WOW SS, a lot of Am there. Good luck with the Voyager, your gonna need it.

Clem, lots of work to do indeed! I think we can "feed" off each other!

Also, the package will be mailed out tomorrow morning. The set is described as a Stug III ammo set. It is kit number 63508 by Jaguar.

Scott

Hey Guys, I thought I would include a bit of history on my tank number 142.

Tiger tank 142 (chassis number 250015) was loaded onto an MFP (marinefahiprahm) along with the crew. The tank and crew departed from Reggio, Italy on November 1942. They landed at La Goulette, just outside of Tunisia on Nov. 27,1942 142 was the fourth Tiger to land in Africa and the only tank of the 501 to debark in Tunis.From there it traveled 15 km. for a propaganda shoot. Tiger Tank Tac number 142 was assigned to the 4th Platoon, first Kompany. It along with the 501 they were credited with destroying over 150 allied tanks and vehicles. 142 participated in many operations including Operation Ochsenkopf ,and Operation Eilbote near Sibha. On Feb. 26 1943 142 along with the 4th platoon and other tanks of the 501 engaged the British in the battle of Hunts Gap. 142 was knocked out in the Beja assault of the same battle. 142 was hit by an excellent shot by a British anti-tank gun. The crew survived but the tank was severely damaged. It was destroyed by the crew using high explosives. The blast blew off the turret and the upper hull.  

The tank was painted tropical brown then over- painted in tropical green which is more suitable to northern Tunisia.

It's fantastic to have the history tied to the tank I am building!

Hope you enjoyed

Scott

I got myself an issue of "Art of Modelling" a few days ago and the stuff in there is really insane. One of the articles is aprogress report of a Diorama with a StuG III Ausf. E. The guy who built the dio used 2(!) Dragon StuGs (the old Ausf.F and the new Ausf.G) as well as a total of 18 (!!!) AM sets for the vehicle. And I thought my Pz.IV had an insanely high overkill-factor...

Cliff: This is the first build I go full AMS on (like Scott and his Tiger) so I hope everything goes as planned. I asked the owner of my LHS for some help and he agreed to teach me some basic soldering techniques - Internet tutorials are nice, but there's nothing like getting taught by a real guy sitting in front of you and correcting your mistakes as you go. The thing I'm most worried about is that I'm not able to do that blinged-out Panzer justice when it comes to actually painting the damn thing!(provided I pull this off without too many problems)

Jack: I don't have that much money, but I try to buy my modelling stuff as cheap as possible. HLJ for example wants only 30% of the money I'd have to pay here for all the Japanese kits. My LHS has a lot of great sales. All of their Dragon kits are 20% off ATM to name one of them.

I just found a great deal on those Voyager sets on evil bay. It took quite some time to find it, but I stumbled across a shop called "white cat models". They sell a lot of Voyager and Aber sets at pretty decent prices. The 3 sets I posted (Pz.IV basic set, fenders and smoke dischargers were 51 bucks (the 10€ for shipping already included) together with one surprise item (I won't tell ya now, but it's for this GB ) with that surprise item being the most expensive set by far. (The Pz.IV sets were 11, 8 and 4 bucks).

This adds up to a total amount of 53€ spent on this Pz.IV so far (I didn't coutnt the CMK sets in because I pay for them when they arrive) with the normal kit price being slightly higher than 50€ on it's own. I think that's actually quite a decent price for such a project when you think of the more recnet Dragon releases being in the 70€+ price range!

Clemons: That's like... wow...

I'd like to do something like that but I don't think I have the coordination or the patience.

Clemons - there must be money burning a hole in your pocket - should be a great show watching this one come together. 

Try also HobbyEasy or LuckyModel for the Voyager sets.

As for not having future, I'd suggest applying your product on a section of clear sprue and see how it reacts.

regards,

Jack

After having a long chat with the owner of my LHS today I came to the conclusion that the Verlinden set is neither worth my time nor my money.

