I can see her fine now. Great job, love the storage and the dusty look!

Think maybe I have got the photos sorted, a sharing setting issue?

Let me know if you can't see it...

Firstly, thanks very much for hosting the GB Schatten Spartan, it has been good to see a different GB subject come around.

So yes I am calling it complete! all the stowage is on, the back step and door are on (then knocked off, then back on, etc.) and the delicate rear view mirrors are on too.

The Showcase Model's short run kit has been a bit of work to tidy up and fit, however it makes up into a good model of an important modern Australian armoured vehicle.

Dutchman: Please post the photos when you do get a chance. I'd love to see how she comes out. 

BTW: I'm still hoping to have my Leopard II done for your German GB. The friggin' barrel cleaning rod storage box vanished and I've been trying to scratchbuild one. Hopefully I've have it done soon and start painting the camo. 

Bish: They're really good quality, I think you'll like what you get. 

Thanks G. I was looking at those smaller sets, the soda boxes and water especially. The one thing i can't find anywhere is modern British ration packs. Might have to drop Accurate Armour a line.

Unfortunately my 103 got left behind during my move to Europe. I will post what pictures I have, but it may be a few years before I can get the completed pics.

Hey Bish thanks! The set I bought from Matho Models is below:

http://www.mathomodels.com/diorama-accessories/paper/matho-models-35075-cardboard-boxes-big-set-1-1-35/product?cPath=1_6&products_id=380

I might have been better off going with the smaller assorted set, this one had enough boxes to fill up the bustle racks on a dozen tanks or the back of a good-sized truck/lorry. 

Gamera

Anyway here is where I am:

Base about half done. First time I've tried doing a gravel road, I think it looks ok if not exactly great. Still need to add the grass etc.

The figures are mostly done. Still tinkering with them. Only need three, I still haven't decided which of them I'm going to use.

I picked up a couple of sets of printed boxes for use in the bustle rack. The ration packs were from a Spanish company on Ebay. The middle boxes from Matho Models and the soft drink cans on the bottom from Royal Model Italy.

 

I seem to have missed this post before G. Thats really nice work on those figures, the camo has really come out well. Nice work. And i'll have to check out Matho Models, i like the look of those boxes.

Gamera

Piers: That's weird, I'm not seeing anything again. I thought it was maybe a browser issue as I can't see them at home or on my phone both of which are running Pale Moon but I'm not seeing them on the work computer using Chrome either. When I click on them I just get a broken link bar. 

Which sucks, since I really want to see your finished results! 

 

Lost, 

I'm not able to see your pictures as well. Not just the new ones, but all of them. Even the ones I was able to see before. 

I have never been able to see his pictures either.

When making a post on here did you clink on "insert" above the post in the post body and clink on the insert image then fill it out??

Piers: That's weird, I'm not seeing anything again. I thought it was maybe a browser issue as I can't see them at home or on my phone both of which are running Pale Moon but I'm not seeing them on the work computer using Chrome either. When I click on them I just get a broken link bar. 

Which sucks, since I really want to see your finished results! 

Hmmm, that's not good Cliff, I'm not doing anything different so I am not sure what is up. I am using Google pics, don't think they have a storage limit, let's see if you can see the photos of the finished model. And I don't want the same issue as I head over to Japan VIII...

Firstly, thanks very much for hosting the GB Schatten Spartan, it has been good to see a different subject come around.

So yes I am calling it complete! all the stowage is on, the back step and door are on (then knocked off, then back on, etc.) and the delicate rear view mirrors are on too.

The Showcase Model's short run kit has been a bit of work to tidy up and fit, however it makes up into a good model of an important modern Australian armoured vehicle.

Piers: I can't see your photos!

Getting closer - some of the stowage is hanging off now, and starting with the other bits and pieces

Not much longer now...

Yeah I love the dusty look Piers!!! Looking forward to seeing her done. 

And good luck with the new job, hope everything works out. 

I'm done with the Abrams and have been mucking around with three infantrymen for about two weeks here. With the Silly Egg GB coming to an end I was more worried about getting that done first. I should, and that's the operative word SHOULD be done before much longer. With the deadline past I just keep tinkering with the blasted thing instead of finishing her up... 

Piers,

Oh my, nice and dusty! Looks great. And congrats on the new job. Nice to know we get to see your great work for another 3 years! 

Thanks Cliff,

Interview went well, got the job so I can afford to keep making models for the next three years at least.

The wheels are on so I must be getting closer to the end...

Everything is opened up out the back..

Shouldn't be long now (said that before)

She looks good Piers! And happy belated birthday. Here's hoping for good news on the job interview. 

