Wingman ........i screwed up and thought you were referring to my link to the Panthers on the Eastern front that i posted for Wingnut ..........

I agree there is some mighty fine builds in progess here . I'm still figuring out what i want to order for my build so i can get started .

Shellback

I havent had any problems with that link . I just opened it twice  and it worked ok . As far as locking up your computer i've had Photo Bucket do that many a time and i think thats probably a sync . error .

Yeh, not sure what happened. No virus was detected but even after rebooting I couldn't open a browser window. Oh well, wish I could have viewed the site because one set of decals I have is for Tigers in Italy and abt 508.

I have been enjoying watching the work going on here and can't wait to join in myself. The rest of my stuff should be here tomorrow or the next day so maybe Sunday nite I can get rolling.

Tony

Carl, most likely.  Started the tammy kit today.  I HATE THE METAL CHASSIS!!!!!!!!!!  Never did one before.

Marc , are you building both of those Panthers ?

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 .

Wingman_kz

jgeratic1

Hi Ben,

Not sure if you've seen these pics from a ww2 forum, but it is of the 508th in Italy.  Camou edges do indeed look to be on the soft side.

regards,

Jack

I would advise against opening the link in the above post. Don't know what it was but it locked up my computer and I've spent the last couple hours trying to get back online. Finally had to use last known good configuration and it's still acting a little screwy.

Tony

I havent had any problems with that link . I just opened it twice  and it worked ok . As far as locking up your computer i've had Photo Bucket do that many a time and i think thats probably a sync . error .

Great progress all.  Can't wait to see some paint Steve.

Here's my read on the barrel.  It's cylindrical and with the light source above the top is in highlt and the bottom in shadow.  The line of the shadow running the length more or less in the center.  Since a person standing has eye level under the barrel, as in the Panther pic above, you are seeing more shadow than highlight and it's oyur brain screwing with ya.  Certainly have not seen or heard of anything official about barrel color but I will say that this is the first time since I've been doing armor this has ever come up.

OK… Here we go…

  Laser cut paper zim by Monroe Perdu Studios.  Wow this stuff looks nice.  I was told it sticks to a primed surface with white glue.  Edge dry hard so it can be trimmed with a fine file or sanding stick.  They had just 1 set in 1/48 and I wanted to give it a whirl.  2nd and 3rd pics are very obliquely to see the incredibly fine texture.  Had to drag out my giant penny for a size ref.  With extra room on the card they added some turret and cross stencils.  The thing behind the penny is the rack for the extra treads pre "drilled" for a wire pin. 

The paper zim will be used and the 1/48 Tami ya and I picked up a 1/72 G as well and may build them in tandem.

I was trying to find some units with Tiger I's in East Prussia for use in a dioama. I did buy the Bison Decals and it has two of the "german helmet" in both black and white. Of all the pictures I can find of Grossdeutschland none of them has the "helmet", in one picture I saw a "recovery vehicle" with the helmet.

I still have time before I need to place any decals on the late Tiger I I'm building so if anybody has any other ideas of Tiger I units in East Prussia in 1945 I'm open to them.

Not much progress since i started last night. The suspension has been fitted. And i am adding a Voyager PE set, the first time i have used one of these. So far just one of the rear bins added. I didn't feel brave enough to try soldering yet.

Grossdeutchland is interesting, in that it along with Lehr, were the only two army units to receive tigers.  The rest went to SS units and the independant heavy tank battalions.

I'm no expert and don't have any of the more recent publications meantioned at the beginning of this thread, but a solid white helmet emblem seems to be origination of this marking.   Variations included a white outline only, and with dark yellow vehicles the white marking could be outlined in black fully, or just the top half - (from Panzer Colors III, Bruce Culver).  

For the black style, I've only seen it on a Panther from this photo and it has been referred to as a low visibilty marking:

Noticed too that Bison has a few decal sets out that include GD tigers, but no helmet markings are provided for on the sheet nor included on the profile artwork.   So no evidence they were used on tigers, but there is always artistic license.