So here's the new full list of AM goodies:

CMk driver's compartment:

CMK engine compartment:

It's designed for the Tamiya kit, but I should be able to get it to fit into the hull of Dragon's Pz.IV without much trouble. The set itself looks way better than Verlinden's attempt. 

CMK interior set:

This set is for the Tamiya kit as well and includes the whole fighting compartment for the Pz.IV. You might notice that it depicts a later version with the KwK 40. That means I can't use some of the resin bits. The fighting compartment floor, turret floor, bulkhead and ammo rack appear to be exactly the same though, so I'll use those parts. The gun breech and the kit's turret interior will eventually find their way into a Dragon Ausf.J I have in my stash. I'll simply use the breech from the kit as it looks really nice and in combination with some of the CMK bits it should actually look better than the Verlinden breech. I won't be able to use the resin and Pe bits for the turret hatches either because the set is designed for a Ausf. J or H afaik. The E had completely different hatches though. The kit parts look really good as well though, o I'll use them with a bit of extra attention.

Here's the "extra attention" for the kit parts: Another Voyager set!

It includes all the toolclamps (I can use either them or the kit clamps for another project) as well as a bunch of PE bits for the hull, turret and hatches. Even some parts to spice up the turret interior a bit more. The resin stowage bin is a nice touch but I'll use it for another Pz.IV because the kit one has pretty nice interior detail already shoul I choose to open it up.

The Voyager Fender set I mentioned already:

The CMK sets as well as an RB gun barrel are already ordered at my LHS and should arrive in 1-2 weeks. I'm still looking for a place where I can get both voyager sets for a reasonable price without having to pay something like 30 bucks for shipping (I'm looking at you, SprueBros). I'll probably have to give evilbay a try.The friuls, an antenna and a single set of RB brass ammo (12 shells, 9 projectiles) are already in my goodie box.

I also found this little Voyager set while looking around for AM bits and bobs:

It looks like it replaces the kit's closed smoke discharger box with an opened one and the picture definitely speaks for itself. I'm not sure if I should get thia one as well. I'm already going all in on that build so those 4-5 bucks won't really make a difference and it's going to be one hell of a long project anyway, but I'm not too sure about it. Does anyone of you know anything about this particular set?

It's hard to imagine that I got the actual kit for only 30 bucks while it was on sale at my LHS... I'd post the price list for all the AM stuff but I guess you can do the math yourself (one CMK set is 25 bucks on average and the voyager stuff costs 15 bucks each)

This project is going to be damn expensive and if I'm not insane already, I will most certainly be when I'm done with it, but I think it's worth it.

Scott, you beat me to it! 

Dan: She's looking great! I love the beaten-up look you achieved on her!

Jack: I don't have access to future (only a bad replacement that tends to get a lot of cracks after some time). Would Alclad Aqua Gloss work as well?

Ernest: I'd be very interested in those tips!

Scott: I sent you a PM. Thank you for the kind offer!

Dan: Love what you've got there, she looks like she's really been in action.

And thanks guys, good idea with the pigments Ernest and Jack, I'll see what I can do this week.

It really has been a busy and productive weekend, all great stuff happening here.

Clemons  -  you can always cover up the lights with the typical slit opening, but if you want the whole lens viewable, it could be something as simple as dipping them in future acrylic to clear them up.  If that fails, thin them up a bit from the backside, followed with future.

Gamera - I like the Crusader too.  Good idea to look at the road wheels as suggested.  Also,  I would add more prominent dust to the lowers, that should lend more variation to the overall finish.

regards,

Jack

Nice work everyone, great looking spitfire Mike.

Alan - just picked up the same kit last month, when I get around to building it, note leaving the crew doors opened.

Chazzer - build the same Tiger DAK vehicle last year, (142) with a two tone camo. Used the Voyager Detail Upgrade set and Fruit Tracks.

