Sailing_Dutchman

Nice work there PF, I have added the Mk. IV to the front page. Congratulations on being the first to finish, you are an inspiration to us all.

Hi,

Cool, thanks.  It was really a reasonably easy build though (except for maybe the ditching rails).  Nothing like some of the other builds going on here.  I can't wait to see how they turn out.

PF

Hey everyone!  I haven't forgotten abou the GB......just been rougharound here with the shutdown.

Great work!  Very inspiring.  I'm still deciding if I'm going to try my hand at some Zimmerit, but not sure I have what it takes to do it material wise...and buying some really cool stuff isn't an option right now, but maybe soon! 

Great builds everyone!

PF: Looks good to me, and cool looking A7V. They'll make a great pair. And congrads on finishing before my kit even gets here! 

Bobby: Ack, hang in there! 

I would like to join this Group Build.  It has been too long since I built any Armor.  I will enter with the Tamiya 1/35 Pzkf IV Ausf J Sd.Kfz.161/2

Gamera

 

Bobby: Ack, hang in there! 

 

Thank you my friend.  And we will.  We are overcomers! 

I finally set aside a little time to work on something.  With the cat supervising from the bed, I started to fit the cab together.  I don't remember it not fitting so well when I was in 7th grade!  But yeah, the various panels need some careful test fitting to make sure everything lines up.  I also noticed the depiction of the canvas strip between the hood and cab is not right, but that is what 40 years of modeling experience is supposed to be used for!  Tamiya's box art is always a good reference for corrections and detailing, and this kit is no exception.  Herr Kommandant is wondering where the heck his arms are.  Can't scan the sky for jabos!

https://flic.kr/p/23KJSjD][/url]Flak-12 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr

Regarding the canvas cover between the hood and cab, Tamiya chose to mold what looks like sheet metal with rivets.

https://flic.kr/p/2cZ3858][/url]Flak-13 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr

https://flic.kr/p/2cZ38aD][/url]Flak-14 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr

Comparing the kit to the box art, it is pretty easy to see what I'm talking about.

So anyway, there are lots of ejector pin marks and mysterious, deeper, smaller holes to fill inside the cab before it's glued together.  Some fettling and sanding of the floor board was necessary to get the cab sides to fit.  I really don't remember having any of these problems 40 years ago.

Closer inspection of the front grille reveals "Krauss-Maffei" lettering - something not seen in these stupid, greedy, trade-marky, license-obsessed days.

https://flic.kr/p/2eifvZU][/url]Flak-15 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr

But mum's the word, okay?  We don't want to set off the clittering hoofed lawyers clutching C&Ds to Tamiya headquarters.  Mum...  Mum...

Odd that they left the canvas cover detail out there. Still, she's looking great! 

And I know what you mean, lots of old models I built years ago and was proud of and today I see sinkholes and injection pin marks over them... 

Thanks Gamera!  Yeah, this kit is FULL of little things to clean.  Most of the edges where the molds part have kind of like a sink mark with a sharp raised edge.  I call the phenomenon "part pucker".  Fit of the detail parts is not very good either, so 40 year old nostalgia is definitely clouding my memory!

So I figured that I'd have a look at how bad the quad gun was, and again, found the molding and fit somewhat lacking.  But this is all in comparison to 21st century kits like Tamiya's new Stuart (I can't wait for their new M551 Sheridan, slated for release next week).

https://flic.kr/p/23MjsHM][/url]Flak-16 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr

https://flic.kr/p/QCsPJx][/url]Flak-17 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr

Lots of ejector pin marks to fill.  A lot have raised rings of flash too, so trimming down will also be required - so much fun!  I am now rethinking my original plan of minimizing use of PE.  The kit gun shields are thick and filled with more of those ejector pin marks, but I am worried that the PE shields will be easily knocked off due to the precariously fragile nature of their attachment points.  Might be time to pick up a small soldering iron.

It's amazing to see how far modeling has come in just twenty years much less forty! 

I guess if you wanted the quick, cheap, dirty (literally) solution you could just add some dirty boot prints over the injection pin marks on the foot rests. 

Gamera

It's amazing to see how far modeling has come in just twenty years much less forty! 

I guess if you wanted the quick, cheap, dirty (literally) solution you could just add some dirty boot prints over the injection pin marks on the foot rests.  

Well, yes I could add some snow and frozen mud...  I suppose I should not get too bent up about it, since the figures will be above them.

Unfortunately I'm scrapping the interior build for my StuG. They were made for the later Tamiya StuG and not the motorized version. But that's Ok, since today I received my RB 75mm L/48 aluminum barrel (early) and my Ostketten track links. I was hoping for Winterketten tracks but then I wouldn't be able to put on any armoured side skirts.

