Going Big GB

HEY! What's this doing on page 2

Hello boys and girls.  Finally at the point where I can see how the engine in going to go in this beast. 

 Started with some resin upgrades. Molded in ribs inside the front cowl where removed, so far the hardest thing on this model, and replaced with resin ribs after with some Evergreen strips put in 1st as the bottom flange. The replacement cowl flaps had the internal pieces glued ready to mount.

Once the exhaust pipes were installed I could put the kit engine in place to see the connections and spacing.  I determined that back part of the Vector engine would need to be thinned so cutting it off with a razor saw, and making a spacer, was the easiest way to go.

I made a quick jig with the kit engine to see how far it would extend once installed and used this to space the Vector engine.  The kit pipes don't line up with the cylinders perfectly and there is a small gap.  Some of the pipes will be seen under the cowl flaps but it doesn't look like it where they actually connect to the cylinders will be visible.  The engine is just temporarily tacked in place with some fun tack.  The parts that form the cowl directly over the head don't fit and are very thin already so it looks like adjusting the rocker arm covers is going to have to be done.

PANZERJAGER

Coming along there but, are you going to fix the sink mark in the one guy's back?

Yep I'm gonna fix that. Been sick with a stomach bug that got me down real bad. Just now got back to the bench. Here are some update photos.

Oh by the way great work all. Some fantastic builds.

Doug

Wow, some great stuff all the way around in here!

The driver's compartment of M3A1

Nice work Castel. That really looks great. I want to see more when you get there.

Doug

Nomad, castle... looking good.  keep at it.

Dre, sorry almost forgot to anwer your question...How'd you get such perfect glass bezels on the dials?

The IP has holes in it and the glass is a clear piece that little raised bits that fit in the holes.  The instrument decal goes on the back of that and the tops of the "glass" parts are slightly round and act like tiny magnifiers and the dial faces just kind of poops out.  Great system. 

wing_nut- thanks!   That is a great system and totally looks real.

wing_nut

Nomad, castle... looking good.  keep at it.

Dre, sorry almost forgot to anwer your question...How'd you get such perfect glass bezels on the dials?

The IP has holes in it and the glass is a clear piece that little raised bits that fit in the holes.  The instrument decal goes on the back of that and the tops of the "glass" parts are slightly round and act like tiny magnifiers and the dial faces just kind of poops out.  Great system. 

Thinks wing_nut.

That is a nice system for the IP. I really like how you got all the little knobs and switches dry brushed. Looks awesome. I am trying to get the dry brushing down and it is taking me a bit to learn how to do it, but I will get there.

Got some weathering done on the tracks and will add more when they are on the Panzer.

Panzerjager I got the sink hole in the back of the commander fixed. Thanks for pointing out how much it stood out. I would have forgot to fill it. I was so into trying to get the camo pattern going that I just plain overlooked it.

Here are photos of what I have done so far.

Doug.

While not very thick, the inside of the cowl has depressions for rocker arm clearance for the kit engine.  I started grinding inside and as along as i didn't go any further then the depth of the depressions I knew I wouldn't go through.  Still with that I needed to take down the rocker arm covers a bit and then the engine fit.  I was going to paint the bare resin black again but you can't see it at all.

There's a choice for the center section of the cowl flaps for an opening or full flaps all around.  Right or wrong for the bird I am doing I am going to exercise some artist license and going full flappage.  More to see inside that way. 

I've figured a way to put the nose together without the engine.  I am going to take plastic card and make a tube that fits over the exhausts on the fire wall and"mount" the cowl pieces to that.  Masking the interior will be a snap then.

You know the old expression, "Timing is everything"?  Here's some bad timing.  This incredible P-61 was posted on HS recently.  Take a look at that engine.  It's an Eduard Brassin resin/PE engine that's pretty darn nice. 1 set, specifically made to fit the Tamiya kit and about 1/2 the price of the 2 Vector sets together. Yeah, as I said, bad timing.

As of a few minutes ago at the top of page 2

P-61 R-2800

Edurad Brassin  engine set

Just a few days and I would still have my R2800 on its stand in the museum

Wow great job Marc. The lines are awesome.

Almost done with the PZ IV. Here are some photos.

Doug

Okay the PZ IV id officially done. The Panzer is from the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend ("Hilter Youth") a Waffewn-SS Division.

Here are two photos. Theuns you can pick which one to use.

