ARMOR - Tamiya 1/16 Tiger 1 Group Build

Brian,

That picture is funny because, it almost looks exactly like how my kits are (I think I have more space to go just a tad higher though)

I am work right now but, I will get a pic up of them in the morning

Hi all,

Jeez J-Hulk! I thought I was bad for having one other kit still in the box besides the one I'm currently building!! But you.
You have what appears to be a combined arms task force stowed away in your closet! [:0]

Thank you by the way Erush. I hadn't thought of that method. I still worry about the surface finish though. Oh well, I have some extremely fine grade sand paper that should do the trick. After seeing the terrific Tiger that Edog showed us, I went back today and made some changes to the zimm on my Tiger. Man, I never thought such little changes could make such a difference. [:0] (The model showed me how to square away a couple of problem areas on my zimm; namely around the two view slits in the front of the turret and the escape hatch in the rear of the turret.) It looks fantastic now. I'm just waiting on my new gear boxes and transmitter to arrive.
It won't be long now...

Roy

Is there any detail kits for the Konig Tiger?

Hello TeddyA,

Detail set for the King Tiger? That depends on your scale. I haven't seen one available for the "KT" in 1/16 yet. But Aber has a set for a 1/35 King Tiger at airconnection.on.ca . However, it also depends on how far you want to go with detailing your monster. I have seen different parts available for enhancing a 1/16 KT, such as real metal tow cables, shackles, grills, etc. But I haven't seen any ONE all inclusive detail set for a 1/16 King Tiger... yet. Hang around the forum and hopefully someone will prove me wrong. Good luck.

It's for the 1/16th, KT.

The hobbystores near me (Toronto, Ontario) have nill parts for the KT, and I have yet to get a Visa card, so currently mail-order is out.

Ouch,

I've found that with this hobby, you gotta have some plastic! Oh come on, that was a great pun! Anyway, what areas of the KT are you wanting to enhance? Like I stated earlier, there are plenty of websites that offer different aftermarket parts for the 1/16 KT. ( And of these, you can send checks, money orders, and even cash.) So far I have seen metal tracks, tow cables, grills, slight turret modifications, replacement barrels, and a few others I can't remember at present.

Oh, I almost forgot. Erock, I found pics of an S04 Tiger I. The guy even has a figure representing Wittman on the turret. Here is the link: http://www.missing-lynx.com/gallery/german/tiger_davidson.html
Hope this helps

Roy

Howdy, folks!

Erock,
So we're sharing parallel universe closets?
You should see the rest of the kits I have stuffed in another closet...[:0]

Okieboy,
You see, for the first several years here, my living situation didn't allow a whole lotta modeling, so I did a whole lotta buying instead!
And the trend continued!
But I fully intend to built each and every one of those beauties...eventually!

TeddyA,
I think WhiteWolf McBride has some of what your looking for, Tiger II-wise.

Well, back to Bovington...

Its Gotta Go ...

Well , as my other buyer hasn't paid me for a previous deal (made almost 3 months ago) I now have a ~serious~ money crunch . Apart from my TA-02 , the only thing available that I can get a decent amount for is the Aber set .

To that end , with regrets , I'll be putting it up on eBay . It will go up at about 10 PM EDT tonight , and run 7 days . The reserve will be $150 US , and a $200 Buy It Now will include air-shipping anywhere.

I ~will~ check my mail before I hit the 'post' button , so if you want it , speak up before 10 PM Eastern (02:00 UDT)

If you don't have an eBay account , I apologise , I'm requesting PayPal , as its near-instantaneous (need the $ before the 30th) I ~will~ accept other methods ~only~ if its discussed with me beforehand.

My ebay record stands for my honesty , with 50 confirmed deals , plus many repeats (eBay only counts unique deals) and I have an International Confirmed PayPal account .

WhiteWolf_McBride @ eBay

Roy,

Thanks for posting that link. I still haven't decided if I will do the whitewash on it or not. It depends how brave I feel at the time

White Wolf:

What that you have is good for a Tamiya 1/16 KT?

TeddyA :

I really don't have anything personally, unless you count the parts from the Aber PE set that could be used on the KT...

I think J-Hulk meant the Yahoo group I manage for one of the German parts makers, Dirk Koernell. Its DP-Thema, otherwise known as Dirk's Parts.

Dirk's made many of the Tiger 1 & King Tiger small pieces that can get lost, plus others that are needed for variants (like the KT type cupola for a Tiger 1)

Dirk even answered the demand for the very often-lost shock oil reservoirs from the M4 Sherman kit.

You can find the group at this URL:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DP-Thema/

At present the images don't match the parts list, but most of the images are self-explanatory.

WhiteWolf

Everyone :

As I got no nibbles, the Aber set is now up on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3145750118

Sadly (& poorly)
WhiteWolf

Hey Folks,

I believe that I've found a good representation of which paint scheme I want to use on my Tiger. The only problem is that I'm unfamiliar with how to achieve this particular scheme. I know it involves the three camoflage colors; red, green and tan, but I don't know how they got the red and green to blend and fade like in the pic. Here is the link. http://www.missing-lynx.com/gallery/german/jbtlate.htm Please check it out and let me know the best way to achieve something close to this look.