Bufflehead - Nice work on the Pz I B - watching how it going along - have same kit with Voyager Upgrade detail set and rear ider replacement - have Dragon's Kommando version (265)

Gamera - Great finish on the British Crusader

Hoping to finish up the 232 RAD 8 soon so I can get started on the Dragon Panzer IV Ausf. D DAK kit. photos enclosed 232 - decals and painted details and gear. Armor86

Wow!  Check out all the recent activity!!  Yeah!

Alan - Beautiful work on the 222!  I was eyeing that kit recently and it looks to be a beaut!! I love what you're doing with it!!

Chazzer - your Tiger is certainly coming along!  I'm waaay behind in catching up on the GB....which kit is this?   Oh, and to answer your earlier question....yes, the Italeri Kommando kit was just $8!   Its an old kit and has been reboxed several times by different companies. 

Clemons - WHOA!!  NICE AM build up there!!  I think I have that Voyager fender set and I'm itchin' to see how you get it together!  I've got a couple of tips for homemade lenses and tow cables.  I'll try to include those on my Pz. I build logs.

Gamera - VERY NICE Crusader!!  I love the desert paint job and dusty look!  Personally I like the heavy wash, it makes all the details "pop"!  For the tires, perhaps just applying some black pigments or pastels, but just to the contact surfaces to represent where the dust has rubbed off due to contact with the tracks.

Sorry no racks though.

I've got a great set of 75mm ammo and crates by Jaguar in my stash. Its got 23 rounds, 10 empty shells, 8 closed crates, and 4 open crates with the lids.They are a resin offering with crisp detail throughout, no warping,and no air bubbles. They are yours. Get me your address and I will mail them to you tomorrow.

Scott

Thanks guys! I think go with your advice Clemons and add a dark wash to the tyres, should help without a lot of work.

Stick, I got it right...finally!!!

Tanks!

Chaz

Gamera, I do like that Crusader. It looks great on my phone screen... Looking forward to seeing it on a normal size monitor.

I just noticed that the ammo racks of the Verlinden set look downright horrible. They are just junks of resin with really circular holes in them. Do you know of any PE ammo racks to replace them? I think I saw some PE bits just for the rear end of the ammo, but I can't remember where. Getting a bunch of those for 75mm rounds to glue into the holes in the resin pieces would greatly improve the look of the ammo racks (the top part is the only thing you are really going to see anyway) and I would save a lot of time because I could just skip painting the shells. I could just drill out the holes and insert some brass ammo instead, but I think that would be a lot more frustrating and definitely more expensive. Any ideas?

Looking really damn nice there, Cliff! I actually really like that dark wash. You could try covering the tires with a black sludge wash to darken them a bit...

Gamera, Great job with your build and weathering. The dust build-up is superb.I hope I can attain that level of skill!

Scott

Schatten, I am eagerly following your build. So much detail to be had!! Thanks for the kind words. They really do have a wonderful effect on my building.

Scott

Hey Clemons that's insane- in a good way! Love all those extra details but the fenders scare me, I know they look more to scale but that many folds- well I just don't have the guts to tackle something like that!

Well, as for me, the Crusader is sorta kinda done. Not totally happy here, but then again I'm never totally happy with anything I build. I wish I'd used a darker grey for the tires/tyres and the wash is heavier than I wanted.

If anyone can suggest anything to change without repainting the whole darn thing lemme know.

I just realized how much I wrote in that post. Sorry 'bout that guys, but I just lost track for a wee bit (who am I actually kidding?)

Well, after thinking about it for a while, I decided not to pimp my Tiger. I'll simply add some of those Dragon tools, an RB gun barrel and some Friul tracks. I want this to be a relaxing and easy build.

