Hi Guys just popping in to check out the progress. Eric the hotchkiss looks great well done on the finish.

Rob that little carrier just looks better everytime I drop in.

Bill the Mk. IV is coming along exactly as I imagined it would, just beautiful.

Boyd the 222 looks cool, a lot of work on a very old kit, nice reference shot from Bill. I got the Bronco 223 and as a kit its first class and beautifully detailed but as a radio vehicle its useless as none is provided in the kit.

Gamera nice Char B, i don't understand the problem with the track, mine is not painted yet but it fits perfect.

Happy New Year to every body.

Terry.

I've been enjoying the holiday break and unfortunately that meant not much time at the bench...but I did get some time in today and made some additional progress. I used small amounts of poster blue tack putty to position the drive sprockets and also test mounted the idler wheels and their mounts in preparation for determining the required length on the MK tracks assembled earlier. The idlers are tension-able so after some careful adjustments, the length came to 100 links on both sides. I also detailed the sprockets and idlers with some MM metalizer Steel for their bare metal wear contact surfaces followed by dry-brushing MM enamel Burnt Umber. Small strips of masking tape hold the links together until they are installed later on.

The hull and turret also received a coat of Future in preparation for applying the decals and sealing in the base coat. That will dry overnight and then the markings will get added so the weathering stages are inching ever closer!

Cliff, I missed the Cahr. Lovely. I really dig that camo.

Bill, perfect sag on the tracks.

Been all quite on the Western Front lately, hope all is enjoying there holiday time.

CLIFF - Nice looking B1   Think your amount of mud is fine on the running gear.  Filter came out fine also.  Strange about the tracks?  Seems you could take a link out but you said you tried?

WBILL - Nice tracks.  Not sure if you already said, are these MK or magic tracks?

OK, I'm calling mine done.  The only addition not shown in these pictures is the antenna.  It has now been added while waiting for the pics to upload.  Much paint detail does not show in pics, will try to take some outside and maybe get a better quality of pictures but that will have to wait for the weather here to clear up.  So I now present the MK 1A Universal Carrier.

Figures came out OK but see there is room for improvement.  Do think they add to the display and happy they are there.  Will keep practicing on figures when I pick up some acrylic paint and see if that makes things easier?

This one is going to wrap up my builds for this GB.  There is a war going on in the Pacific that I must give some attention to but I will keep following along to see all of your progress.  Has been a pleasure building with everyone and thanks to all for the comments and help along the way.

                                  Very nicely done PanzerWaffe, the little carrier and crew looks as if all has halted for a spot of tea.

                                                            Greg"Detailfreak"Rowley

Gamera- Looking great!!! Thanks for the warning about the tracks.  Can't wait to start mine maybe in a month.  I better hurry...

Bill- Tracks look great!  You and ModelKasten tracks are very close, huh?  I still dig the camo job!  Happy New Year!

Rob- What can I say?  That carrier kit is very old but you turned it into a museum masterpiece with your modeling skill.    Nice work on the figures! 

I love the grass and I want to lay on it but I am afraid somebody may run over me with the carrier.  What did you use to make the grass?  Only thing missing is the damaged grass behind the carrier but I have to remember it is not that heavy so it may not damage the grass when the ground is dry and solid?

Gamera,,   the Char B looks excellent. Wonderful job!

wBill,,   awesome IV....  Superb !        I'm going to ask for an opinion at the end of this post concerning track / sag

Rob,,    what a great build!         The carrier and figs turned out fantastic!     A++

I've been a bit slow with posts on the command pz I.....   here is where I am currently (sorry for the lengthy post) -

Primed, a bit of preshade, and MM pz grey

It's a little hard to see, but I wanted to put a small dent in the muffler screen PE cover. Wanting to keep it subtle, I took a tiny wood dowel, bent it backwards and let it fly, smacking the PE cover,,, resulting in a nice little dent.

I lightened / highlighted the overall pz grey with a mix of light grey and pz grey.

I added the disruptive camo and sealed with a glosscoat. The brown camo looks a bit lighter than what I anticipated, although I did a pantone match on a color sample and (originally) it looked pretty close. I still think it will work as weathering (on the real thing and in this build) will diffuse and blend the grey and brown.