Thanks again,

Roy

Okie :

I've never tried something that elaborate, but if I was going to do it , I'd probably try this:

Spray patches of the two darker colors over a tan base, making sure to leave it patchy, shooting a fine spray from a distance to get a diffuse pattern.

Then use the same method with a quite-thinned tan overcoat to 'blur' the two colors below. That or 'dab' the thinned tan on with a sponge after blotting off most of the paint onto scrap cardboard.

I'd try both methods on some cardboard, and see which does the better job. Personally, I'd think the thinned overspray has a better chance, and don't cut the tan with thinner but a clear varnish instead, as you don't want too much thinner dissolving the two colors beneath.

Then again, you could post in their forum, and ask the artist how ~he~ did it ... Right?

WhiteWolf

Not a bad idea WW. I sort of had an idea of doing it how you described. I just didn't have the specifics worked out; such as using a clear varnish to thin the tan. As for consulting their forum, I hadn't thought of that. However, I am still interested in the opinions of my fellow modelers here!

Thanks again,
Roy

Okie , & others :

I've always been good at looking at things logically, and then trying to reverse-engineer things.

Even when trying to design something , I think of what something is to do, and what I have (or can get) that is close, and could be adapted.

I once saved an afternoon at an R/C boat run in Gananoque (Thousand Islands) when I got my props fowled in some floating weeds in the pond. I torqued 'em right off trying to churn my way out of the weed-patch. 10 AM and the day was toast.

I thought: WTF is a prop anyway?

My solution? Two rectangular bits of galvanized ducting, hole in the middle, either end twisted the opposite way. They ran better than the one's I'd started with , and the rough edges chopped the weeds to ratspit!

I've had people ask me "How to hide a switch, charging jack, etc ... " and once i start thinking about it, I come up with more than enough ways to provide at least one to do the job.

Hell, I made track-guards out of Coke can for my King Tiger over 15 years ago, and even bolted 'em to the hull with brass bolts. My 'zimmerit' (to cover badly removed track-links): white Micropore medical tape, over-painted with the camo-job! Used the tape to cover the fenders too, as paint wouldn't adhere to the inner pop-can surface!

Its all in analyzing the problem!

Right on, WWMcB!
Sometimes ya just gotta McGuyver something together!

Okieboy, along with what WhiteWolf suggested, you might want to just try experimenting with your airbrush to get those results.
Also, after washing and filtering and drybrushing and all the other weathering you may do, the pattern will really blend together. Check out my E-100. That pattern was pretty high contrast before all the other business I dumped on top. Sure, it's all gray now, but you know what I mean!
In other words, I wouldn't be so concerned with the "softness" of the pattern you want to create at the initial painting stage, since it'll all "come out in the wash," so to speak.
Good luck!

Guess what finally arrived? Yep, the Aber set is here. Now, I'm thinking, what did I get myself into? [:0] The instructions are pretty good but, I can see that this is a kit in itself.

Actually, this is a challenge that I really want to accomplish



Here are the instructions for just the smoke dischargers:

I also wanted to mention that, J-Hulk's build page is now up at the build site.

That only leaves, ummmmmm, okieboy!

(hint, hint, hint)

Sigh, very funny Erock! But really, you are too correct. The sad part is that the photos
have been taken and I'm just waiting on my wife to get them transferred onto a disk so
she can send them to you while she's at work. I'm having to work 12 hour shifts Saturday
and Sunday, so I am getting nothing accomplished this weekend. I'll be off Monday morning
until Wednesday though. Dear God Erock! That Aber set is a
@#$*^!er by the looks of it. In a way I'm glad I didn't get it
because I know that I would surely fall victim to "AS"!

So tell me J-Hulk, how did you do your wash on the E-100? What thinners and paints did you use and
how did you apply it? You see, this kit contains a lot of firsts for me. First time I've applied zimmerit
and definitely the first time I've applied a wash. I'll need ya'lls input for this.

Roy

Ah Roy,

You know we're just funnin' with ya'

I want to know how all of us are going to get together, for a Tiger family picture, when we're all done

Well I lit a fire under someone's tail so hopefully those images are getting transferred to disk tonight. For a bit of humor since I can't do a flippin' thing on my Tiger until Monday, check out the image at this link: http://www.odkrywcaonline.com/galerie/3zsxxw/028.jpg

Oops, I guess it doesn't work. Sorry about that. It was a picture of a WWII re-enactor dressed as an SS soldier holding a sign that read "Moscow". The irony of the photo was that the man dressed in the SS uniform lives in one of the former Soviet satellite countries.

Roy

okieboy, to get that faded a paint job you do the regular camo then first spray a light coat of really thin buff or other light color over the whole thing. That will lighten the camo and then you do light colored washes, do a careful dark pinpoint wash on the detail then do light drybrushing, light colored pastels etc. and that keeps "fading" the camo. Give it a shot on another kit then try it on your Tiger. You can do it, trust the force!!

