not painted my figs yet, but I think I'll give them a try this weekend. They're just sitting there, all lonely, so they have to get finished. I have my damn final exam tonight, so afterwards, should definitely find the time, finally

Ok, my Mack NO is black primed. I've got to give it a day or two to dry before I can start laying the olive drab on it. I'm excited to see what it finally looks like in fewer than five different colors! (Resin, vacuformed plastic, injected molded plastic (the grill), brass photoetch, and copper wire.)

Then I can weather gun and truck together.

In the meantime, I'm fiddling with some partly done builds. I've got a 38(t) that's largely done, and I did the last of the building on it. Am starting to weather it now. I've also got a Panther to weather, and a Sherman to finish building and then paint and weather. Oh, and a Weird Russian half-track and 152mm howitzer in 1/72nd. Good golly, Miss Molly. After that, I'm taking a break from modeling for a few months, to work on wargaming miniatures. Except for August 8, of course!

UPDATE:
heres the update for me. I FINISHED MY PAK 40!!. The base for the dio is done, the grass, road and hedgerows are on and finished. 5 of the 7 figures are done and the last two are verlinden figures and they are almost finished. ill have to post pictures soon and im almost done wohoo!

QUOTE: Originally posted by ShermanFirefly UPDATE: heres the update for me. I FINISHED MY PAK 40!!. The base for the dio is done, the grass, road and hedgerows are on and finished. 5 of the 7 figures are done and the last two are verlinden figures and they are almost finished. ill have to post pictures soon and im almost done wohoo!

Great SFF, you are closer to the end than I am! I'm going to give my black primer another day, and then shoot the OD on the truck. Eventually it will catch up with the gun and then I will work on both together -- woo hoo! I might just finish these two models by the deadline.

Last night I went to start painting my Mack OD, and then I realized, as I always do when working on something with tires, that I have to paint the tires first! Doh. So I shot the dark grey over all the tires, it dried almost immediately, and then I drybrushed with a mixture of black and white oils along the tire treads.

Realizing that the wheels are embedded pretyy far into the tires, if you know what I mean, making it difficult to use a circle template to put the OD on the wheel section, I puzzled over this for a while, but then had a brainstorm. What if I create a tube using a circle template? Something tubelike to extend out from the circle? I tried using packing tape, a firm clear plastic stuff, by cutting a thin section and running it along the circle, sticky side out so that it touched the plastic. This extends the circle with a thin tube. I got ot right after a few tries, and now when I put the tape circle, stuck inside the circle template, over the wheel, the plastic on the tape goes all the way down to the wheel.

Unfortunately, the opposite side of the wheels is wider than the outside facing. I may just say the heck with it, or I may create another tube extension for the circle template, which would be a pain.

Will it work? Who knows? But I'll be trying it tonight, as I am going to lay the OD on the Mack this evening, including the wheels.

I'll post the results tomorrow.

Well, progress today is measured in over an hour scratch-building the Sling, Limber Lift for my M5 Limber and the Long Tom.
I am also working on hooks & chains & things on the Limber & Mount.
Like Larry, I'm also into painting tires (so I can get the rear bogies & limber up). I use MicroBrushes for detail & the regular (or fine) do great running the wheel rim.

Anyway, it still looks iffy for 1 July. Some priority home maintenance atop the usual honey-do's .... and of course, flying lessons, which are a self inflicted thing ....

Here's a link to a post I put on the armor forum, concerning the progress on my prime mover.

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22660

What are these microbrushes of which you speak?

QUOTE: Originally posted by Larry_Dunn What are these microbrushes of which you speak?

Larry:

microbrush.com

bendable plastic handles with little brush balls on the end -- available in any LHS or OLS -- good for glue, paint, etc ...

Saw the Mack pix, looks nice. Saw on MLX you asked for markings -- pix are rare as you know, but I have a list of 8" units (some of which I can tie to an org structure) in ETO, and you could just gen up something using standard schemes & a dummy USA#. You want any of this ???

Last, is the deadline before 1 July, or on 1 July ? I'm squeezed unless we get a couple good days of rain that "forces me" to stay indoors.

QUOTE: Originally posted by jratz [ Saw the Mack pix, looks nice. Saw on MLX you asked for markings -- pix are rare as you know, but I have a list of 8" units (some of which I can tie to an org structure) in ETO, and you could just gen up something using standard schemes & a dummy USA#. You want any of this ???

Any info appreciated! I ordered up a bunch of transfers from Archer.

