Malone-your Tiger looks real good from where I'm sitting.

iBuild148-your KT looks sharp-nice base too...hang in there on the tracks...they will be well worth the effort.

thanks guys for the comments...  heres some half-butt pre shading...  i really havent grasped how to make it work fully, but i like the outcome most guys get...

Malone -  I think pre-shading is more an artistic impression than a reflection of reality, so you have free rein on how to approach it -  overall it is looking really good.

IBuildOne48 - excellent base, and the camou emulates actual tiger stripes, nice!

--------------------------------

Alrighty, colour this one as DONE.

To recap, base kit is Tamiya's 1/48 dressed up in PE from Voyager.  Individual plastic track links from AFV Club, resin jerrycan (Gaso-line) and helmets (Attack Hobby), with cables from Eureka.

I took some liberty with the stalking tiger symbol.  Although the 501st is one of the better photographed units of the war, there is still not enough photos to set a rule of thumb regarding it's use/placement.  I choose to add the graphic on the right side as well, as I've come across two examples of it found there on Panzer IIIN support vehicles.

Heidi was the number two vehicle assigned to battalion HQ, as denoted by it's turret number 02.    I've read that as losses mounted and could not be replaced,  the vehicle was used to fill this gap.  Not sure if the crew staff remained, most likely they transferred to another vehicle.

regards,

Jack

Excellent finish and presentation Jack! That is 1/48? Even more impressive. And the weathering ties in the low contrast camo perfectly! Very sweet all around sir!

What? That Tiger is 1/48? That makes this already awesome model even more impressive!  Great work!

I pop in here from time to time just to check out how you guys are doing and you all make me glad I do. Really nice work Jack. Really nice.

Awesome work, Jack.

MD: You've got a good start there, with pre-shading you just want to spray a little darker shade around the details so you get a little shadow effect going on.

Jack: She looks fantastic! May I ask how you got the cool dusty effect? Is that a light tan paint wash?

Stik, SchattenSpartan, mustang1989, Greg and Gamera - thanks for those kind words.

Yes, the initial dusting was from Florys' wash, using their Light Dirt but did mix in a little of their Sand wash, otherwise it looks like chalk white.  Once it dried, I wiped off whatever was accessible in the open areas, with a damp section of an old t-shirt.

I then scrubbed in some dry weathering powders for a heavier look in the lower areas, and sealed the whole thing with a dead flat spray.  Added some further dust streaking by applying some more powders diluted in water/Tamyia acrylic thinner, and then did some in reverse, by just using a wet brush to remove said dust.

There were several powders used: light dust, dry dust, and African Earth(looks more like red Mediterranean soil), which possibly could be the tan hue you are seeing.  I did add one layer of an ocher filter before adding dust effects.

regards,

Jack

Thanks Jack! Looks way better than the plain pigments I've been using.

Very well done Jack! Those Tamiya 48 scale kits are great. Your weathering is tops!

Malone-looking forward to seeing how your pre-shading comes out.

Jack-fantastic build-even more impressive when I consider that it is 1/48 scale-detail & finish are outstanding....and the base adds so much to the overall build....great job.

Wow, Jack, that looks flippin' fantastic! You've really brought that kit to life. I honestly think that cropping those pics with the right background you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between model/real thing. I love the finish you've reproduced. It really looks like it has been in the field and repeatedly caked with dust/ worn off, etc. Very impressive detail work in 1:48 too. Those homemade decals looks awesome as well. They really came out top notch. The way the "painted" numbers look slightly flared in spots looks right on. Bucket and extras looks very realistic. Congrats on the finished build. You have every right to be proud of this beauty.

Jack, that Tiger looks gggrreeeeaaaattttttt.........I love the dusty weathering effects on the roadwheels. I will post the finished build later.

BASECOAT... I RAN INTO A BUNCH OF EMPTY BOTTLES, SO A CUSTOM MIX OF EARTH BROWN, YELLOW, AND BUFF...  

Malone - c'est beautiful

IBuildOne48 , Bob, Dave and Eric - thanks guys for those kind words.

