1944 Group Build

Any time ... The small one will last you awhile, Ive never (myself) done a project so big as to need the larger container.

Trying to round up some better info on my speeder bike and trooper camo, but anxious to start!

Really outstanding work on the dio, Bish. I was considering doing some fence in my next one, did you build that wooden gate from scratch?

If you want to make wet mud you want to use artist gloss medium or gloss gells. I prefer Golden, but Windsor makes a gloss gel with lava thrown in for texture and it works quite nicely for mud. The example below was photographed about sixty minutes after application.

Future does not have a fully gloss finish - it's really closer to satin. The gels/mediums are also thicker in viscosity and will have a greater punch.Future is really thin though which makes it perfect for so many other things that gloss varnishes/gels would be worthless for.

Forgot to get to the end of the list. First, really nice dio Bish - I wouldn't have touched it. You have a way with armor that I like.

Last note on Future/Pledge - I think that when it's airbrushed on some of it dries partially in and air and immediately on contact which would be enough to give a slight satin effect. If you hand brush it on without excess (it's pretty much self-levelling, but it's possible to get too much on) then you'll get a finish that's pretty close to gloss. That's why if you dip a cockpit into it the effect is gloss - wouldn't work the same if you airbrushed it.

Eric

Thanks guys.

Steve, the gate came with the wall, its from MK 35. I did make a gate on my of my very first dio's many years ago, it would not be to hard with some balsa wood. What sort of fence are you thinking of doing.

Eric, that looks interesting, ideal for the mud on the vehicle. I will check my local art store, they have the W&N oils so might do that as well. Thanks.

For mud I use the Oct 2012 FSM issue's method. I've not been very successful with "wet" though. I'm too afraid to try really glossy I think.

Here's a shot of the turret with the skirts for the Pz IV. Making steady progress. This is my first time with metal and I'm finding it easier to work with than expected. 6095349857111002066?pid=6095349857111002066&oid=116382083351056887723

Thanks axe, I will have to dig that one out. Glad your enjoying using the PE, coming along well.

That does look exceptional, Axeman.  Nice work!

Hey everyone,

I got ,mh air compressor working. It was leaking at the top of the cylinder. so, just got the heck of it. I ran some super glue around both ends of the cylinder. I didn't think it would work, so after 3 weeks of just sitting there, I plugged it in and it started filling the tank.

Anywqay, here is the color of my B24. I think I got it real close  to the real ones I had mixed up some paint (red and sand it was really really pink) and yesterday I sprayed that on it, Then today,I lightly misted the sand color on it. It looks better in person, it doesn't show the pink as much as what the computer shows..

Hey Eric..that mud looks great mushed in that track!! Well done and thanks for the how to.

Bish: Great work on the 251 and the dio. I have to agree that you have a way with armor. Your mud in the tracks is outstanding. Looks like it has been raining or the snow had melted and made a lot of mud.

Axeman: I will use your tip on mud on my nest armor dio. Great information

greentracker: Awesome that your compressor working. Nice start on the wings..

Doug

Nomad53

greentracker: Awesome that your compressor working. Nice start on the wings..

Doug

Thanks Doug,

I hadn't thought about it, but now that all of the exterior is painted. It looks like a different hue in different light.

Bish Your halftrack looks great. it make me think about pulling mine off the back of the bench. I messed up the axles on mine. So I'm going to have improvise. I think I can used a solid metal axle like in the car models. They won't be seen anyway.

Eric Great job on the tank. Sorry, I don't know my tanks; Guess I'll have to take tank idenfication 101

Ken

Doug, thanks. The setting is Normandy in June, but it was rather wet that June in Normandy. I am aiming for a time frame of late June, just after Kurt Meyer took over the Div, so I am glad the look is coming across.

Ken, thanks. And get it dug out, is that the one for the Hollywood GB. Nice to see the B-24 coming along.

Eric's tank is a Pz II, if it was an Allied tank, I would have next to no idea.

Bish , I was considering trying to recreate the photo below in a dio; for some reason I had it in my head that the Hellcat was aiming over a wooden fence, but its clearly stone, so it's a moot point anyway. Thanks though.

That would be a great dio!!

My problem with the mud method is getting some variation in the color. It should be the chalk that adds the color but my exxperience is that it doesn't always make that much of a difference depending on the dirt I use. My yard is kind of sandy as I live about 1/2 mile from Galveston bay. Today and went down to the bayou and got some dark mud. We'll see how that does. I had kind of given up on this technique until my brother-in-law asked me why I quit doing it. He thought it was great.. i was so-so on it the last two times. We'll see how I do with it in the next day or two. I;m going with light mud - not swimming in it.

I've stalled as long as I can on doing the main camo painting. This German stuff always has a bunch I do freehand whether aircraft or armor. I dread it and look forward to it at the same time. I'm using Tamiya acrylic paints this time instead of the usual vallejo. My family will start showing up for Christmas tomorrow evening.I hope to get the main job done before that happens.I hope to have some pics for you all.

