1/72 German Armor Group Build

what colour do you paint the interior of this? Ivory?

I did some painting on my Jagdpanzer IV and also some on my Tiger I with Zimmerit, but I'm still waiting for the tracks on my Tiger to stretch out.

Meanwhile, I also started two of the Dragon 1/72 scale T-34/76 German Army kits. I'm only posting the pics of the one since they are at the same level of progress. One is mine, the other is going to the Dragon corporate offices in City of Industry .

They give you a full breech in this kit. No other interior though but with the detail on this kit, Idon't mind:



Here is the hull test-fit together:



No, those are not shell holes in the upper hull, they are for another piece that goes there. I may install it near the end of this build because I can see myself constantly breaking it as I handle this.

You'll notice that I also drilled out the roadwheels, except for the front idler. I need a smaller drill bit for that one. I'll get it done.

After that, I assembled the turret. Here it is test-fit to the hull:



That's my progress so far, I hope you like it. Comments are welcome.

I haven't done anything to the Ostwind, but I've been making a 1:72 Matchbox StuG IV for the Vacation Build. I got some new kits today from Squadron - mostly Hase tigers.

Hello long time since I was on here! Im still working the Panther and KT, but I got the new 1/72 DML Sd.Kfz. 251 C "Panzerpioneerwagen" im working on.

Not a problem Tony! I don't mind at all. I like having someone else building what I build too, that way I get an opportunity to learn and compare my technique to someone elses. You're doing great so far! Keep it up. I'll try to have more done and get more posted when I get the chance.

Sorry I duped on you Duke, it was careless on my part. Do you mind if I continue ?
Here is where it's at right now.

Cheers
Tony

Sweet. I'm also building this one. You can see some of my earlier progress above. I have only  to add the pattern, decal and weather mine and it will be finished.  Hopefully I'll have enough done later to post pics.

Hi Folks,
Actually, I've started a Hasegawa Jagdpanzer IV L/48 specifically for this group build. It looks like quite a nice kit.
Cheers
Tony

315rooster wrote:

Robbioo wrote: i solved the problem by streching them with a piece of iron hanging under them for a week or so, then they fit better. Good idea. I had a similar problem with the Challenger II.  The tracks were 1/4" too short.  The skirts hid the problem, and there is no way that I'll try the KFOR version. Grant

I took my Tiger I with Zimmerit to Dragon Expo today and showed the too-short tracks to "Mr. Dragon" himself: the owner of the company Mr. Leung. He was mortified, and also very apologetic. He insisted that he was going to meet with his engineers pronto and make every effort to eliminate this problem. It felt good to be able to hear this from him, he is a genuinely nice, easygoing guy.

I'll get more progress done after the Dragon Expo is over, I've been spending alot of time there and have had no time for modeling.

Hi,
i'm doing an ICM Sd Kfz 223 armored car for the

"Braille Scale Armor Vacation GB 06

Am I allowed to include it here also?. It's actually a nice little kit.
Cheers
Tony

Robbioo wrote:

i solved the problem by streching them with a piece of iron hanging under them for a week or so, then they fit better.

Good idea.

I had a similar problem with the Challenger II.  The tracks were 1/4" too short.  The skirts hid the problem, and there is no way that I'll try the KFOR version.

Grant

Thanks Robbio! I will definitely try that! I appreciate the great tip!

I'll get a few more pics posted later.

i had that problem to, with the dragon tiger 1.

i solved the problem by streching them with a piece of iron hanging under them for a week or so, then they fit better.

pics are a bit back in this forum of my dml panther, tiger 1 and tiger 2, had the problem with all these kits.

but the italeri tracks arent better, less detail, and if you put them nice around the wheels, they tend to break at the front wheel after a few day's. so i still like the dragon tracks better.

robbioo

Thanks Wulf! Yeah, maybe Dragon figured it out and lengthened them for the plastic kit. I have to figurre somthing out for these Tiger I tracks, the skirts are too small to hide anything so  have to decide what to do.

I'm glad you like my work so far, I'll be working on them more this weekend (hopefully!)

Yeah Duke I had the same problem with the tracks on my first DML panther I built ( The one with the diecast hull ) but as you said skirts hid the problem well. surprisingly I did not have the same problem with the plastic hull kits yet both hulls measure the same as did the tracks GO FIGURE? But your latest offerings are lookin good

Grant, this stacks up much better against the Hasegawa Tigers. This model practically fell together. Everything fits well, and the assembly was so fast and easy, I had to stop and look at the directions several times to see if I forgot anything. The detail is crisper and the proportions look more like a Tiger I. The only drawback is that the tracks are too short. Unfortunately, there are no skirts to hide the joint under either, so I'll have to figured something out. I am loving this model. I'll certainly be getting other Tiger I variants from Dragon to fill out my collection!