The Pz.IV is going to get some special treatment though:

That Dragon kit (#6264) includes a whole bunch of goodies already, but I think i can take it a bit further. Included in the kit are:

• Dragon "Magic Tracks" with a jig for the proper track sag (nothing special here, but better than vinyl)
• A fully functional suspension system (with losa fiddly bits)
• Turned Aluminum gun barrel (it has no rifling though)
• Pre-bent PE/wire parts for 2 versions of spare-wheel mounts
• 2 shells of brass ammo (not a whole lot, isn't it?)
• Some other small pre-bent PE and wire bits (like the shovel clamp)
• A whole array of PE-parts for tool clamps and clampless tools and fenders without locating holes to go with them
• PE bits for several other thingies
• 3 vinyl(?) cacti (let's be honest, what am I supposed to do with 3 cacti?)
• A Guderian figure (looks nicely cast and might come in handy for a diorama at some point, but I think it's really just in there for the lols...)

The amount of exterior detail is simply superb on this kit. Dragon provides you with all the optional parts and decals to build either a DAK vehicle (my choice) or a normal Pz.IV Ausf.E both with and without additional armor. The turret includes a pretty nice interior and the gun breech looks quite nice too. A turret basket is included as well. All the hatches on the hull and turret are designed to be displayed either open or closed). All in all this is one of the most impressive armor kits I've seen so far.

So what are the downsides of this kit (the places I want to go full AMS on this build)?

• The biggest omissions are visible on the interior - there is none other than the turret basket! You can open up every single hatch on the tanks but you have nothing to put behind it.
• The Magic Tracks look nice, but this kit has a pretty complex workable suspension, so I want to have this nice feature on the completed model (in short: the kit tracks have to go)
• The fenders look nice, but are on the thick side, so they kinda drag the kit's overall look down a bit
• It's extremely overengineered in certain areas - The final drive housings for example have the damn gears included as separate parts and details on both sides of the covers! I'm actually thinking of exploiting this and removing one of the sprockets and the cover in a maintenance scene (I'd have to practice some figure painting first though because I'm horrible at that)
• the lenses for the headlights are foogy and don't really look like lenses (small fault, but good looking lenses would definitely look a lot better)
• The tow cables are those steel wire bundles Dragon likes to put into their kits and I absolutely HATE them.

So here's what me, myself and I are going to do to our "patient":

I'm not too sure about the gun barrel, so I moght add a RB one - those things only cost 2-3 bucks anyway:

I'll replace the fenders with one of the Voyager sets just for the pain fun of it. I always wanted to try using one of them and this seems like a good opportunity.I'll probably try to solder them (provided I can teach me how to do it - any help is appreciated)

The magic tracks are an easy fix: Friul to the rescue!

The interior gets some "light" treatment too:

I'll add a verlinden upgrade set for the interior:

It includes all the parts for the full interior. I'm not too sure If I'll open up the engine compartment too (although I imagine it would look nice - maybe a bit overkill, but nice).

I heard mixed opinions on those Verlinden sets though and the driver's compartment is going to be the most visible when I'm done with her (driver's/radio-operator's hatches open as well as the transmission hatches) so I'm thinking of getting the CMK set for that area as well:

It looks a lot better than the Verlinden parts and I have plenty of other Pz.IVs in my stash for the leftover bits of the Verlinden set.

I'm absolutely clueless about those lenses, so I hope you guys can help me out with that one.

So what do you think of the crazy thoughts that swirl around in my head? 

Alan & Chazzer: Those look great guys! Love the extra detail you guys are working in there.

Bish: I've got a couple of Bronco kits and only half built one and was very pleased by the fit and detail. Hobbyboss I like too, not as detailed as Dragon or AFV Club but still good kits- again good fit as well.

I have 2 Dragon Tigers in my stash (both late w/ and w/o Zimmerit), so I think I can rob some parts from them as well. One of them comes with 2 sets of tools (blank tools and PE clamps and tools with molded-on clamps) so that gives me some opportunities to improve my Tiger a bit.

Earnest ,Only 8 bucks?!!. Great deal. That will make a neat little model. Can't wait to see i.

Scottt

Schatten, I would be happy to. Right you are in recognizing the Dragon kit parts. I found them to be a bit more crisp than the actual Tamiya part. Another reason is that I may leave this hatch empty of crew and would like to have a great hatch to show. That's why this is the only one I replaced.

Please keep the observations etc.. coming.

Scott