here's an update on the beast. Have most of the major components on the superstructure assembled and glued.

This is the usual Dragon "where in the heck does this go?" build since the instructions are vague here and there. One has to do some dry fitting first to determine how the parts go on. One of the bolts had to be thinned down cause it would not fit against a particular part, usual Dragon oops moment but easily corrected.

The top is ready for the smaller details yet to come.

Even tough the punch out marks are under the platforms, they can still be seen since they attach very high up on the superstructure. A little PPP will fill them very easily.

This is how the side platforms sit.

The HUGE mufflers were assembled and cleaned up. The pipes were carefully drilled out with a hand held drill bit.

More big parts went together and cleaned up.

That's it for now.  

THere's some good work going on here. I've got to get started soon on mine. Just got to finish the house first.

Archangel: The quality of those looks fantastic. 

AS

The figures look very good. Will be checking the crew out.

Very nice work Matt. I like the camo and your weathering of the tank, tracks and especially the skirts puts this baby over the top.

Here's a couple of figures I aready received.

This set is of a 1/16th Bundeswehr female tank crew which I will place with the Leopard, my second build in this GB

This is a 1/10th bust of a Luftwaffe Helferin

So far the details on these are excellent and those with finer smaller parts i.e. fingers etc. were not broken. As for the Panther crew, I will most likely order it since Sprue Bros told me they just shipped out the Panther.

Archangel Shooter

When I seen the prices on Aliexpress I figured the figures were knock offs and when a set I ordered came wrapped in nothing but bubble wrap that only confirmed it. But as a consumer... do you shell out $60 or $17? And free shipping.

 

Once you get them could you please comment on the quality of the molding. A couple of sets are up on ebay but no they don't have free shipping but still a lot less than $70.

I'll have to check out AliExpress. I ordered some Second World War Chinese infantry last year from Ebay. As far as I know ordering them from China itself is the only way to get them.

When I seen the prices on Aliexpress I figured the figures were knock offs and when a set I ordered came wrapped in nothing but bubble wrap that only confirmed it. But as a consumer... do you shell out $60 or $17? And free shipping.

jgeratic

Those figures are Stalingrad brand, and usually retail between $60-$75 USD for a single set.  With those prices on AliExpress can't help but wonder if they are pirated?  Be interesting to see the quality if you do get them from there.

regards,

Jack

 

Oh yeah they are Pirated, take a look at the sight they have bootleg everything even the big lego kits that go for up to $500-$600 for a fraction of the price. My wife had bought a ball joint doll off of them a few months ago a $400 doll for $35 it looks really good but it is a recast.

Archangel Shooter

 

 

plasticjunkie

I just may get crew for mine too. Where did you see it?

 

 

A site called AliExpress.com It looks like the Chinese version of Amazon. I've ordered several figures from them and I didn't have any issues other than it might take 3-5 weeks to receive the order. When I deal with an unknown hobby site I always place a smalll order to see if they're reliable and so far this one is.

This is the Panther crew set. The color pic of it had a different image code wouldn't load.

 

This is the King Tiger crew. The sets can be purchased separately or combined

 

Just found this image depicting the Tiger crew at their stations.

 

 

 

Oh my, they look fantastic, thanks for the info!

Those figures are Stalingrad brand, and usually retail between $60-$75 USD for a single set.  With those prices on AliExpress can't help but wonder if they are pirated?  Be interesting to see the quality if you do get them from there.

regards,

Jack

plasticjunkie

I just may get crew for mine too. Where did you see it?

A site called AliExpress.com It looks like the Chinese version of Amazon. I've ordered several figures from them and I didn't have any issues other than it might take 3-5 weeks to receive the order. When I deal with an unknown hobby site I always place a smalll order to see if they're reliable and so far this one is.

This is the Panther crew set. The color pic of it had a different image code wouldn't load.

This is the King Tiger crew. The sets can be purchased separately or combined

Just found this image depicting the Tiger crew at their stations.

Archangel Shooter

 

 

plasticjunkie

They are awesome. Hope you ordered the one with the clear hull. Makes a great display piece.

 

 

 

They had two Panthers "D" on sale, I did get the one with the clear parts, fguring why hide all that interior details. Came across a Panther crew set that I'm going have to get next. 

 

I just may get screw for mine too. Where did you see it?

plasticjunkie

They are awesome. Hope you ordered the one with the clear hull. Makes a great display piece.

They had two Panthers "D" on sale, I did get the one with the clear parts, fguring why hide all that interior details. Came across a Panther crew set that I'm going have to get next. 

Gamera

PJ: You had to 'go big or go home' right!?! Looks awesome!

Thanks Gamera. Karl is indeed a beast.

Archangel Shooter

An off script question here? How are the Tacom's kits? Sprue Bros had a deal of the day on a couple of Panthers and I went ahead an order one.

 

They are awesome. Hope you ordered the one with the clear hull. Makes a great display piece.

PJ: You had to 'go big or go home' right!?! Looks awesome!

AA: A big smaller but still that looks really cool!

Archangel: Dunno about Takom's Panthers but the T30/34 I build was fantastic. I swear if you stuck a bottle of cement and an X-Acto knife in the box and gently shook it the kit would assemble itself. One of the best engineered and troublefree kits I've assembled in years. 

An off script question here? How are the Tacom's kits? Sprue Bros had a deal of the day on a couple of Panthers and I went ahead an order one.

Hey thanks Bish and Rambo. Yea it’s kind of on the larger side but it’s a bit different than your regular armor model.  I was reading a couple of reviews and it has some shortcomings but still builds up into a pretty impressive display piece.

Progress on the Pzkw. 1-B today:  putting together the running gear and the turret...

This should be fun to watch PJ.

I had totally forgotten I had this in the back of the stash so I was able to change my entry to this:

I took all the running gear from the trees and cleaned them up and separated them for assembly. Lots of parts!

Parts cleaned up and sorted

The hull is a tad long.

The beast is taking shape....

Sailing_Dutchman

I had read that the J's were only equiped with wire skirts. However, after researching it further I found that many were in fact equiped with the solid skirts. You learn somthing new every day.

 

Ausf J production begain in Feb 44 and the Thoma shields introduced around Sept. So a majority would have had the solid type.

I had read that the J's were only equiped with wire skirts. However, after researching it further I found that many were in fact equiped with the solid skirts. You learn somthing new every day.

Yea I missed it too. That weathering on the skirts rock!

Somehow I missed your post Matt. Sharp looking work! Love the camo and the wear on the skirts.

Very nice job on that Matt, really like the scheme and nice wear on the skirts.

SD, I went thru my stash and I have a Dragon 1/35  60cm Morser "Karl"  I totally forgot about. Even though its a mortar, it is tracked like a tank so does it qualify? If so I would like to switch my entry, if not no worries then.