Well, I didn't get the camouflage on today, but I did find a figure to fit the turret. It's from a Master Box set. I had to sculpt away part of his butt to fit and he'll be taking a trip to the tailor for a pair of long trousers.

Cheers, Aaron

Bish

Looks nice there Aaron.

Is that a 109 I spy in the corner.

I wouldn't want to tell "tails" out of school.

Looks nice there Aaron.

Is that a 109 I spy in the corner.

More progress on the M13/40. Primer is on, in this case I used Testors Model Master panzer schokoladen braun. I like a dark primer on armor for the depth it adds to the finish and the fact that it helps create shadows.

Time permitting, I'll spray the camouflage tomorrow.

Cheers, Aaron

Garzonh, the engine cover and and turret will be removable so most of the inside will be visible.  Bandai designed the kit to have the entire upper hull removable but I didn't do that as the seam breaks at the front and back would be too apparent.

Tim and Aaron, it's great to be busy, sorry it is interrupting the fun.  Miss the Vlogs!

Nice work, and tiny Fruils, ain't they a joy. I share your pain, I am doing a set for a 251.

Tim, not a problem.

We all have been there done that in regards of work getting in between our real joy.

Fortunate you are to have a "job" in the hobby or making your hobby a "job".

Other mortals are not that lucky.

Have a great week.

Aaron, hey, looking nice and once you have primed the model, it should flow faster, specially after setting up the tracks. I have not build any friuls, too expensive for me at my current building level.

Notice of pathetic excuse to all involved in the OAGB: I'm working as fast as I can on the Matilda. However, I've been socked with work. I've just been named the editor on a new magazine one-shot in conjunction with Discover magazine (that might turn into a regular publication) called Drone 360. So, as you can imagine, I'm buried. Just letting you know that this is why my posts, and Aaron's, as a consequence, have been so thin of late. WE'RE CRAZY BIZZY!

Yeah, and we wanted to do vlogs, but schedules went KA-BLOOEY! So those will probably have to wait until the next FSM GB.

So, bear with us as we try to manage all this extraneous stuff that keeps us from doing what we really want: hanging out on the Forum and building models with you guys.

Aaron, that is looking very good.

One question about these Friul tracks, do they contain lead?  I've seen someone elsewhere post that they use rubber gloves when assembling these things, but can't remember if it was this brand or some other company that had metal track links.

regards,

Jack

Guys,

Figured I'd better actually make some progress before I completely drop the ball on this GB. I've finished construction on the tank and it's ready for painting.

And I've started work on the Friulmodel tracks. They go together easily, but they are tiny. I feel like I'm stringing beads.

Next step: priming.

Cheers, Aaron

jeaton01, very nice, all the interior looks very good and realistic, however, I'm always intrigued when someone puts so much effort in the interior when is going to be all covered and closed. Are you planning on leaving all hatches open, including motor. No disrespect, just curious and why do it.

stikpusher

A quick simple update for my 113 today. 

Now it's ready for paint!

JE, it's only the 113 family that I am so familiar with... And a few wheeled types like HMMWVs and 151s. Everything else I rely on reference materials for. Your T-34 is coming along very nicely! Don't fret the interior colors too much. Close enough is usually good enough for what will be visible thru openings.

Stick, I feel like I'm flying blind compared to the detailed knowledge you have.  I'm sure the M-113 is going to look great.

I removed the Bandai seats from my T-34 and replaced them with the Hobbyboss seats.  The HobbyBoss exhaust pipes were also used after removing the air cleaner parts from them.  HobbyBoss would have you use both styles of air cleaner but I think it was one or the other.  Much more detailed.  I used the Bandai 76mm shells, pretty simplified and showing a lack of skill in getting  the copper color, I need to work on that.  I'm thinking polishing powder may be a better way in order to get the sheen I want..  I don't think they will be very visible.  After adding some compressed air tanks the the hull was closed up.  Put on the first layer of exterior paint, I'm using Model Master 34102 for that.

John: Yes, the masking does look really good there, nice idea!

SP: Pretty cool work there too on replacing the less accurate parts.

SchattenSpartan

John: The interior work on your T-34 is looking great!

Eagle: I really like the dirty, mud-covered look of that T-34! Fantastic weathering!

Thank you sir!  It was scary at first, but once I got started...I couldn't stop!

Eagle90

]Eagle 90, that is one dirty T-34!  