Nice Start, RealG! Wish I could say the same about my SturmTiger. Somehow, someway way I screwed the pooch finishing up a Grant tank which took me away from the GB. Well, here's my Sturmtiger interior, so far.

Hey Rambo, I really liked the 75mm barrel, and no I've never used this company for track links. I usually try to stay with Modelkasten or AFV Club, but I've used Trumpeter for my T-72. But this was the only one offering ostketten tracks. Well I've got about everything ready for a priming, a painting and then when I'm ready I'll put the tracks together. They are workable tracks so lets see how they go together. BTW I haven't discarded all the Jaguar interior parts. I'm using their resin MG 34 machine gun, it has so much more. I'll probably order a couple of figures from Alpine that would look good with this assault gun.

DasBeav: Super work there on the interior. 

TigerII: Wow, you're making great progress! 

And she's here! Not sure when I'll get a real start on her though...

Thanks Clint, looking though the sprues it does look really good. Looking forward to a chance to get some serious work done on her. 

A few update pics on the Monogram Panzer IV. Laid down the camo paint and need to touch up a few spots before I go onto detailing the various tools and add some weathering. 

This kit doe show it's age when compared to other kits that followed her over the years. But not having touched an armor kit for some years now, it's good practice.

That monogram panzer is looking good.  Hope that my Panzer will look as good when I get to that stage.

Here is where I am at now:

Lower Hull

Untitled by matt pohlman, on Flickr

Untitled by matt pohlman, on Flickr

Upper Hull

Untitled by matt pohlman, on Flickr

Untitled by matt pohlman, on Flickr

Going to begin work on the turret this weekend.

<Matt

Well I primed my StuG in white and I'll begin my painting, weathering and putting it all together. Today I also received my Alphine Figures for this piece. So far I'm very impressed with the quality of Alpine.

Archangel and Matt: Nice work guys! Great pair o' panzers.

TigerII: Love Alpine figures, little pricey but the molding is top notch.

Well I'm all primed and ready to go. 

Hey Rambo regarding the Riich tracks, I find them to be "adequate". I have some issues with them. I should have looked on a modeling retailer site selling Accurate Armour or others, but these were the only ones on ebay, besides Fruilmodel 'metal' tracks. But I know that I'll get them together.

Rambo

TigerII my last build I used MK tracks figured ilI would give them a try being $20 cheaper than Fruilmodel. Won't do that again unless Fruilmodel just don't make the tracks I need.

 

I have never had any problems with MK, AFV Club or Trumpeter tracks. I tell you the truth, using a jig I've used the individual tracks that have come with a kit and they have always come out excellent. It's all a matter of where in the building of the model do you put the tracks together. Maybe one day I might try Fruilmodel.

TigerII

 

 

Rambo

TigerII my last build I used MK tracks figured ilI would give them a try being $20 cheaper than Fruilmodel. Won't do that again unless Fruilmodel just don't make the tracks I need.

 

 

 

 

I have never had any problems with MK, AFV Club or Trumpeter tracks. I tell you the truth, using a jig I've used the individual tracks that have come with a kit and they have always come out excellent. It's all a matter of where in the building of the model do you put the tracks together. Maybe one day I might try Fruilmodel.

 

The MK weren't all terrible, something about the way I weathered them made the pins come out on a few. The biggest headache was the two ejector pin marks that had to be sanded off every track that was a pain. But in the end they was alot better looking then the Dragon DS tracks.

Good luck guys! I don't like any of the link tracks. The Doog has an excellent tutorial around here somewhere on assembling them. It helps but I still find them really annoying. 

My Leopard came with them in the box. And a jig designed to help assemble them. Fingers crossed we'll see how it goes. 

Hey G, good luck with your Leopard tracks. I know that track links can be a little time consuming but I just appreciate the way they fit around the sprocket. If that looks good then the rest is gravy. 

Well here are some WIP pics. The base coat is on and I'll start putting it together, painting and weathering soon. I found out that the Tamiya sprockets that came with the kit were wider than the Ostketten tracks and that's because the kit was originally a remote control kit so the sprocket and vinyl tracks are wider than the normal Pzkpfw III tracks. Luckily I had some spare Dragon sprockets for a Pzkpfw III and I was able to replace them. Luckily since I'm using track links I don't have to worry about the vinyl tracks pulling my sprocket off when stretched on. Also I found out that the engine intakes did not have neither plastic or PE grills. Considering how old the kit is I didn't expect PE grills, so I had to scratchbuild my own grills. I think they look pretty good. So far my first assault gun is pushing me to my modeling limits, but I've been able to overcome the problems. Wish me luck as I finish the track links and "possibly" add the schurzen plates.