Duke Maddog wrote:

...That's what I got for this so far, I'll keep you posted on my progress! ...

Nice work.  You make me want to build more stuff.

How good is that Tiger from Dragon.  Aside from the PE and the zim, how does it stack up against the Hasegawa Tigers?

Grant

Looks like a good start Duke! Keep the pictures coming.

Thanks. I can't help it. I like to build all mine! Now, since the Vacation Build hadn't started yet, and this one is still going on, I'm adding these to this build. I started on two more kits; one Dragon, one Hasegawa. These were easy to assemble. This Hasegawa 1/72 scale Jagdpanzer IV L48 was 'tossed' together in about an hour and a half or so:





That's when I threw some paint on the lower hull and set it aside to dry. The upper hull is only test-fit on to show how it will look. Next was my Dragon 1/72 scale Tiger I Late with Zimmerit.. Yeah, gotta love these kits with the Zimmerit already molded on!  Here it is after another hour or so:





The tracks on this one are too short so I'll have to come up with something to do about that. I didn't attach this upper hull yet either. The nice thing  about this kit is this comes with decals for Wittman's Last Ride, so that is how I'm going to build it.

That's what I got for this so far, I'll keep you posted on my progress!

I'll be doing one German and one American Armor piece for the Vacation Build.

Thanks for looking and comments are welcome.

Duke Maddog wrote:

All those pics on the first and second pages are my model room. And no, there are no repeat pics, only overlaps.

Oh...you meant a built model room.  Nice.

To all,

I'll be starting a Panzer IV F2 for the vacation build (as a #2 kit), and I'll also show it off over here.

Grant

What a good idea! Only most of mine are already built in my model room. Wanna see?

Go here:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v483/Duke_Maddog/

All those pics on the first and second pages are my model room. And no, there are no repeat pics, only overlaps.

Now, time to go add more to the shelves.....

Duke Maddog wrote:

Rooster, I have a model room too. LOL!

We should start an online store call, "So that is where all of the good models went."

Rooster, I have a model room too. LOL!

315rooster wrote:

You have a model room?  I thought that I was the only one.  How many Hasegawa 1/72 kits do you have in there?

Presuming you're only interested in military kits:

Churchill Mk I, Crusader Mk III, M3 Grant, Humber Mk II, M2 155mm Long Tom (Ok, it's artillery, but it's not a plane!), M4A3E8, Mercedes-Benz G4W31, Stuart, Daimler Mk II and M3 Lee.

But I just bought a bunch of Dragon kits <G>.

Brews wrote:

I have three that I've just dug out from my model room: Hasegawa SdKfz 162 Jagdpanzer IV L/48 "Late Version" Matchbox (Monogram?) Sturmgeschuetz IV Hasegawa 37mm Flakpanzer IV "Ostwind"

You have a model room?  I thought that I was the only one.  How many Hasegawa 1/72 kits do you have in there?

Enjoy the builds.  I look forward to seeing the Ostwind.  I sent mine to Baghdad, but if yours goes well, I'll get another one.

Grant

I found an article on the Hasegawa Wirbelwind in an Osprey Modelling "Modelling the Panzer IV in 1/72 scale" which I'll use for upgrading the Ostwind. The turret is too thick, so will be scratchbuilt.

Sweet! I alsu started my Jagdpanzer IV L48 finally. Not much done as of yet, I have the lower hull assembled anmd the main gun. I'll post some pics when I get more finished.

I've razorsawn off the offending return rollers, and trimmed the flanges adjacent to the bogie mountings, so that they taper properly. I also bought a bunch of 1:72 armour yesterday, mainly Dragon, but included the Revell PzKw IVJ.

Yeah, I did notice that too. Glad t see you started cutting more styrene, can't wait to see progress pics. I built the Ostind too. it was a pretty fun kit to build. Welcome to the Group Build!

I guess everyone already knows this, but I started cutting some pieces of the Hasegawa Ostwind today, and noticed a sinister feature, that seems to be common to all the Hase Panzer IVs ... the rearmost return roller is colinear with the others, instead of being located a little further "south".