I know I'm going to have to put dirt on mine too, but as I find it hard to dirty up my airplanes much (a philosophical disability) it agonizes me.Crying  I'll do my best to fit in, though.

Thanks jeaton01!  Yeah, dirty planes are one thing, tanks, there's no limit!  

Eagle90

Chuck Davis

Hey, Eagle - outstanding!  I love the mud, man.  It looks great, and the flag sticking out like a sore thumb adds to the look.

Tim - nice to see the Matilda back in play.  Looking forward to seeing the rest of the Home Depot colors you need to apply.  Did they have big-box DIY stores in the Western Desert?...nyuk nyuk

Thank you sir!  It was a blast to do and the flag was really easy to do.  Got it from Archer.  Great product!

Eagle90

jgeratic

Eagle - great job with muddied up T-34.  

The German flag leaves no doubt as to who the current tenant is.  Surprised no one has added the comment yet that they wished their significant other was that dirty.

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

Tim - looking good. I'm sure the Portland Stone is correct from what I remember about your samples from an earlier post.  This latest update looks to have some camera issue affecting the hue?

regards,

Jack

Thank you!  It was fun to build!

LOL! 

Eagle90

Thanks Bish! 

A quick simple update for my 113 today. Lots of rummaging thru my spares bines turned up some stuff to bush up the drivers compartment. An instrument panel (from an AFV Club YPR kit) mounted on something from a Tamiya kit to represent the angle of the mounting box, some boxes that vaguely look like what I recall being down there from a Tamiya M60A3, a periscope from a Tasca Sherman to represent the IR periscope stowed there, and the radio that I selected earlier in the project...

Now it's ready for paint!

John, I am sorry, but I have posted disclaimers. 'The management can not be held responsible for any influence caused by any post here made''

As for the multiple parts, have you ever built a Dragon kit. The wheels look good.

Nice start SP, looking forward to more.

John, your T-34 is progressing very nicely. It is amazing how much detail is packed into that 1/48 kit!

Well here is the progress that I have been nickle and diming on my 113 this past week or so...

first up the machine guns. I am gonna replace the Italeri .30 cal that I had pulled out of the spares bin with a better one from the Academy US Machine Guns set, as well as the kit's .50

here some shots of those

both Academy MGs

Academy vs kit .50

close up of the Academy .50

Academy vs Italeri .30

Academy .30

modified drivers compartment with styrene added to fill a gap

modified inner face of the cupola. I filed gaps in the rotator ring to make it match up with the periscopes

and the cupola with the Academy .50 in place

engine deck with screen mesh added over intake and exhaust grills

and with engine exhaust and access hatch added

more to come soon...

Thanks, SS!

Bish, I ordered (and they shipped!) that set today.  Got me to thinking that now the engine and transmission and other miscellaneous stuff from the Hobby Boss kit won't go to waste, I'll stick them together and...Oh No, now I'm getting into diorama territory...It's All Your Fault!!!!

I now know how Hobby Boss can end up with such high parts counts, they never mold anything as one part if it can be made from four.

My wheels will need a bit of touch up, but my masking fixture worked pretty well, I think.

John: The interior work on your T-34 is looking great!

Eagle: I really like the dirty, mud-covered look of that T-34! Fantastic weathering!

John, the figures in that maintenance set look the same as some of their 35th figures. There is some really nice poses in there and the detail is pretty good. The guy painting the tank looks like the same figure I used for the Su-85

Thanks, Gamera, that maintenance set looks like fun.

John: Yeah the uniforms have some pretty big differences, esp around the collars. And the helmets are completely different.

Tamiya has a infantry set that includes a few tank crew figures.

And a tank crew maintenance set.

Hope this helps some.

Thanks for the help on the figures, I won't do anything with these as I may need some Russian figures later and I have several Bandai German figure sets from other kits I can use.  I just don't know enough about uniforms to know for sure what I have.  All the Bandai kits came with figure sets.

I painted the rubber on the road wheels tonight, using a masking "cap" I made from one of the Hobby Boss road wheels.  It turned out that the HB wheels are a tad larger, such that the steel part just fit over the outside of the Bandai steel part.  I machined off the tire on the HB part and tapered the outside of the steel rim to a feather edge and it worked just great.  I''m getting my money's worth out of that HB kit!

John: Nice, pretty detailed interior and engine there.

Sorry was joking there, Portland Stone #64 sounds like something you've ask for at the local home improvement/hardware store- no idea it was the official colour.