Adding a few decals and a flat coat (not many markings on the little one). 4th Panzer Division

Now for some weathering....           I use a bit of a non-conventional approach. I like to use artist tube acrylics. They are easy to work with and very forgiving as water is your thinner. The drawback is after each of the phases you have to lightly seal the subject. 

I start out with a thinned wash of black and pinch of raw umber. A medium coating which is dabbed up a bit with a lint free cloth or paper towel. Again, using acrylics you can add or subtract very easily.

Slop it on and tab it off to effect.

(After a quick sealing)  then some dot filtering. I try to pick colors that will enhance the base color(s). After a few tests I came up with 5 choices (raw sienna, yellow ochre, sap green, cerulean blue and indian red).

(it ain't pretty, I know...............)

More blending.

This is followed overall.

Beneath the fenders I add a nice dousing of burnt umber as well.

More blending until it all works together. A few water dampened brush strokes here and there will offer some additional subtle streaking effects as well.

 After another light seal I begin on the highlighting and detail painting.

Here is where I would ask (all you fine gents) for opinion(s). When I originally assembled the Friuls they seemed to match up nicely; length / sag. BUT, I put one side on, buttoned it up and it seems to have a bit too much play. I have researched a load of images whereas some pz I's do show more sag than others.

What is your opinion, if you don't mind?

Leave as is or remove and repair?

All comments welcome (sag or otherwise.......)

Thanks guys

Bill

Rob: Beautiful job there! I think I said it before but the extra detail you added looks great in an open top vehicle like this. The shading makes the detail on the outside really pop and the figures round out the display. I like figures with any AFV to show off how large or in this case small the actual vehicle was.

And thanks guys, I think the tracks don't fit as well as they ought since when I glooped (is that a word?) the mud on the running gear I got some on the rear drive sprocket so they don't fit as tight as they should. I'll have to see about chipping some of the extra off. Must admit after all the work on the camo I hated to drench it all in mud and grime but I've seen very few photos they didn't have mud everywhere. I'm assuming the overhead track design carried the mud up and then dumped it over the sides.

Eric, thanks as always for the comments!

Rob, very nice work and finish on the Carrier. The figures are a nice touch and emphasize the small size (and accentuate the detail you've added as well IMHO). To answer your question, yes I'm using MK tracks for the build in place of the kit-supplied Magic tracks.

Andy, Happy New Year to you as well! MK tracks have become a staple in my builds...they are cheaper than Fruils while still providing the workable advantages and they are something I've gotten comfortable with as a result. Now whenever I add a new kit to the stash I have a "to buy" list of stuff and MK tracks always getted added to that list...once I have a large enough list together I will place an order and add them to the stash. I've got multiple sets of all the main types I work with so it's more a matter of stock replacement as I just pull one out of the existing stash and let the new order fill the gap down the road. My wife laughs and says I've got a virtual mini-hobby shop in my stash closet and she's not too far off in that regard I have to admit.

Bill, your Befehls Pz I is coming along nicely! IMHO about the sag it's too much for my taste but everyone is different in this regard. Because the Germans employed a dead track system with the only tension points being at the idler and the sprocket teeth, I would say you could remove 1 link and get a more realistic sag look. Either that or tension your idler further back (it's hard to tell in the last shot how far back it's positioned relative to the hull and fender) to remove some of the slack. As it stands now the sag is more appropriate for a damaged vehicle or one that's about to throw a track.

Bill & Bill: Wow, you guys make grey and brown exciting!

 BaBill212: Are your dot filters acrylic? Wasn't sure if you meant that step are you using them for just a general wash. I've tried a few dot filters but I think mine turn out invisible  because I'm afriad of overdoing them.

Thanks Gamera,,,  yes, the dot filters are acrylic. I use the artist acrylics for washes and filtering (all hand brush work of course). One of the nice things about these applications is even if you overdo them you can water thin, damp brush or blot them to remove what you believe necessary.

Practice on an old kit first....  and lightly seal after each overall phase.

wBill,,    thanks for the advice                    appreciate the help

Bill- Outstanding work on camo.  Another cool early German camo!  Now I am tempted to use that camo on my Char Bis...

I am with the other Bill... sag looks excessive in my opinion and it reminds me of my wife.  Oops!  I shouldn't have said this.   I did a Pz I earlier and the sag wasn't too much.  Remove one maybe two and see how it comes out?  Bet you a it will look better...

Bill: Thanks, will have to give that a try, I like acrylics a lot more than oils. Will have to drag out the old Sheman paint mule again...