For the barrel question, again I've not seen any official doctrine that called for a different finish.  My guess is that in those photos where it appears darker, it is a replacement barrel.  It's colour could be, as meantioned already, in primer form that has yet to be painted.  It could also be the fact that the vehicle is covered in dust creating that contrast with the new barrel.

regards,
Jack

SMJ - I need to chime in here also on complimenting you on some very work you've done on your Tiger. The zim is indeed very well done. The damage you have replicated looks awesome. The time and effort you have put in is really paying off. .

 I'm in the same boat with the PE fenders. Figured I'd assemble them and see how that goes before deciding on using them and other PE parts. Almost done evening out the PE zim with some Mr. Surfacer 1000.

Kentucky Colonel

Another question. In a picture I've seen of the tiger I I'm building I noticed that the main gun barrel is much darker than the rest of the tank. Is that a "gray" or dark barrel or what? What color should I use to paint the barrel??

Great question!!! I meant to ask this myself because based on the  prototype photo I like the barrel is dark too.  "Tiger in Action" has a photo of a Late version and the narrative says the barrel was red/brown.  I saw a couple mid's that had dark barrels too but no color was suggested...would this have been the same red/brown for a Mid version?  

Hopefully some Tiger experts will chime in...if not we may need to post the question in the Armor Forum.

Does anybody know where the "Grossdeutschland" insignia, the black German helmet went or if they used them at all on their Tiger I's?

Everybody is doing good and is way ahead of me. I'm just trying to get everything right and in order before I really get down and build. First I'm going to "try" to build the PE mudguards like deafpazer did. If I can get that then I'll know which parts I'll use and then I'll be able to make some progress. One of them is that insignia.

Another question. In a picture I've seen of the tiger I I'm building I noticed that the main gun barrel is much darker than the rest of the tank. Is that a "gray" or dark barrel or what? What color should I use to paint the barrel??

Carl, yup that's is the orientation of the zim I plan to use.  Thanks for the search and the link.

Thanks Greg.

pyrman:  Thanks for the comments and the link.  YEP...whatever tool you use builds up putty.  I used a chiseled xacto type blade and had to use a wipe-off paper towel constantly. 

Tigerman:  Thanks man...please call me Steve...way too formal with the Steven stuff

Bish/ TB379:  Glad you noticed and like the bin work...I spent quite a wihle grinding the inside of it to a point where I could puncture it.  I was concerned that it looked hokey, thanks again.

wing_nut/Gamera/moose421:  Thanks for comments on the zim'!

bobbaily:  Ratio is about: 1:1/2:1  putty:glue:acetone.  Go for a mix that is thin but not runny.  It needs to be thin enough to be able to get into the small crevices AND better thin than thick because it dries fast!!!(about 30 seconds before starting to texture it)  I found that an area of 1" to 1 1/2" square was all I could do at once. BTW: I practiced on the bottom of the hull first!

deafpanzer: I'm with you on the PE thing!  I'd go all OOB too but I love the look of the PE after it's on and painted; but I HATE working with parts so small I can bearly see them...LET ALONE glue neatly!  I've decided to only add what I want/ like...It's not a hobby if it isn't fun!  Diggin' that bent rear fender on your tank!  After studying a bunch of photos in "Tiger in Action"  I was surprised how much abuse all the fenders and skirts took...or were gone completely!

Marc,

Here's the Tamiya zimmerit tool. (http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/tam/tam35187.htm)  There are 6 applicators in 2 spacings (.5 & .7mm).  The tools work great, but they need to be wiped off often or the putty builds up and becomes difficult to remove.

jgeratic1

Hi Ben,

Not sure if you've seen these pics from a ww2 forum, but it is of the 508th in Italy.  Camou edges do indeed look to be on the soft side.

regards,

Jack

I would advise against opening the link in the above post. Don't know what it was but it locked up my computer and I've spent the last couple hours trying to get back online. Finally had to use last known good configuration and it's still acting a little screwy.

Tony

wing_nut

Ben that is looking pretty darn sweet.  As far as Silly Putty goes, I have always had issues with the oily residue mentioned and it just flat out not sticking.  The best stuff to use in my opinion is poster tack.  Blue tac and UHU tac are 2 brands that come ot mind that I have used in the past and should be available on your side of the pond.

