Armor86: excellent work on your interior!

Zvezda:  Welcome aboard

Here's my update,

First two are before I airbrushed on Model Master Acrylic Gray Primer,

Dan: Nice interior there! Does it come with the fuzzy dice and the lil' hula dancer for the dash?

Zvezda: Welcome aboard!

Yes, you're welcome zvezda1980. Hop aboard.

Hello guys

Is there any space for me as a late new entry?

I was thinking of doing a Tunisia Panzer III in 1/72 just to experiment on tanks a little.

Please let me know.

Cheers to all

Jack, interior looks good, currently installing and painting Pz IV 'D' interior - photos below. Armor86

Nice work there jack. In regards to the Fruils, they are not always like that, they do vary. The set I am using on the Pz III have only needed a little bit of clean up on a small number of links. But on other sets, I have had to drill out a lot of the holes to get the wire through. I am a big fan of them myself, and the only reason I have't replaced my magic tracks and indy link tracks in the price, but I have replaced all my rubber band tracks with them.

Nice looking interior set.

interior looks fantastic

Yup, the Tamiya M13/40 has no interior, but the Semovente does. Something of a shame, as they easily could have incuded that sprue into both kits and just told which parts to use and not to use on the instruction sheet.

Wow, I'm not surprised at the size of the tracks there- I find the large ones much, much, much, easier to assemble!

And that's a really nice interior set there! I assume you're leaving all the hatches open, which I'd guess in the hot desert the crew would leave them anywhere outside of combat. I built the Tamiya Carro Armato M15/40 years ago and it didn't have any interior at all best I remember.

Eric and Gamera - thanks guys.

Yes, this was my first go at Friuls.   Probably not the best subject choice as they are quite small.  Below is a comparison to a 1/72 Tiger track!

It took me three bench sessions over three days to assemble them.  More time consuming than anything, as each one had a pour stub and seams to clean up.  All the links need the holes bored out to make sure nothing obstructs the brass pins, all of which are cut from generous supply provided in the form of a  single coil.

Instructions suggest using a drop of super glue after inserting the pin, and then trimming to proper length once dry.   I used another method, choosing to pre-cut the pins about half a millimeter longer than the track width.   Once inserted, used light pliers (actually is a special flat nose plier for bending PE) to gently squeeze the ends, forcing one end of the pin to 'dig' into the closed end of the track link, and flattening the exposed end of the pin at the opposite end.

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

The interior includes the partial use of a resin set from Model Victoria.  The  Italeri kit provided the transmission, driver seat, and a portion of the engine visible in the crew section.

regards,

Jack

Hey Jack, looking good! Love the interior. I'm interested in how the Friuls go, I have yet to use any.

Those friuls will look great jack.Must have been fun to assemble.

Thanks guys for the interest/comments on my initial progress post.

Not sure how many rivets will be added/replaced, but so far have  about 87 , and a few more to go on the hull.  Likely same amount on the turret, so probably close to 200 in all.    Eight of them will be omitted in the front since it will be covered by resin sandbags.  

Where possible, I'll cheat a bit by not drilling holes, like the corner piece pictured below.  Instead two location holes were made in the PE bracket, rivets glued in placed, and then trimmed flush.  The whole thing is then simply glued in place.

There are fit issues with this Italeri kit.  The rear engine deck is short on the right side, while the back end should have a slight more overhang to it.  I'll see what can be done with some plastic sheet.

At the front end, again another gap.  Most will be hidden under the PE fender, and the remainder will be filled with putty.

Forgot to mention the Friul tracks. They were done first thing upon returning to the bench on this one. Total of 88 links per side, and they also came with the drive sprockets - better fit and more accurate surface detail.

regards,

Jack

Thanks Gamera,they had to be like ovens,any AFV in the desert at that time had to be brutal

Dan, nice work on the Tiger.

Tojo, that looks really nice, diddy little thing isn't it, how many crew in that. I am guessing 4 at most.

jack, good to see more of your work.

Thanks Gamera, should have it all put together by Wednesday,  I put two coats off Dark Yellow on the air cleaner tube.  Don't remember if I had trouble with my other one I built back in 2009.

Jack.  How many rivets will you be adding?  Even though it sounds like a lot of work, it'll make your project very detailed.

Tojo: Looks good! Nice work on the AFV and the figure- gee those dark tanker uniforms must have been hot as blazes in N. Africa.

Dan: You're moving right along! Not sure if the air cleaner is a big issue- I mean I'm guessing the crews might have put a few on crooked?

Jack: Wow, that's a pile of rivets, I too don't think I'd have the patience to add all of those.

Thanks Jgeratic, the Tamiya kit is a pretty easy build up. 

I have the Dragon Tiger kit 6600,  been thinking about if I want to make it into a Tunisian Tiger what would I have to do, kit bash or conversion kit.  You found what I was looking for.

Thanks Jack,Have fun with the rivets,I would have no patience or hands for that

Tojo72 - excellent job on Tamiya's Semovente. 
I've seen a few others say they turn to this one to get back in the modelling groove, so glad you enjoyed it.

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

Dan - sound build you got happening there.

Incidentally,  someone has finally come out with a resin conversion kit for the Tunisian Tiger, though the price is akin to a Dragon kit:
http://www.newtmd.com/DAK-Tiger-I-Conversion

--------------------------------------------------------
Finally an update from me ... well I wouldn't make good as a rivet counter.  Replacing some rivets, as those on the turret are barely visisble on Italeri's L6/40 .  Started on the hull, but I see I will need to order another pack. 

regards,

Jack

Thank you Eric and Bish,yes they were kit decals,I left off one gas can so that the Ariete marking showed.

Nice work everyone, here's my update.  I'd say I'm about 50 to 60% done with my Tiger 1.

Not sure If I'm going to try and refit the left air cleaner,  from it being a little crooked.  Anything that need sanding I use 400 first, followed up with 800, then 1200 for a smooth finish.  If you sand with that 1200 long enough, it will remove all the sanding marks left behind from the 400 and 800.

This Crusader looks great!!!

Nice finish Tojo - photo update on Panzer IV 'D' - Primer the interior, dry fit lower turret with crew compartment - MedelMaker2 paint - Elfenbien interior color. Photos Armor86

Nice work there Tojo. Italian armour is not my thing, but this is a nice looking AFV.

That looks good Anthony. Are those the kit's decals? Mine shattered on me.

Hey Tojo, she looks fantastic! Just a little wash and the rest of the work you noted and she's good to go!

Thanks Stik,it's Modelmaster Italian Sand,enamel

It looks ready to head into battle with the Tommies at Alam Halfa Ridge now Tojo! What color did you use? Once you get a wash on there to make the rivets pop it will stop looking so monotone and really come alive... and tehn teh sand and dust... and dust and sand...