DP Andy: Ohhhhhhhh you're in trouble buster

CLIFF, DETAIL - Thanks guys.  Putting "Tea Time" in the title somehow is a great idea.

WBILL - Thanks!  After my last post went back and reread your post again and saw that you had already said that you were using MK tracks

BILL212 - That's what I call an update   The command Pz is really coming along nicely!  I like the brown used for your pattern and the weathering really ties things together.  Dented muffler guard is a nice touch but I think I would be afraid to achieve the dent as you did.  It did work very well though.  As far as the track, I would take out some of the slack but thats just me.

ANDY - Maybe I'll paint another figure and have him laying in the grass, can name him Andy.

Had thought about damaged grass myself but was hopping to be able to say, as you have, that the ground was dry and hard.  I had problems with the base of the ground work and did not want to try making tank tracks in it.  Was taking so long for the base to dry I turned to using a hairdryer to speed things up.  When I did this the filler of the base cracked and broke away from the wood frame.  Used 5 min epoxy to put and hold it back down.

The grass is pretty easy. First give the base a coat of dark brown paint.  I used cheap Delta Ceramcoat Spice Brown acrylic paint for this, let dry.  Then doing small sections at a time brush on Elmer's glue and apply the static grass.  The only hard thing about this step is not eating the glue  

I use a large holed dropper to add the grass.  By doing this find it easier to control where and how the grass goes on but mainly it makes the grass stand up.

After the sod is layed and glue has dried overnight, spray with Dullcoat which helps hold ever thing in place.  Careful to spray at enough distance not to disturbed the grass.  It's pretty solid after that but will become more rigid after paint.  In this case I used all MM enamels from the AB.

Raw Umber #2006 for a base,  Field Green #1712 in patches / general cover,  Green # 2029 sprayed at angle and just get the top areas,  Then dry brush with RAF Trainer Yellow # 2063.

It's actually pretty easy once you do it a few times.

Rob - wonderful job on the carrier and another great presentation.  I particularly like the sitting figure, some realy delicate work on his facial expression.

I'd like to address the paints posted by Bill:

These are not acrylics, but as the tubes show are water colors - something completely different.  They are inherently transparent, and as a result darker tones will always overpower lighter ones no matter how many layers you put over top.  (I have painted with them in art college and one really has to think about the process, working from lights first to progressively darker tones).   Even after they have dried, they can be reworked if exposed to water or any other liquid - hence the need to seal them.

regards,
Jack

Jack: Thanks, interesting, I wonder how they will show up on dark olive drab etc. Well as Bill said it's something to practice on the old paint mule with before hitting a new model.

Thanks guys,,,  I have removed the tracks and am in the process of revamping. If I had not, it would have been one of those things that would have bugged me every time I looked at the build.

Jack,,,    you are absolutely correct, and thanks...     my apologies to all for the incorrect information (I think acrylic was stuck in my head for some reason).        With that said the same statements hold true as far as ease of use and successful applications.     They will work on or over any color or color scheme. I have used them in conjunction with many colors, light to dark.    As Jack also stated (echoing one of my previous points) is that they will basically be workable forever, so to speak, unless they are sealed.

I have used them for aircraft (panel lines, etc.), armor, watercraft with very nice results. They offer a wide range of colors and are very inexpensive to boot.      I've found it extremely difficult to mess up a finish as they can be coerced with good ole plain water.      Practice and seal afterwards......

Oh,,  and Andy                      keep your wife away from this GB page 127             ouch!

Gamera, thanks for the comments! I expect Andy's self-preservation instincts will kick in shortly!

Continuing on from yesterday, I added the decal markings to create a vehicle from 6/Pz.Rgt. 11, 6 Pz.Div. in France 1940. The finishing guide is only partially helpful in the markings placement since it only shows the left hand side and the front.

It's the right hand side that poses a bit of a challenge. Vehicles in France sported a wide variety of markings arrangements depending on the unit in question. Fortunately I was able to find pics of that side of the vehicle for another company's vehicle (523) in the same Rgt/Div unit as a reference.

I used Solvaset on the decals to insure they snugged down tight to the surface and then applied a 2nd coat of Future to seal them in and provide protection from the weathering to come. This will sit and cure for 24 hours so will be a little bit before the next update.