Eric

Thanks guys! That's the kind of info I'm after. I do great with camoflaging and using colors to form patterns, but sadly until I came here, I never knew how or why you use a wash. I would like to stick with one type of paint for the whole main coat if possible, i.e. Tamiya acrylics, and then use oil based paint for the wash. Since I know about what colors I will use, you guys will have to guide me doing the wash and weathering. (Never done one before!)

Roy

Erock :

See what I mean now ?

I know a lot of that detailing is nice , like the discharger firing controls , and the improved detailing for the tool kit , jack & block , fire extinguisher , those amazing front and rear fenders ( that fold like real if you tinker ) and then all those catches that could work ( if you tapped the eye-bolts properly )

I hope to be able to afford some of the separate upgrades later , and intend to get Dirk's copy of the track holders, but it'll have to wait until the cash crunch is over .

As for the cables , we were on that one ages ago , and I've got enough annealed cable to do both my Tigers AND a set for my Sherman too ! I could buy Dirk's , but I'm gonna give it a shot myself first .

Remember :

Dirk is looking for other parts to make that would be popular sellers , so if you have ideas , let me ( or him ) know .

Anyone ...

... know of a place on the web ( or even off it where there are ~really~ good reference for those detailing methods , like drybrushing , weathering , and allthat fancy BS . I've never gotten that far ... a VCD of someone ~doing~ it would be perfect ... but I doubt anyone has gotten to that yet ( they are still stuck on books , idiots )

Wonder if Verlinden or any of the others that do the 'how to paint' modelling books have gotten with the new age yet ...

WhiteWolf

PS : day & 1/3 , the Aber set is already at $102 with only two bidders battling for it , with a possible third interested . Yes , air-shipping is included !

No problem okieboy ! I don't know if you saw my Marder pics I posted but if you look at the bottom you'll see where I sprayed the buff over the roadwheels and hull to "dirty" it up which gives it a faded look. I didn't want to fade my camo that much on this one so I just gave it a light colored wash to tone it down some. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. I used Tamiya acrylics for all the spraying and Winsor Newton oils for the washes. I also found I prefere turpentine to mineral spirits for the wash. I not an expert as the Marder is in fact the first armor piece I've built since grade school but Moses has given me some valuble advice and suggestions I'll be glad to share and if I don't know we'll ask him There are a number of folks who will gladly give advice on techniques here also. It's not hard to do if you take your time.

Eric

Erock,
Thanks for getting my page started! Next I'll take the duffle bag down, open 'er up, and get a pic with the Aber set and Hobby fan metal barrel.

Okieboy,
The wash on the E-100 was just Tamiya Acrylic Flat Black thinned with water. Some folks don't like an acrylic wash, but I like the textures you get with it in addition to the regular wash features (darkness in the low places).
Actually, I wasn't quite satisfied with the level of washing on the E, and almost went back to redo it, but I though better of it. I'm chicken!

I think what gave E the faded-out look is the misting of a very thin mixture of Buff over the whole thing as the last step in weathering. To me, this represents dust AND fade.

Finally, the Gunze clear flat can give it a real dusty, faded look if you mist it on from a bit farther away than usual. I suppose it actually becomes "dust," and when it's all dry I brush off the loose stuff, and it's done.

Have you guys ever seen work done by Miguel Jiminez? "Mig" paints everything super-light from the beginning, and tones it down to his liking with washes and filters. I haven't tried it, but it sounds like a good idea.

Erush and J-Hulk, you be da masters of the modelling domain! I saw your Marder a couple of days ago and thought it was very impressive. Likewise with J-Hulk's E-100. For my Tiger I don't want to make it look too dirty or rusted. This won't be a shelf or diorama piece. It will be what it was designed for: a weapon of destruction! Okay, in R/C tank battles that is, but you get my drift. Hell, I'm not even sure if I want a great deal of battle damage on my Tiger. Needless to say, I will be going easy on the weathering. My research has yielded that while tanks #007 and #008 of SS Schwere Abteilung were steel wheeled, #009 was not. (I've always been partial to the rubber rimmed wheels.) My tank will most likely be numbered 009. This also gives me the freedom to equip it as I want.
I like J-Hulk's philosophy of not copying an exact tank, but rather building a tank from a desired unit and outfitting it as any good "Tank commander" would. I do hate to burst ShermanFreak's bubble by not building #007, but that's where I'm headed! I'll finish up the details of my zimm tomorrow and hopefully get pretty far with the upper front and rear deck. I'm still waiting on my parts from Dirk for my turret conversion. Ain't this fun?!

Roy

Guys :

Any of you busted the turret tabs just in front of the stowage bins yet ? I did , and was a bit peeved , until I was sure they just ~weren't there on the real thing .

I just sent eRock an image I doodled up in Corel showing how to make a ~new~ set of locking tabs for the rear of the turret .

Anyone else has neat little 'solutions like this ?

WhiteWolf

I haven't gotten that far yet but, thanks for the heads-up WW.

Here is the fix sent to me: