Liberation of Western Europe GB

here's the figure that came with my mKII

im going to put him on a little base with a plaque that says "PULL MY FINGER, SOLDIER!!!"

dupes wrote:

Alright, did a few minor touch ups to the Puma, nothing drastic, just thought there were a couple of things that could use some attention. Thanks to those of you who supported the "light weathering" method! That's it. I'm done this time. Unless I decide to do the 234/3 to go with it...

Nothing wrong with light weathering, all military vehicles were clean and shiny when the arrived to the units, and wear and tear occured over time, dirt and filth pile up when combat is heavy and they don't have time for routine care and maintenance.  What's the old commercial jingle, Miller Light, tastes great and less filling!    Nice job on the Puma! 

Alright, did a few minor touch ups to the Puma, nothing drastic, just thought there were a couple of things that could use some attention. Thanks to those of you who supported the "light weathering" method!

That's it. I'm done this time. Unless I decide to do the 234/3 to go with it... 

Here's the work so far on my M18 Hellcat. I am enjoying it. The tracks are ready to mount, Fruil's, they fit the sprocket excellently. The last photo has it with my M8

Mike T.

If you don't want to save it to your computer, here is my photo bucket.

http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u214/ww2modeler/

Then you proceed to do what espins1 said.

David

southern dragon wrote:

how do i get that GB banner on my signiture?

• Save the GB badge on your computer. 
• Upload it to photobucket
• Copy the 3rd link provided
• Click on "Update Profile" in the forums
• Locate the Signature section of your profile
• Paste the photobucket picture link
• Click Save Changes

dupes, great build. I'll love to see it with the weathering. I have to start my M26 pretty soon. Right now I've got a B-25 that stalled and an 1/72 Airfix P-38 up front.

David

like that?

ill get more pics later

any comments, crits,ect. welcome

southern dragon wrote:

anybody know how to post pics? i got a image host site (photobucket), and i can get the little red x's. i type in the url link every time i want to post a pic, and i takes forever. is there a shorter, easier way?

After you upload the pics to photobucket, they provide you with the link. Simply copy and paste the 3rd link they provide you for each pic you want in your post.

bobbaily wrote:

dupes wrote: Thanks for your input guys - I always get to this "limbo" point when I'm done or near done with a build. Too much? Not enough? I never quite know when I should stop. I searched through the forums and found examples of Pumas that went both ways - and they both look good. What to do, what to do.   Well, you could always build a second one, leave one clean and do the 'heavy weathering' thing on the other one....yeah...that't the ticket!   Seriously, either way, you have a winner here.  Good job.

I gotta' agree with bobbaily and espins1. Fine job, dupes . I haven't built an Italeri kit in @ least a decade - I found them notorius for lacking detail and I'd discovered Tamiya by that point, but I just might have to rethink my thinking . 

bob - thanks for giving me another excuse to buy more kits! .

dupes wrote:

Thanks for your input guys - I always get to this "limbo" point when I'm done or near done with a build. Too much? Not enough? I never quite know when I should stop. I searched through the forums and found examples of Pumas that went both ways - and they both look good. What to do, what to do.

Well, you could always build a second one, leave one clean and do the 'heavy weathering' thing on the other one....yeah...that't the ticket!   Seriously, either way, you have a winner here.  Good job.

Thanks for your input guys - I always get to this "limbo" point when I'm done or near done with a build. Too much? Not enough? I never quite know when I should stop. I searched through the forums and found examples of Pumas that went both ways - and they both look good.

What to do, what to do.  

dupes-very nice build.  Well done.  As far as the "...a bit too clean..", that's a tough call.  Your Puma looks great as is and I'm sure it would look equally great with the heavy weathering/wear should you choose that route.  I don't think you can go wrong either way.

Well, I didn't quite manage to finish the Puma last night, still need to do some touch up painting, grind up a little bit of pastels...still seems a bit too clean to me. Maybe a light coat of dust. That, and I'm realizing I didn't do much to the hatches where there should be quite a bit of wear. Should be complete by tomorrow.

Any other thoughts? 

That Puma is sweet!!

Seymour

The AM model looks really good. Way back in the day I got the Aurora (?) kit with the 75 mm cannon in the nose, and that was it for me for the B-25.

Bondoman

on the bench Lockheed Lodestar 1% gonna be a USAAC machine

Bondoman, I sorta got stalled on the B-25, gaps, and seam lines are killing me. I'm thinking of trashing it and buying the Accurate Miniatures one instead. The Revell one is killing me. I'll try to do some more work on it though.