Tbolt I have used the Cav Zim before and is is the poo.  Love that stuff.

Speaking of zim... at the AMPS East show yesterday a vendor had laser cut paper zim. very thin and very fine texture zim pattern that looks like the last photo posted not too far up.  Gorgeous stuff.  They had a set for an early Panther G that is the vertical pattern.  I will try to get some close up pics pater and post them.  Their website is...

www.monroeperdu.com

Eric, now that I am done with the brass beast I need a bit more of a relaxed build so for the moment could you amend my entry to the 1/48 Tamiya early Panther G.

Lasty, can someone point me to early Panther G refs... hopefully with color profiles.  Would there have been early G's with vertical zim in a winter scheme?

Marc , does the vertical zim look like the zim on the box art of this Tamiya Panzer G early ?

I've seen photo's of Panthers with a white wash over the regular camo in variouse schemes but as far as a photo of a winter schemed Early G in particular i'm not sure . Here's something i found on the web , its variouse ausf.'s in winter scheme .

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8154303/anchors_8156536/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#8156536

SMJ,  Your hand worked zimmerit is looking great.  I have a AFV Club tiger that will eventually get the treatment.

Def,  I feel your pain (love) of PE.  That is why I picked the my Erzatz Panther to step back into building after a brief time away.

Kim

This GB is moving so quickly that my last update fell to page four already. LOL!  Plenty of great builds doing on.

Eric- Base coat looks good!

Hasen- Dig the zimm... I am afraid I have said it already but it looks real good.  Same goes for the barrel.  

Steve- Zimm looks spot on!  Sometimes I like how it is when you do it yourself.   It was even fun applying Zimm too. 

Little update on my Tiger I... spent hours working on PE over the weekend.  Sometimes I wish I can just build it out of box but I always like results using PE.  

Tool box... in process.  

Am afraid I will not be able to post an update for a week or so.  Wedding in Philly!  Anybody know a good hobby shop in or near Philly? 

Hasenpfeller-Your Panther is coming together nicely.  Love the zim.

Eric-you're making great progress-build looks clean-can't wait to see the full camo

SMJ-very nice job on the zim-looks great.  What was your ratio of putty/glue/acetone?

Yeah, looks great Steve! I've made my own a few times but it doesn't look nearly that good.

Steve, great looking zim.

Greg... do you have a link to that toot. I looked but couldn't find it.  Admittedly i may not have looked all that hard... bu i did look

Steve -- wonderful stuff, I must get up the guts to do this to a tank myself one day! Love the line of MG bullet holes in the stowage bin!

Mike/TB379

Nice job on the Zimm Steve, not seen that method before. And like the turret bin, nicely battered.

Just started work on the Panther, and the joys of a Dragon suspension just come flooding back.

That's a very good effort on the zimmerit Steven. Much braver then I.

SMJ, your zimmerit looks great.   I too prefer to do it myself, after reading a "how to" by James Blackwell, on M-L. It involves using Tamiya putty and their p-e zimmerit tools.

Guys:  She's ready for paint!!  

I decided to do the zim' by hand versus the PE stuff. It was definately a learning experience but I'm happy with results. I use a mix of sqaudron putty/ liquid glue and acetone (see last picture) I'll explain it in detail if anyone would like. I added a bunch of PE but opted to leave off the front & rear fenders and the exhaust shrouds. This baby will be pretty abused so I may even bend the side skirts some more. I'm still planning to make/add tow cables and accessorize her with a couple fuel drums propped up by wood blocks/ chocks based on a great reference photo in "Tigers in Action".

Anyway, here's how she looks as of last night:

Hasenpfeffer

Hey Bish - looking forward to seeing your Panther (G?). We Panther builders need some more company!

I am looking forward to it as well. Its been 2 years since i built any armour, i should be starting on it today, just the finishing touches to add to my current build. Though its not a G, it the Panther with Pz IV turret, and pretty rare vehicle from what i can gather.

Hasenpfeffer

Hey Carl, thanks, and yes, RB barrel. Pretty sweet for the price. A few challenges with replacing the kit barrel, but obviously can be overcome. Gratuitous barrel shot:

I like gratuitous