The Abrams is almost done. I know I said a few days over the deadline and here it is almost a month but I keep fiddling around with small stuff. I'd thought about not putting much weathering on the tank and then over the weekend sprayed a light coat of dust over the lower hull and running gear. I think she's where I want her now though. 

Good old George!

Slowly slowly with the Bushmater, Lots of fiddly bits at the moment and life getting in the way, application was successful, so last weekend was practising for interviews. Went well, final word next week.

Also found out that my birthday is the day before Cliff's...

Anyway, here is how it looks at the end of this weekend:

Thanks Piers, and don't worry George is going to be on of the lucky guys.  

Cliff, 

Off to a good start on the base. 

Nice work on the camouflage, the modern uniform patterns are such a pain.

On crew selection, I vote for George.

And I do like the boxes and cans - a great touch for modern models.

Anyway here is where I am:

Base about half done. First time I've tried doing a gravel road, I think it looks ok if not exactly great. Still need to add the grass etc.

The figures are mostly done. Still tinkering with them. Only need three, I still haven't decided which of them I'm going to use.

I picked up a couple of sets of printed boxes for use in the bustle rack. The ration packs were from a Spanish company on Ebay. The middle boxes from Matho Models and the soft drink cans on the bottom from Royal Model Italy.

Hey Piers that looks good! I see what you mean about clumping though. 

Best of luck with the job application! 

Since you insist Cliff, here is a little bit more.

The windows are in, and pigments have been applied liberally. They are sticking better to the non-slip sections and not so well to the sides, just like the real thing. A bit let down by the AK enamel pigment fixer, as it seems to clump up the pigment into balls rather than leaving a film. Got some on the wheels as well. and a bit more stowage on top. A bit busy this week with a job application, hopefully more on the weekend...

I sprayed and stripped it twice over the weekend and got still blobs of paint in the mesh. With the turret turned straight ahead you can't see the engine deck at all so I said 'the blazes with it' and went ahead and used them as is on the third attempt. Just annoying since one day I'm going to build something where they do show. 

Anyway I did get a bunch of work done on the crew figures. The digital camo is a pain to paint. I think it looks good enough though. And a bunch of work done on the base. Hopefully I'm not far from done. Looking forward to seeing more from you guys! 

Bruce,

That is coming along nicely, good to hear your technique for the tracks, still learning to do them better.

Cliff,

That is frustrating, I would have thought spraying thin and slowly building up (I don't do either) would work.

Look forward to seeing some finished models - including my own...

Well normally I spray Model Master acrylic. This time I decided maybe if I primed it I'd get better results so I hit it with two-three coats of Tamiya spray can primer. Most of the screens worked out great but a few got blobs stuck in the mesh. Like an idiot I lost my temper and shoved the whole thing in some thinner to remove the primer. I should have cut off the parts that went bad and kept the good ones. I'm thinking of using the MM acrylic with more thinner this time- hopefully it won't run too bad. Haven't tried of brushing yet, maybe that would work better?  

Again like a stupid-head I should have took some photos- didn't think - just shoved it in the thinner... 

Gamera

Bruce: Looks good!!! And good luck with getting the tracks where you want them. 

 

PS: Going to run over the deadline now. I went to paint the PE screens for the engine deck and the paint clogged the holes. It always does this. Does anyone have any tips??? Anyhow they're soaking in thinner to get the excess paint off now. 

 

Thanks, Cliff!

You didn't say if you are spraying or hand brushing? If hand brushing, I will ususally add a couple drops of thinner to the paint to make it spread over the screen better, without too much build up. If that make sense? But, I usually do this with enamels. I haven't had a chance with acrylics yet.

Bruce: Looks good!!! And good luck with getting the tracks where you want them. 

PS: Going to run over the deadline now. I went to paint the PE screens for the engine deck and the paint clogged the holes. It always does this. Does anyone have any tips??? Anyhow they're soaking in thinner to get the excess paint off now. 

Here's a quick update.

I sprayed a coat of future on the lower hull and road wheel/sprokets. I'm going to let them cure for another day before I start weathering. 

If you can see in the background, I used a Quickwheel mask to paint these wheels, which I really like.

And here are the tracks after I used Winsor & Newton oil colors, which only gave them a redish tint. 

This was my first time using these artisan colors and I will attempt perfecting this technique at another time. So, I decided to mix some pigments with a touch of 70% alcohol and water to get a more thick type wash I guess you would call it. 

I'm looking for a brownish red color, and I guess I will have to slightly brushed off the tracks to get the access wash off. Then I use another sand color pigment to finish them off.

More to come.