Yea, regarding the turret number decals, I ended up having to paint the vehicle colour up to the white outlines.  Still have to anchor the model to the base - that metal tub for the hull really is a bugger now.

regards,

Jack

Nice Finish Jack - dust and streak weathering looks great. I'm justing getting off work (2nd Job) and hope to finish my DAK tiger this week. I'm still dry brushing and will do some more pin washing on a couple spots - then chipping and lastly dust/dirt streaking ... post some updated photos later.

Malone - looks great with mixed paint - did the dark shading show through some of the main color (dark yellow)  

Eric - any word on a possible North Africa GB. Noted another web site's GB / Campaign with an armor car GB starting Sept. 1. Have a Tamiya DAK 232 kit.

Armor86

armor86

Nice Finish Jack - dust and streak weathering looks great. I'm justing getting off work (2nd Job) and hope to finish my DAK tiger this week. I'm still dry brushing and will do some more pin washing on a couple spots - then chipping and lastly dust/dirt streaking ... post some updated photos later.

Malone - looks great with mixed paint - did the dark shading show through some of the main color (dark yellow)  

Eric - any word on a possible North Africa GB. Noted another web site's GB / Campaign with an armor car GB starting Sept. 1. Have a Tamiya DAK 232 kit.

Armor86

Can't answer that for sure.  I had some drama come up and I'm a bit in limbo at the moment. So, I'm just not sure.

Hey MaloneD - she's looking pretty sweet to me. What is it specifically you don't like about Tamiya's zimm?

Eric, don't forget to post Shawker's well done KT on the front page. If you feel like it you could add my 2nd build to the list too. 1:35 Italeri Panther A.

Some more photos - DAK Tunisia Tiger - Dry brushing to highlight detail - some close up photos - Armor86 

Looking real good there A86.

oooh...very nice Dan...looks great

Gorgeous Tiger, Dan!

ive been so busy lately i can hardly keep up with everyones progress... but it all looks awesome, armor 86 that thing looks awesome man...

 as for mine the preshading worked as best as i could hope...  it basically got into the nooks and crevices i wanted it too, like under the exhaust, periscopes and such...  i see guys getting better results but i just cant seem to put a light enough basecoat on to get it right...  also i started using tamiyas laqcuer thinner and i have to say what a world of difference...  it works so well i cant believe it...

   as with the zimm.  ive changed my mind again, it looks alot better under paint...  i think my pain was more operator error...

starting my camo

Dan great job that is one tough looking cat.

Duke don't take this the wrong way but that is one pretty kitty.  

Hasenpfeffer

Hey MaloneD - she's looking pretty sweet to me. What is it specifically you don't like about Tamiya's zimm?

Eric, don't forget to post Shawker's well done KT on the front page. If you feel like it you could add my 2nd build to the list too. 1:35 Italeri Panther A.

Thank for the reminder. I knew that I forgot someone.

Malone D-Nice job on the camo...and from here, the zim looks good.  Please refresh my memory-is that the Tamiya zimmert?

Agreed on the three color camo MD. You are off to an excellent start there.

Well, one can only think and fuss for so long on problems encountered, and then either has to proceed or the project will not get finished. So here is my base so far- The base itself is some sort of plastic sheeting provided to all of the AMPS Chapter GB participants in a standard size for the GB. Based on the advice of some members, I used wall spackle for the basic stuff on top to create some contoured terrain. Then I painted it with some earth tone, covered it with Future, and then a layer of sifted dirt on top. I still am going to add another layer of fine sifted dirt, some areas of coarse sifted dirt, and then a few appropriate foliage items that I have selected. But here is the rough appearance so far.

the base itself

and with the tank in a basic approximation of how it will all look in the end. I still have a bit more weathering to add to the tank, and of course add the figures, over the next few days.

stik, it looks really cool man, and thanks...  the zimm is from tamiya...  and it does look pretty good now...  i think i just looked at it the wrong way when i first put on the primer...  but i will pay closer attention to the edges next time i use it...  have a question...  anyone else have problems modeling a specific tank...  everytime i fall victim to circumstance...  between losing pieces, ruining pieces, ascewing the paint...etc...  i just cant get it...