QUOTE: Last, is the deadline before 1 July, or on 1 July ? I'm squeezed unless we get a couple good days of rain that "forces me" to stay indoors.

It's July 1, but it's no big deal if you go over a few days. The date is just the incentive to build and not put it off indefinitely.

Larry:

It's late & too many beers to do research, will send something tomorrow.

I got in a few hours today.

Glued inner/outer wheels together & sure enough fragile wheels came out on two, so that slowed me up. Wanted to "flatten" tires a bit to show weight on 'em & tried to heat with an iron but didn't work well, so just sanded 'em down a bit. Drilled holes to mount valve stems & did last major paint coat on all wheels/tires. Just need to mount valve stems & touch up paint.

Mounted bogie assembly to carriage & started hooking up brake lines. Two rear cylinders went fine, but the MP piece forward came loose so I had to reglue & wait.

Started doing some "wear" painting on the gun & cradle and working other parts.

Worked more on Limber stuff -- just need to add the little chains & hooks, I think, and also something to look like air hose fittings ....

Now I have lots of sub-assemblies & lots of little parts & lots of things to do & no good management system other than memory .... see beer comment above ....

Larry:
OK, fewer beers, so here we go.
I found 5 8" Gun FA Bns in the ETO -- 2 sources agree, so that is good.
One source says they all had HST prime movers, the other source doesn't say.
I doubt all/any were HST, especially those in 18ABC

Anyway:
153 FA Bn, 79 FA Gp, XVIII Abn Corps
243 FA Bn, 211 Fa Gp, XVIII Abn Corps (not sure chain is correct)
256 FA Bn, 177 FA Gp, XII Corps (ditto)
268 FA Bn, 190 FA Gp, V Corps
575 FA Bn, unk, unk

Anyway, typical truck markings (example is 153FA).
Star on hood
Front bumper: XVIII - 153FA A-11 (A Btry, 1st gun in 1st Plt)
Rear similar.

I didn't do real good scan of all pix, but didn't find any decent confirmation pix, nor did I do any 2nd/3rd level research to narrow this down ....

Spent a few hours today doing little details on the limber. Built a "jig" to hold the carraige in as I work on it. Put mount on carriage. Finished bogey brake lines, also brake lines from trails to lower carriage. Working on the cable which tied the travel lock to the lower carriage, not in kit. Did more picture research to find little things to do, while waiting on big things to dry. I hope I don't have an issue when all is together that gun sits on limber & rear wheels of bogie, leaving front bogie wheels in the air ....

The AFV 155 is a good kit, but is amazing what is left out or wrong .....

Ah, ok final update. Finished figs, finished all dio accessories, and pretty any other piece of plastic for this that I had left to paint. This weekend, I'll actually start the dio, but since that's out of the scope of this GB, I guess I'm done.
In a month or two when I finish it all off, I'll take and post some pics.
Larry, cheers to you, as this has been one of the most fun GBs. It was a blast

Thanks for the info John. I'll probably use that info to stick some decals on the truck. The guns don't seem to have had many markings except some small text on the side of the trails.

Zokester, happy modelling! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Not much to report on the home front. Did detail painting on the truck on Friday and saturday -- seats, black rubber steering wheel and knobs on shifts, Fooled around a little with the chain for the manual hoist. Then glosscoated the truck last night. Tonight I will dullcoate it. When that dries I will do the oils wash on it and the gun, then will put the decals on, and then it's weathering.

Which means I may glide through July 1 with elements of the kit not done yet. My decals aren'y even being mailed out by Archer til today!

I was missing a tire rack from the cargo bay of my prime mover, the Mack NO. It finally came last night (thanks to the intervention of the guys at greatmodels.com), just in time to complicate my build. So I painted it, dullcoated my truck and the separate hoist components, and called it a night. That's the problem with the end of a build -- days go by when all you're doing is waiting for varnish coats to dry. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking .... [:0]

Larry,
i am still soldiering o.
my Pak crew pouts on the bench, neglected as i work on Quad & 25 pounder.
am approaching completion, but will not make July 1 !
but near the end of this week, or next anyway.
i am going away for the 4th, so no work then.

i have also decided to further dilute my efforts by trying to make a base for the Pak.
sigh. i must enjoy having lots 'in progress' and little 'on the shelf'.

but more work to follow.

here is a peek at the "Mickey Mouse" camo on the Quad.
should finish the limber tonight, as well as get the chassis frame & floor joined
on the Quad. and glue the rest of the gun together, tho the barrel is showing some seam that needs repair. sigh.






sorry abt the varying quality & size.
still learning the new camera.

