JOE RIX:  Thanks for the comments on my work!

jgeratic:  Thanks for the info on the barrel...those seem like very good explanations for the darker color.

wing_nut: It's definitely not a lighting thing for the darker barrel, but thanks for chiming in!   Paper zim', COOL!...I'll be watching to see how that works out.

shellback/ pyrman:  Thanks for the primer info.

Guys:  I think I'm going to go with dark gray...probably a bit lighter shade of XF-63 German Gray  I't'll be a nice contrast to the dunkelgelb with white camo'.  Thanks again for the info!

pyrman64

Shellback

As far as some barrels being painted in a dark brown , back when i was building Tiger 312 on another site i was told that the reason that its barrel was that color was that it was the primer color ..red-brown .

Gun barrel primer was a dark grey not oxide red.  It had something to do with the heating of the barrel.

Sounds good . I cant dispute your info . On the other site i referred to i was told that the info came first hand from a still living German WW 2 tanker . I dont remember the German tankers name , that would help .

Either color works for me .

SMJ , that color of gray would look good up against the regular Dunkegelb and camo .I'm looking forward to seeing that .

Thanks ......................................

Finally some progress on the Tamiya 1/48 Panther G. Sorry, pic heavy for those with slower connections.

A couple of swipes with a razor saw turns that Tamiya blob into the engine cover hook it’s meant to be.

Ran some Tenax in the groves round the turret and hull to soften and add some welds.  

My 1st use of link and length tracks.  This was somewhat difficult and I think due to the fact that because of the metal chassis, also a 1st, the wheels don’t stay on the axle to well.  And the wheels are needed to get the tracks right.  You can see the poster tack used and not yet cleaned off.

There wasn’t any PE in the box and I had some screen in the PE spares box.  I used a hole template one size bigger then needed to make a circle on a thin sheet of plastic, put double stick tape over the circle and stuck the screen to the tape.  The screen was fine enough to cut with a blade.  The correct size hole was used to mark the back to as a guide to sand to the finally size/shape.

Marc: Lookin' good!  I really like the paper zimmerit, looking forward to seeing it on the model.

Cliff

Some nice progress Marc. And i am with Cliff, that paper Zimm does look rather nice.

Nice work Marc .

Nice build shaping up Marc.  And I'm looking forward to seeing the paper zim.

Eric , this is my submission , Tamiya 1/35th King Tiger .

Lots of wheel , idlers and sprockets .

The hull went together with no major problems .

Just a few sink holes to fill in .

I'll be using the Tamiya tracks . I've used these before and they are not to difficult to assemble .

Clever work there Marc on the screens. 

Carl, did you find some PE screens for your cat?

Hey guys - everything looking good!

Nice choice Eric - I'm assuming no Zim would be needed for this late war kit. I really like the indy links.

As for me - well, turret assembly starts tomorrow and just in time my order from 'Armour Models' for a Late Version Tiger I RB Barrel arrived this morning along with some Brass Shackles x 4 with fully working and threaded nut and bolt on each shackle. I also ordered a mix of 1.4m and 2m German Brass Antennae (see below - all 1/35).

http://www.armour-models.co.uk/product_catalogue/tiger_i_late_model_/index.html

http://www.armour-models.co.uk/product_catalogue/shackles_4pcs_123/index.html

I hope I can do these beautiful objects justice!

Update tomorrow - the weekend is ALL mine

Ben

Marc -  that is some excellent work you have done so far. I'm intrigued by your approach to the assembly process of your running gear and tracks. This also is my first experience with length and link tracks. Are your tracks all glued together thus facilitating sliding the whole thing on later?

         Joe

Thanks for all the comments guys.

Joe I left one link open at the front of the drive sprocket.  The way the road wheels stacks on this with wheels on both side and down the middle of the guide teeth, this will allow me to slide the tracks on from the back.  Well, that the plan anyway

Shellback:  Nice selection!...I've never built a Tiger II but if/when I do this will be the one.  What do you have in mind for the camo'?  Did you say those indies came WITH the kit, or AM?

Hinksy: Nice AM parts...ahhhh...the sweetest words a hobbyist can utter..."The weekend is all mine".  Congrats hope it will be productive.

