Looking pretty good so far udel!

Gamera, love that Crusader! Such a modern looking vehicle, looks like something you could almost see on the battlefield today.

Bish:  I was not aware of a 1500 either, though did a quick Google search after your post and it seems to be the most recent addition to the Mr. Surfacer line.  Seems to be marketed mostly as a primer; available in gray and black.  Not entirely sure that the 1500 would fill a purpose that the 1200 couldn't do as well.

A collective well done to the Brit builds recently posted.  But I was wondering how the British named their armor; Crusader,.. Matilda?  Is there a system?

Don

I currently use the 1500 in black and grey for priming and have feel in love with it. I thin it with Mr. Leveling Thinner and the coverage is just superb and it sprays smooth as silk!

Hey thanks guys, still got a little work to do there on the wash- do the shields and then add a little more where I scrubbed too much alway.

Don, as I understand the 'cruiser' or cavalry tanks always were assigned 'C' names - hence Coventer,  Crusader, Cromwell, Centaur, Challenger, and Comet. Since modern UK tanks descended from this line they continued the tradition with Chieftain, Conqueror,  Carnarven, and Challenger II.

The 'infantry' tanks were a houge-pouge (how do you SPELL that!?!) of names from like Churchill, Matilda, Valentine, there seems no rhyme or reason. Maybe Bish knows???

The Matilda supposedly got tagged with that name since she resembled in profile a duck in a comic strip from that time period. The Valentine since the first prototype arrived for testing on St. Valentine's Day. Just weird and wonderful stuff.  

Gamera

Don, as I understand the 'cruiser' or cavalry tanks always were assigned 'C' names - hence Coventer,  Crusader, Cromwell, Centaur, Challenger, and Comet. Since modern UK tanks descended from this line they continued the tradition with Chieftain, Conqueror,  Carnarven, and Challenger II.

The 'infantry' tanks were a houge-pouge (how do you SPELL that!?!) of names from like Churchill, Matilda, Valentine, there seems no rhyme or reason. Maybe Bish knows???

Ah, so there is rhyme and reason at least for some.  I'm not even going to ask why WWI tanks were labeled male and female....

Don

Ye, I figure you could be right about the 1200 being just fine for the job.

All our armour has a name that's usually military or warlike. There is a sort of system. Tanks usually begin with a C. Churchill, Crusader, conquer, challenger, chieftain etc. Not sure where the Maltida fits in, maybe before the system bargain.

For modern vehicles, there is a range of vehicles that are known as CVRT's. They all start with an S. Sparten, Scimiter etc. The Ambulance version is a Samaritan (see where their going there). Theres a Command version called a sultan.

Then we have our version of the US Bradley which is a Warrior.

Funnily enough, the only post war AFV that doesn't have a name is the 432, basically our version of the M113.

I don't study British armour, but I did spend 12 years in an Armoured Inf battalion. My first 4 years were in the AT platoon and we had to do AFV recognition. As someone who was interested in AFV anyway through model building, I really enjoyed this. And it was while learning about NATO and Warpac armour that I started to note the systems used by different countries, and though of course we didn't do WW2 German armour, it did help me see that even the Germans had a system.

Gamera

Hey thanks guys, still got a little work to do there on the wash- do the shields and then add a little more where I scrubbed too much alway.

Don, as I understand the 'cruiser' or cavalry tanks always were assigned 'C' names - hence Coventer,  Crusader, Cromwell, Centaur, Challenger, and Comet. Since modern UK tanks descended from this line they continued the tradition with Chieftain, Conqueror,  Carnarven, and Challenger II.

The 'infantry' tanks were a houge-pouge (how do you SPELL that!?!) of names from like Churchill, Matilda, Valentine, there seems no rhyme or reason. Maybe Bish knows???

The Matilda supposedly got tagged with that name since she resembled in profile a duck in a comic strip from that time period. The Valentine since the first prototype arrived for testing on St. Valentine's Day. Just weird and wonderful stuff.  