Doug

That was a very fast build :)

Looking really good all weathered up like that.

Collect a badge if you would like one.

Thanx for taking part, I will update the page right away.

Theuns

Theuns

That was a very fast build :)

Looking really good all weathered up like that.

Collect a badge if you would like one.

Thanx for taking part, I will update the page right away.

Theuns

Thanks Theuns.

I have all the time in the world to build. I can work all day or just part of the day if I want. That is just one of the perks of being disabled and being able to stay at home all day if I want.

I did add two antennas to the tank. I do not know if this tank was a command tank or not but it looks good on it.

It was a very fun build and very calming to work on. The fit of the kit was real good and the flash was very little.

Doug

Cool, why not enter another build then ;-)

Theuns

Nice looking Pz IV.  Well done.

Thanks Marc. Like I said it was a fun build.

Thenus, I do not have another model as of right now in the scales needed. I have plenty of time to get one tho.

Doug

Feel free to start another any time you want.

Theuns

Wing nut that corsair is  looking beautiful !

Nomad great build! My armour skills are lacking,

Most of the filling and sanding completed on My J-6, I need to rescribe all the last detail now.

Theuns

UPDATE ON K-5

per a suggestion from Karl in armor i tried mixing the DY with 75% white and overspraying from top down. The first attempt on the Kubelwagen was mixed success. It seems I still have to figure out the right thinning and pressure with Vallejo for that. OTOH since i had some issues, it was easy to mix paints in the airbrush and really lighten the DY which worked. I would post pics bit it really doesn't show in pictures but it is much lighter. I have to remember washes will darken it a bit too.

There were 4 wires that needed bending, guess they couldn't fit them on a sprue. The nail technique is something i use for bending wood planks and deck beams. it tends to work better with something stiffer than this wire but something to consider. WOW just had a brainstorm. I can use this technique to make cargo bed bows for modern trucks. If  plastic soak in hot water, mold and cool, if brass soften it with a torch.

The trucks are primed. The underside is german gray on the assumption they wouldn't waste paint there. like the Gondola, i am not going to spend a lot of time weathering it since NO ONE will be picking the truck up and looking at it, at least not more than once with that hand. a quick misting of red brown and gray mixture. fortunately i could pop the couplers off and brush paint them so they work. Not worried about some overspray except on the ends.

Well, I've finally got some more WIP pics for you all.  She's coming along, slowly but surely.

Theuns, Wayne, jelliot... looking good fellas.

Slight change of plan for the Corsair.

It shouldn't be so hard to decide what to do with a Corsair.  It's not like the near endless German color schemes.

First you think how cool is the look of the Gloss Sea Blue.  Just beautiful.

For discussion only

But then there is the also as cool and beautiful 3 tone schemes.  Classic.

For discussion only

How about the best of both worlds.  Take 2 battle damaged air frames and make 1 bird.  Problem solved.

Here's the 1:1 after the "kit bash" was used up too.

For discussion only.

Some update on the ol' Stuart...

Interior and wheels installed

Top view with 5 MGs

And a front view. The plate behind the main gun is not glued yet.

Cheers...

Okay, can't remember what I last updated here, getting confused between the threads. But, at last some progress on the P34...

Blue done, first decals on. Know the decal is not entirely flat, will get those bubbles sorted.

The engine as it looked... until recently. Found a mistake over the weekend and had to break off the gearbox at the bond and now busy trying to smooth it all out, add missing part and then get it back to more or less this state. My hope is not high, but will give it a bash.

You guys are really doing some awesome work and I really like the other (than my usual builds) subjects! 

Dang that interior of the Stuard looks good!

I have not seen a Corsair like that, but it does make sense and makes for a very interesting scheme :-)

As for my Mig, I have rescribed it, and also put the wings on, I am not entirely happy with the rescribe effort, but I will have to live with it...

Theuns

Well, lets call this one finished...

the trucks are ready to overspray and camo. the trucks are sitting on a foot long section of track.

if you  have build artillery or anti-tank guns you  familiar with building breeches for the guns. to give you an idea of the size here are a couple of pics of the breech.

That is a very cool looking "little" Stuard ;-)

Thanx for taking part in the G B, front page updated.

Wayne, that is going to be a monster it's so big! Exelent work sofar.

Theuns

Great job castel!! My fav tank too...you nailed it. Well done

Thanks for the scale comp Wayne. That breach is certainly a monster for sure. Keep up the great progress.