JOE RIX:  doog wrote a REAL good tutorial on how to do indie links.  I got it from the armorama chat room, unfortunately I don't have the link handy.  I'll make note to bring it in Monday and post it for you.   If I recall correctly you said tanks are somewhat of a new genre for you...this toot' is a MUST and I STRONGLY recommend it! 

wing_nut

Thanks for all the comments guys.

Joe I left one link open at the front of the drive sprocket.  The way the road wheels stacks on this with wheels on both side and down the middle of the guide teeth, this will allow me to slide the tracks on from the back.  Well, that the plan anyway

Hmmm, Indeed? I Like It!

SMJ - Cool! I f you're unable to find the link I'll do some diggin'. Thanks

Eric , yes i do have the p. e. screens . I picked them up when i bought the kit .

Their stainless steel . For me i'd rather use brass since its a little softer metal ................but these will be just fine .

SMJ , no the Tamiya indy link kit is a separate item that i had to buy . The Kingtiger kit comes with a nice looking set of rubber band tracks. They are made of the type of material that can joined together with plastic liquid cement .....no having to melt the coonection tabs .

PS , about the camo . I havent gotten that decided yet.........thanks for asking .

Joe, I had that link saved so here it is.  Rememebr this is for indie links, not the link & lentgh tracks.

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=1737

Marc - Thanks Mucho! I guess I misused my track terminology as I am using the kit supplied "Indie tracks". Thus this will prove very helpful

After looking at this picture of the boww machine gun housing on a King Tiger.......

And then at my model .................hmmmmmmmm

I decided  that i needed to add the recessed weld bead around the housing . I cut the recessed area around the housing by back dragging a file .

Then i applied some pro weld into the groove and let it set for a half minute ................

While the plastic was soft i pusher indentations and ridges into the plastic at small intervals with the back side of the  previousely used file so as  to look like weld beads .

Carl, where is the "clap, clap" smilie. ? Wonderful attention to the little details my friend.

Carl, Nice job....looks great!  

Carl, Oohh Nice! You have got it going ON!!!

Good evening chaps,

First off-great attention to detail Carl! Very nice

Having had to pop into the office for the bulk of today my anticipated several hours of build time was cut-down to two! Ahh well it's all overtime and with the UK Scale Modelworld Show nearly upon us Brits (November 11th) I'm keen to have some money to spend!

When I got home I decided to look at the instructions and see where I thought It minght be a good point to get to so I could start afresh tomorrow at a decent point. I thought that I may as well get the RB barrel assembled and fitted and the new Brass shackles on and leave it at that - I'll be able to start tomorrow with a shiney new turret to assemble

As I'm planning (but still undecided) to have the rear turret loading/escape door 'ajar' with a couple of spent 88mm cases on the engine deck that have been chucked out of the door I'm probably going to do a very basic internal turret paint job.

I know it's not a lot but here is todays little bit of progress. I cannot believe how quickly this Tiggy is building up. Either I'm getting bettter, Dragon kits are getting simpler or perhaps a bit of both I'm in no way rushing this build so I can rule that out straight away! A lovely kit that, so far, has been a real pleasure to assemble.

Thanks for looking guys,

You'll have a proper update tomorrow!

Ben

Carl: Nice work, perfect replicate of the photo of the real thing.

Ben: You have made a lot of progress there, and I have to agree about the new Dragon kits. This one I'm building has went together like clockwork- much easier than the ones I built years ago.

Hey guys ! Eric , Pyrman , Joe and Gamera .............thanks for taking a look and thanks for your much appreciated comments  !

More weld beads .

With Bondo and masking tape .

Shellback - nice work with the bondo weld beads look like the real thing. Armor86 - I'm using evergreen styrene rod in varied sizes and liquid cement to soften and shape ... photos below. 

Turret - Back storage bin and smoke dischargers next ... after market Voyager PE set provides extra detail. 

Used AV plastic putty and white primer to give it some texture with an old brush. 

Drill holes and used wire handles - the kit didn't have any bead detail on the turret nor around the base of the cupola. (Tamiya 35227) 

More weld bead detail added to front lower hull. 

Rear hull weld beads 

Engine deck PE screens installed

Upper hull weld beads 

Ben, lovely work there, thats looking great.

Are those shackeles from RB, they look nice.