Heavy mud is a tempting technique because it was very common indeed in spring and late fall in basically every front of the ETO - this was a world where paved roads were uncommon and vehicles tore things up regardless. You don't think of mud and Tunisia or Italy together, but they were. The rasputisa in parts of Russia stopped the war for a few weeks in spring and fall. And I'd guess that NW Europe during November 44 through early March of 45 was full of it on and off. But give the ground a week (or less) to dry and you're looking at something else. The more I weather tanks, the more I like using pigments and fixer more or less alone for light mud. It takes several layers with differing colors and a lot of attention to the tracks and wheels, but I think you can get good results without plaster, mediums or anything like it. If you want to give a hint of "wet" you can apply a little clear or Pledge in streaks - works great.

I've mentioned this source before, but if you haven't seen one of the Mig Jimenez DVDs on weathering, there's one complete on YouTube - "AFV acrylic techniques" - 55 minutes long and Mig walks you through a build. This one is designed for people that don't like solvents and shows that you can weather a vehicle very well with acrylic products alone. You don't have to employ all of the techniques, but I've found many of them very useful. This video also uses fewer of the brand specific products that make some of the other DVDs infomercials. There's a very nice job of a build-up of dry mud on it. Mig Jimenez could weather a model with color crayons, so there's no guarantee mortals will get the same results, but it's good for inspiration. Smaller bits of the other DVDs done by AK and MIG are also on YouTube.

The last time I messed with really wet mud was part of a medical experiment. (One pic from it is above - but the experiment was much longer. Wish I'd taken pictures.)  One problem with using stuff like plaster is that it impacts the color of the mud. I found one useful tool here - get some flat school grade acrylic paint from a place like Blick and use it as the mixing medium. If you start with something like flat dark brown, you can alter the color with other paints (black, white, gray, even red) and use the pigments for texture. One thing nice about using pigments on their own is that they're very color true - although permanent fixing solvent (I think it's  ISP with mineral spirits the temporary fixer) will darken it a little. Anyway, don't listen to a duffer like me. Check out Mig.

Eric    

WOW!  Bish, another amazing build.  And as always...super base!  I'm just going to send you may builds to make bases for!    Awesome work mate!

Eagle90

Bish, that Halftrack looks amazing! Some really awesome stuff! I know what you mean with the mmud not turning out as you'd like it to. Getting a proper wet mud look is still a mystery for me (gonna have to redo the mud on my winter King Tiger once I figure out something that works for me). I think the mud on the base and 251 look great though, maybe not like wet mud, but certainly like damp earth if you ask me...

Raven728

Bish , I was considering trying to recreate the photo below in a dio; for some reason I had it in my head that the Hellcat was aiming over a wooden fence, but its clearly stone, so it's a moot point anyway. Thanks though.

Ye, that would be a nice one. You could always adapt it. The distance between the tank and the wall in that photo would leave a big empty space in a dio. If it was me, I would use that as an inspiration for a dio. I would bring the fence/wall closer, so maybe its just under the end of the barrel.

Thanks guys. I think I have the wet look I want now. The future still didn't work out, after spraying it still have that white look. So I went over it with my normal gloss varnish and its done the trick.

I have now started loading the kit onto the vehicle and the figures are coming along nicely.

Bish, your half-track dio is looking SUPER neat!! I would love to do a aircraft dio one day, except I have no idea where I would put it when complete.

Nice work on the P-51 aj.

And that's one reason I build 72nd aircraft. But the dio doesn't need to be that big, especially for aircraft.

Making good progress, ajd!  It's looking superb.

Getting out of work a half day early has its advantages.  I was able to finish up some loose ends, and reach some milestones.  In the picture below are the main landing gear for the Mosquito.  In the foreground to the left you can see bombs that need some touch-up painting.  Now, it's attach the landing gear, and start the cockpit.

I must say, this Tamyia model is much more detailed than the models I've done in the past.  But, that's only making me work harder.

I'm off for a bunch of days, I hope to spend most of those days at the bench.

More to come soon, I hope.

Nice set of wheels, G-J.  You're going places.

ajd, Well, despite how you got there it's agreat looking cockpit. Good to see you making such excellent progres.

G-J, The landing is really sharp. Very nice work indeed.

May you all have a Joyous and Merry Christmas. My well wishes to you all.

Nice work on the landing gear G-J.

Merry Christmas to you all.

Absolutely the last 1944 picture. I spent most of the last month trying to figure out how to model a water base for Hobson. It is not easy. I have very little space and dios have never been a temptation. Then I stumbled onto some water base tutorials by one of the gurus on Model Warship and figured if I could do one one third as good it might be worth the candle. I'll do a full build write on in the ship section in the next couple of weeks if anyone's curious about the details. BTW: I picked the dull green color because it's been raining in Northern California the last few weeks. So we've got low clouds, an ugly rain without huge winds and that sounds like D-Day when Hobson and the other USN DDs earned their supper. Anyway, the Bay looked a lot like this and several D-Day photos I've seen have the same look. Not Hawaii.

Merry Christmas one and all.