David

ww2modeler wrote:

Lookin good, was the barrell aluminum, If not, you did a really good job of cleaning up the seam line. David

Ahhh, thank you for the compliment sir. No, she's all plastic. Doing this guy straight OOB. Funny, I've done so much work on the Puma this weekend I almost didn't recognize the pics above. Update tomorrow morning! (Possibly finished?)

I'd really like to see your B-25. I'm a 1/72nd type, but I think the smaller twin engine bombers are great at 1/48 too. I tackled the P-61 some years ago on account of a gift for my f-i-l who flew in them. Post some pics if you can.

I've got a few, includin my avatar, that I took at the flyin near here last year by the Collings Foundation. My dad and I went up in the B-24.

Bondoman

Lookin good, was the barrell aluminum, If not, you did a really good job of cleaning up the seam line.

David

Got to fire some more paint last night, second coat of dark yellow, followed by a lightened coat in the middle of the panels. Realized that MM dunkelgelb is considerably...greener than the Tamiya offering. Held it up to another kit, and it's really quite different. Maybe the washes I used really tinted it, but MM doesn't seem to lean toward the tan hue I'm seeing in my other stuff.

So anyhoo, still trying to finalize my camo decision, doing a bit more work on the interior as I think I'll pose the hatches open...you can't see much of the guts, but enough to make it worthwhile I think.

Here's the pre-camo Puma:

Never seen the Ambush scheme, mostly the three tone camo and the Dark Yellow with brown. Lokking good, happy building.

David

Alright, finished assembly and got a few light primer coats on the mini-beast last night, and then snuck away from work just long enough this morning to shoot the first light coat of MM acrylic dunkelgelb. Just realized I have no idea what kind of camo pattern I want to put on this thing. Hmmmm. Anyone ever see a pic of an ambush-scheme-clad Puma?

John;

Thank you for the comments, I have trying to build up my skill level in weathering. Rustall was one of the products that I used. There was a combination of products from oil paints to Mig pastels. Some of the raised mud was made using Mr. Dissolved Putty with Mig pastels mixed together. I was experimenting with techniques I was reading about. My skill level with the weathering is still low, but I am learning.

Seeing some of these other marvelous builds inspires me to work harder on my skill level. There are so many tips thrown about in the forums easy to pick up on.

Rooster - I actually like the markings on the King Tiger. Seeing photo's some had rough markings especially nearing the end of the conflict.

MIke T.

Sharp eyes - that definitely is an M109 in the background. Head over to the armor forum and check out the "Italeri Group Build Part 2" for more pics...I'm taking a quick break from that guy to work on this here Puma.

Speaking of quick, this thing throws together really fast. I'll be done with the construction and should have it primed by tonight - then on to painting!

I actually had the same thoughts about the interior - but with only those 2 small hatches, I'm on the fence about going nuts on the inside if no one is ever going to see it. There IS a lot of space in there to do some serious detailing if one were so inclined...If I don't have time before I get back to my Paladin I guess that's what I have the open-topped 234/3 version for.

telsono- love it dude. Amazing what you can do with one of those old Tamiya kits. I especially like the mud & rust on the hull front and down the RH side. How'd you do that? Rustall?? 

dupes - off to a flying start. Looks good from here. I think to myself tho, that it needs an interior with all that space - too bad a turret would hide it. Keep up the excellent work! Is that an M109 I see in the background? 

rooster- A most excellent King Tiger . Love the overall beatup look. Great recovery on the tracks. Your Elefant is looking sharp. I'll bite the bullet one day and attempt some zimmerit myself and guess whose handiwork I'll be studying??

I want to thank all of you for your compliments on my previous works. I think the admiration of my fellow modelers means more to me than the kudos I get from my non-modeler friends and family. You guys know first hand all that goes into a build and can really appreciate another's handiwork.

Concerning foilage -don't be afraid to look in the backyard for materials. I've used pieces (scraps really) of oak branches for unditching beams on Soviet tanks (T34, T55, T72). I just seal them with flat laquer and glue away. I also think that bits of Cedar branch or similiar members of the Pine family could provide some materials. The neat thing about natural material is you can let it wither, (in the case of "leafy" material), before you seal it with laquer.

I'm getting closer to pinning down a specific vehicle for the build. I've built so many tanks lately, that I have a yen for something else  - Halftracks.

I'll throw this out for everyone - I need some help locating reference material on US Halftracks in Italy, Sicily and North Africa...I already have Squadron's US Halftracks in action book. I'm thinking of kitbashing a T19 105mm HMC (M3 halftrack with a M2 105mm howtizer on board). If you own a copy of "Kelly's Heroes" starring Cliint Eastwood, you'll see one in the opening scenes. Historically, tho these vehicles were only used in...Italy, Sicily, and N. Africa, being replaced by the M7 Priest during 1943.

TTFN

-John