Now that makes a bit of sense. I guess before the advent of Cruisers, it was just what ever seemed to fit. And I guess just carrying on with a C made sense.

Not that the British army needs to make sense to do something.

Eric, thanks for that info. I notice its rather pricey, roughly how much coverage would you get with that

I paid 9 dollars for the bottle with free shipping on eBay from overseas and got it fairly quick. It can be thinned down really far and still spray and cover. I think on the last kit I did (I think the halftrack with PaK), I covered the whole thing with only half of the paint cup full on my HP-CS. Not sure if that helps but it was thinned down probably 60/40 thinner/primer. I wish I had more precise data to give you on it.

pordoi

Ah, so there is rhyme and reason at least for some.  I'm not even going to ask why WWI tanks were labeled male and female....

Don

i believe male tanks had cannon, female tanks had machine guns, aN=nd hermaphrodite tanks had one of each.

Eric, that's fine, gives me a rough idea. Sounds like you get more out of it than I thought. The 1500 I found was about £9, but I haven't looked elsewhere yet.

wayne, I believe your right about the Male and females.

... and hermaphrodite tanks had one of each.

... I see nut-zink!!...

...I am not hier!...

...I didn't even get up dis mornink!!!

need I add.... 

Don

waynec

pordoi

Ah, so there is rhyme and reason at least for some.  I'm not even going to ask why WWI tanks were labeled male and female....

Don

i believe male tanks had cannon, female tanks had machine guns, aN=nd hermaphrodite tanks had one of each.

Yeap that's it!

In the first tank to tank battle a German A7V engaged two British 'female' tanks and shot them all to blazes before a 'male' could lumber out to drive it off. The Germans never used many tanks but British high command not knowing how many tanks they had ordered some of the 'females' to be modified with a 'male' gun in one of the sponsons changing them to 'hermaphrodites' so they'd have some measure of self defense. I have no friggin' clue why they got the names 'male' and 'female' in the first place- seem cannon tank or machine gun tank would make more sense.

I've really wondered at the 'Firefly' - a friggin' Lightning Bug- a beetle whose butt lights up!!! Why apply that name to a Sherman with a 17 pounder? I'd have thought they'd use something more aggressive.

Gamera

I've really wondered at the 'Firefly' - a friggin' Lightning Bug- a beetle whose butt lights up!!! Why apply that name to a Sherman with a 17 pounder? I'd have thought they'd use something more aggressive.

Kinda like the Germans with their Maus. A damn mouse doesn't sound scary at all, eh?

Regarding the Mr.Surfacer: I just used the 1200 (in the bottle) for the first time and I absolutely love it. It sprays really smooth, even without leveling thinner, and covers with the first coat.

I would like to enter in my Tamiya 1/35 Tiger 1 Initial Production.

For after market, I have Tamiya's Tiger I Photo Etched Grille Early Production, on order from my local hobby shop.

Nice choice Dan.

Dan you are the man, thats a nice kit.

Thanks Bish & jibber.  I see that Dragon has also made a Initial Production kit, but it was a limited edition run.  The photo-etched parts, and the metal barrel look really nice.

That's a very nice choice of kit, Dan! I'll build the exact same kit for this GB as well, so this will be interesting!

Which Dragon kit do you mean. They have done a couple of Initial versions, I have 6252 as well as the Tamiya kit you have. Both nice looking kits, there's just less need for AM with the Dragon kits if your that way inclined.

Thanks Schatten Spartan, yes our two Tamiya Tiger's will be interesting.

The (3 in 1) 1.Kompanie s.Pz.Abt.501 DAK Tunisia 1942/43, cyber hobby.com  #6286

If there another one, for North Africa?

Hey Dan, just build the same Tamiya kit last year for Steel Cats GB - I would suggest AM barrel and track for it. Also use the Voyager Model Photo Etch set. Vehicle No. 132. Enclosed photo. 