Hey, thanks for the pics, Ed. Looks good. I like a lot of that British stuff. I was tempted to do an Accurate Armour heavy gun plus whatever its big prime mover is, but it was going to really rack up the bucks, and I just like the Mack NO and 8" combo too much.

QUOTE: Originally posted by jratz Worked more on Limber stuff -- just need to add the little chains & hooks, I think, and also something to look like air hose fittings ....

John,

If you want some really neat stuff to make your airline fittings with, order a set of "O" scale railroad airline fittings from Grandt Line part # 112. You can order them for a few bucks from www.walthers.com. They ship within a day or two. I know you received fittings in the MP set, but I don't think they can compare to these! If you'd like a photo of what they look like (straight out of the package), shoot me an email an I'll take a shot for you. I look forward to seeing both your efforts and Larry's too

John W.

Larry,

I've got several more shots of a Mack NO which show the bumper codes. They are additional images from the set I sent with the "nose art". The unit in the photos (which I don't recall off the top of my noggin), was an 8" artillery unit. I'll get them off the other computer tomorrow and send them to you. Once the stuff from Woody (Archer Transfers) is in the mail, they arrive pretty quick. So, my pictures may show up the same time as your transfers!!

John W.

just a quick update as i realize neither of my builds is likely to make the deadline.
on the Quad:
i finished assembling the limber, minus the wheels.
(they are done, i am just not puttig them on yet)
gave it a final shot of desert yellow, and then a dark wash after it dried.
i am thinking a lighter wash today, and maybe some drybrushing of the highlights and that will be that.

sanded most of the paint off the barrel and fixed the seam.
then repainted it.
glued the frame to the floorpan part.
had to wash the underside of the floorplan first.

i may be in a pickle w/ the few decals,
as i really do not feel like glossing the whole body shell.
(and some idiot already put a wash on it!)
i may just try to brush a bit of future where the decals will go
and put them on when it's still wet.
fortunately, there are only abt 6 decals.

i have painted the canvas top and some of the packs & rolls buff.
gave the top several washes last night.

i will work diligently when i get home from work today,
but i will not finish in time.
but i should be close.
i will need a few extra days to earn my badge!

QUOTE: Originally posted by JKWilson QUOTE: Originally posted by jratz Worked more on Limber stuff -- just need to add the little chains & hooks, I think, and also something to look like air hose fittings .... John, If you want some really neat stuff to make your airline fittings with, order a set of "O" scale railroad airline fittings from Grandt Line part # 112. You can order them for a few bucks from www.walthers.com. They ship within a day or two. I know you received fittings in the MP set, but I don't think they can compare to these! If you'd like a photo of what they look like (straight out of the package), shoot me an email an I'll take a shot for you. I look forward to seeing both your efforts and Larry's too John W.

Thanks -- they definitely will be a step up from the two I built from scratch, but too late for this build I'm afraid. First time I wished I had a good train store around .... You say there are fittings in the MP set ? I don't recognize 'em -- maybe that's what you meant ... it does have 4 air chambers which is not what I meant ....

I hate this ....
Crunch time on the build, too many things to do & still no plan ....

I am making big sub-assemblies of littler ones (bogeys, mount, cradle, & carriage are finally joined), but stuck because I need to finsh the inside of the trails & the back of the lower carriage so I can close the trails & mount the limber & some of the outer trail stuff before I move on .... but I am still doing other things in other places .... nor have I finished the aiming stakes, staff sections, canvas bags & other junk .... and I found a better cable for the travel lock and I had to make pins for the spades the AFV didn't include ....

So now I'm assembling & painting & washing & wearing & whatnot & there is no organization 'cause I'm doing different things in different places & too many other things getting in the way (yes, dear) & I don't have a base for it & etc ....

But since I started this whine, I knocked down a Guinness, so back at it tomorrow ....

And, Larry, I've gotta be done by 7 July because this is my only entry in our club show on the 10th ... we travel & help setup the 9th & my (yes, dear) just scheduled something else for the 8th, not to mention house guests over the 4th weekend ....

OK, still whining, better have a Harp ....

John

Got some good work in on the Pak crew last night.
had the magnifying visor on and the little brush out.
went pretty well, which made me feel worse for having put it off for so long.

gave the limber a good wash or two.

will work tonight on finishing the Pak crew.
and then i will assemble the 25 pounder.
decals for quad still pending.
considering hand painting some of the stuff as the markings are few & simple.