Rob .....that model looks just great ! Spectacular what you have down with what i usually concider a blah piece of equipment . All of the details really make the little fellow stand out ! In reference to Andy's comment about the track marks onthe grass it looks like you did some darker shading on the grass behind the tracks ...........or am i seeing things ? Figures look fine to me , maybe a bit pale , but they are Brits .

Bill , Nice touch with the acrylic paint spots . I never have tried that method . The tracks ........may be just a liitle to much slack . They look like removing 1 or 2 links would give you the correct slack . I'd try removing one link and see what that looks like .

WBILL - Looking better every update.  Those markings really look good

CARL - Thanks buddy.  This is a rather small boring vehicle but it played such a huge role for the Commonwealth and the fact that it was one of the forerunners to so many other vehicles that I had to build one.  In the future plan on building the others, MK I and MK II.   I did have a darker shade for track marks had also pushed the grass down flat with my finger for the marks.  Lot easier to see them in person.  Those figs are a little pale.  Like you said though they are English / Canadian, sorry Jack  I do speak from experience though, my wife is from England

wBill,,    looking very nice. Great snag on the research part for the markings.

Carl,,  thanks, however they are artist water color paints (acrylic in a sense). I would say if you want to give them a whirl, try a small tube (the ones I typically pick up are .27 ounce) of burnt umber. This can be used for a variety of applications - - dirt stains, rust, oil, seam highlights, lower hull smears, etc.        Give it a go and see how you like.     And agreed,,   I am reworking the tracks as we "speak".........    will update

Rob,,    the carrier is smashing,,,   all way round...  center-piece, figs and base / setting.    Wonderful portrayal indeed !

JACK - Thanks much.  Glad to hear you like the figures and thanks for the advice on painting them.  Will defiantly be trying more figures and techniques on my next build.

CARL - What's up with the signature cat

BILL212, CLIFF - I have used and still do at times those same paints for weathering.  Easy to use and work well in the right situations.

BILL212 - Thanks for the comments.  Seeing some of your dio's helped motivate me to build this simple base.  Had originally told myself no more bases until my final move until seeing some of yours.

Look forward to your next Command Pz I update, not much longer to go on him.

Bill ,gotcha on the water colors .

Rob , i dont know why the cat in my sig , other than i thought it was kinda funny looking ................maybe its something to do with the black cat on my stash .

Rob,,,  glad to have been of help

Bill - regarding the black rhomboids with the tactical numbers - I've a couple old books (30+ yrs) in which they state these were metal plates.  Did you uncover some info indicating they were directly painted onto the hulls?

Noted military author Roger James Bender  - "The plates were removable and could be changed from a disabled tank to a replacement one.  Thus, the numerical continuity of a combat unit would be consistent."

I've also seen a few photos of the rhomboid plate used at the rear of the tank.

Turning into a "smashing" nice build.

regards,

Jack

Jack,

You are correct, the use of the rhomboid plates was something that was used by the Panzer units at various times and the Battle of France period is one of transition to a whole variety of different numbering schemes that include the use of the rhomboid plate, use of large white turret numbers  and no plate, etc. The same is also true of the balkenkreuze...as some examples like the one you provide had the cross with a black center and some with only the white outline. There are examples in Trojca's Pzkpfw IV Ausf A-F At War of IV-Cs that sport all types of variety of markings and it can often boil down to the individual vehicle in question as to what is accurate or not.  

From a distance the rhomboid plate virtually disappears and it's only in close-up clear shots like yours that you can see the plate clearly as a distinct item. DML didn't provide the plate in the kit, just the decal marking, and I opted not to scratchbuild ones of my own because of the small size and challenge of the rhomboid shape (versus say a rectangular or square shape). In the markings sheet, DML does provide options that include the black-filled cross and also yellow and not white tactical markings on the black rhomboid. I opted for the white open cross and white rhomboid numbers as I felt they would "show" better in the weathering stages to come.  

Nothing is ever as easy as one thinks....    at least that seems to be the case with me..... 

Anyhow, figuring it shouldn't be much of a hassle (ha) I removed 2 links. Then added one as they seemed too tight. Then had another link disintegrate in the middle of one of the track spreads. Destroyed 2 links trying to clear up the busted link.. Then repainted / weathered where needed and a few hours later, got both sets back into place.

I think it will work out fine......        (fingers crossed)

I still have some tucking in and tidying up to do on them, but they should be ok.

(Whew!)