Dragon has several different Initial Production Tiger I - I have the 3 in 1 sPzAbt 502 Leningrad 1943 - 6252.  The DAK Tunisia Tiger I - Cyber Hobby #6286 is extremely hard to find - last look is listed on e-Bay for $400. 

Very nice Tiger armor86.

Yes I am looking into after market items for my Tiger.  You've given me some good ideas.  

A quick update:  first coat applied to the PzIIIJ.  Will let this cure for a day or so before spraying the camo.

....and painted the tracks with Vallejo burnt umber followed by dry brushing with Model Master steel metallic;

While this is curing, will do some detail work on the tools and storage boxes.

Don

Pordoi -- awesome! This model looks fantastic, the preshade comes through very well -- I'm thinking I should go the preshade route on my IV D as well.

Some progress on the Bf 109 F-4/Trop -- first pics coming later. Subassemblies are coming together, cockpit is in the detail painting stage. The way Hasegawa engineered the forward fuselage has been the only problem so far, to get maximum variants from the basic fuselage the cowling was made as separate parts and they really don't like to line u naturally, so there's been some "persuading" with glue, filler and styrene fillets.

I'm leaning toward doing a scheme featured on the Aeromaster decals included with this edition of the kit, but there's only basic information provided, a little extra research is indicated...

M/TB379

Wow, I've been very impressed with all the builds and progress. There is so much to learn from everyone here.  Thanks for taking the time to help and to share.  It's very much appreciated.

Here's my M3A1 Scout update.

The interior is almost done. the first paint coat was Olive Drab followed by Desert Yellow. It's been weathered with an initial wash of Flory Dark Dirt, followed by Flory Sand, followed by dry brushing a 50:50 mix of Tamiya Flat Aluminum / Neutral Gray. This was done over a matt surface because I wanted it to stick to everything.  The only exception was the glossy steering wheel.

I tried scratch building a few hoses for the engine based on some Walk-Arounds of the M3A1.  I didn't put in any wiring since it probably won't be seen.  I'm not sure about the result so I'm still undecided as to whether to open 1 side of the hood or to close it off.

Thanks for the help in deciding how to paint the guns and tools.  They still need to be weathered but Tamiya Gun Metal looks good.

A few more odds and ends and then back to the airbrush to paint my version of desert camo based on a few B&Ws and a color drawing.

Now for a question.  Can anyone point me in a direction on how to model a sandy, dusty windshield with the windshield wiper pattern in it?  Thanks.

Alan

nice. how did you do the sandbags?

DantheMan85

Thanks Schatten Spartan, yes our two Tamiya Tiger's will be interesting.

The (3 in 1) 1.Kompanie s.Pz.Abt.501 DAK Tunisia 1942/43, cyber hobby.com  #6286

If there another one, for North Africa?

Right, a good old Cyber Hobby kit. Yes, those are hard to get hold off once they are gone, and very expensive even when released. The two Dragon labelled kits are both version of the very first Tiger's to go into service in the Leningrad area.

But that Tamiya kit is more than adequate, it will build up very nicely, but yes, I would go for an AM barrel and tracks.

Pordoi, Alan, really nice work there.

Alan, that's what GB's are all about and one of the things that make them so addictive.

udel09 - I like how your Matilda is coming along.  Antenna colour; I would just go with the basic vehicle shade.  I've never come across anything stating it was painted differently, only  one forum member elswhwere stated he thought he had read somewhere they could be pale blue, but nothing more came up of this discussion.

Gamera - lovely work on the Crusader

Don - the pre-shading and overall colour looking really nice there

Alan - great work on the scout car, and great weathering job on that steering wheel, looks convincing to me.

Tiger Tanks - even after a trio of these Tunisian Heavies were built for the Steel Cats GB, I look forward to seeing more here.  Other than the rare boxing by CyberHobby, Tamiya has the only full kit in town.  Even if you take an early Dragon kit, you will still have to do some kit bashing.  If I remember correctly, only  Tamiya has the proper fiefel dust bins.

regards,

Jack