War in the Desert - African campaign GB - 12/9/07 to 5/13/08

bufflehead wrote:

dupes, looking mighty fine so far!  When you say run back home to hit with it with the AB, you literally mean run back home don'tcha??

Actually, if the weather is halfway decent, I can.

Thanks again you guys for all the comments...I have some bad news - didn't get to do the future coat until late this afternoon, and had to take a break while that was drying - so no progress today. No progress on the 222, that is! Broke the Macchi 202 out of the box to start in on that guy a bit!

Let me tell you, there's a reason I got that kit for 9 bucks at Walmart...already decided that this one is going to be done "wheels up" for reasons I'll get into later. Let's say this one is going to be "airbrush practice". Heh. 

bufflehead wrote:

SMJmodeler wrote: Dupes, Nice, clean build. take a powder man...making the rest of look like we're dragging our feet. You're starting to stress me out now!!! (I think the caffeine level has reached +.08)...FELLOW GB MEMBERS, the voting for what I plan to build is still on...for those who read this scroll up a few posts and chime in and vote.  I need a winner...you know Santa is coming and all got to the model on the wish list. SMJ How much snow ya' got there in Maine?! OK, I vote for the deuce and a half truck!  I haven't seen one done in a while.

  I like the Duece.

Regards,  Rick

SMJmodeler wrote:

Dupes, Nice, clean build. take a powder man...making the rest of look like we're dragging our feet. You're starting to stress me out now!!! (I think the caffeine level has reached +.08)...FELLOW GB MEMBERS, the voting for what I plan to build is still on...for those who read this scroll up a few posts and chime in and vote.  I need a winner...you know Santa is coming and all got to the model on the wish list. SMJ How much snow ya' got there in Maine?!

OK, I vote for the deuce and a half truck!  I haven't seen one done in a while.

Dupes,

Nice, clean build. take a powder man...making the rest of look like we're dragging our feet.

You're starting to stress me out now!!! (I think the caffeine level has reached +.08)...FELLOW GB MEMBERS, the voting for what I plan to build is still on...for those who read this scroll up a few posts and chime in and vote.  I need a winner...you know Santa is coming and I have to get the model on my wish list.

SMJ

How much snow ya' got there in Maine?!

Dupes-the speed of your builds is amazing.  And it's quality work to boot.

Darren & Rick-your targets...errr..tanks are coming along quite nicely too.

I did get the Spitfire cleaned and primed-maybe I'll find time to paint the interior bits this weekend.

Looking good Dupes .  Very nice work.

Regards,  Rick

dostacos,

Kinda' thought a wadi was something like that.  I had the same "wash-out" concept as soon as I thought of the desert...sounds do-able!  You seem to have some experience in this buried tire thing...you learned that in Cub Scouts right?...hmmmm.

SMJ

Alright, got a pic of the 222 after decals were applied - didn't get to do the sealer coat of future last night, some of the decals I couldn't trim (those little palm trees and unit id's) didn't quite want to sit down and needed some Solvaset. Hopefully I can run home at lunch and hit this mofo with a quick A/B session at lunch.

Wadi, an Arabic way to say dry riverbed, one that only has water during heavy rain. {also used to describe a valley}

 and using the spare with a tire iron so the cable goes though the wheel then attaches to the tire iron, then burying the tire will give a tow point. It takes more time than tree but when you spend time offroading in the desert......

dostacos,

I'll put you down as a vote for the duece-and-a-half.  What's a dry wadi?, I like the word...whatever it means.

SMJ

SMJmodeler wrote:

Group Builders, Thinking of throwing my hat in the ring on this one...as if the T34 (barely started) and my GB "Winter Warriors" Panther aren't enough.  I'm an armor guy, and there are three kits on my "have to get to list" (I have amazingly disciplined mysely not to buy them...yet) that might fit this GB.  Unfortunately I'm a builder, not a historian, and I need to know for sure if they all qualify.  If they all qualify I will let my fellow modelers decide for me...HOW ABOUT YOU GUYS VOTE ON THIS FOR ME!!! First kit to 5 votes wins!  (1 vote per person, please) Nobody care what I build?  I'll flip a coin...whoops, no three-sided coins.  I'll draw longest paintbush then. Here they are, drumroll please... 1)  U.S. 2 1/2 ton Cargo truck:  Saw this bad boy in "Saving Private Ryan"...wrong beach though.  I know this was a workhorse vehicle, probably saw action everywhere. I want to load this baby up with barrels, gear, the works.  Plan to have it stuck it a big mud hole pulling itself out with a winch (trouble here...kinda dry in North Africa...must of rained sometime though, huh? not to many trees in a desert to tie a winch to....hmmmm, have to figure something out on that one).  Got the dark glass for the puddle, photo-ed my local rain soaked construction site to get the right look. A strong opening contender. 2)  German Sturmgeschutz III Ausf G Early Version:  Loved my Stug III Ausf B so much I wanted to try this version (go check the pics of my Stug III in my armor post if you get the chance).  This kit gets the "Daily Double" award if it's chosen, I could sit it on the back of my FAMO & Sd.Ah116 (un-built, wanted to give the Grand Daddy of alll kits the proper homage...could this be it's passenger?...Trifecta!...dark grey on the FAMO would be out!, O.K. you got me...that's one of the reasons it's not built yet...couldn't decide...Love that dark grey, even more with whitewash)  A fine choice, German Armor...need I say more? 3)Chevrolet CMP 15 CWT Truck:  Would go great as vehicle #2 next to the Quad Gun Tractor in my trio of North African Theater Trucks Display. (again, if interested go see my Quad on the same post in armor) Truck three not decided, any suggestions?  HEY!!!, epiphany...can I build two new trucks for this GB and put all together like I planned?.  Quad is done, is that O.K.?...JUDGES please...Another good choice, everyone likes a threesome, right? Sorry, if I offended any of you hard-core WWII knowledgable, build-true-to historical-accurac types with my lack of WWII knowledge  You guys have been a tremendous resource.  Every new kit I start I do get in and do some research though, and I'm learning more daily.  Hey, I watch The History Channel regularly, O.K. PLEASE POST A VOTE, thought this might be fun. -SMJmodeler-

}

Hey fellas - thanks for the comments...I like how she's coming along so far myself.

The 222 is definitely staying bleached gray, no dunkel-anything getting applied to this build (although, I've been poking around in that DML Panzer I box - heh). The top side is intentionally very light colored, the underside is still faded, but much more "panzer gray". I'm sure that some of the later washes will bring it a bit more into line. Right now the decals are drying, (!) so long as they look good I'll get a sealer coat of future on top of those later tonight...which means hopefully a start to the harsh desert weathering tomorrow!

Bufflehead - living right next to work (540 yards, last time I paced it out) definitely has it's perks, but there are some negatives too - I'm ALWAYS the first one to get called in. Meh.

joe, you could very well be right about those Pz IIIs.  I thought the Ausf F version was exactly like the Ausf E except for a different engine (difficult to detect from outside) and the armored intake covers on the glacis.  From what I remember both had the old style internal gun mantlet, which makes me think its an Ausf G.  But then there is the old style driver's visor which would indicate and E or F and the fact that many E's & F's were later upgunned....so maybe the external mantlet was installed at such a time.

Now the third photo shows a vehicle which has the 40cm track and looks like the matching drive sprocket AND has the bolted on armor.  Supposedly these were not used on the Ausf G, but were introcued on the H instead.  But then there is the old style cupola to further confuse things!!    Gotta luv WWII German armor!!!

SMJmodeler I would put in my vote for No3 definitely.  I think that would be a cool dio.

Dupes the triple 2 is looking great.  I assume that you're not going to paint it any kind of sandy color and just leave it a bleached grey?

No progress at all from me last night I was too tired, just spent a quiet night in front of the idiot box watching a few episodes of Supernatural.

Cheers

dupes, your speed amazes me!!  I need to catch my breath just reading your posts!!  The only thing that stands out to me is how light the panzer gray looks in the photo.  Is it just the lighting or is it a lighter shade on purpose?  Maybe to compensate for upcoming dark washes?  Whatever, it still looks great so far! 

I wish I still lived close to work....takes 1-1 1/2 hours to get home.

jgeratic1 wrote:

Jack

Hey Bufflehead...I agree with you on the Ausf L in the 1st pic...but on the 2nd & 3rd I'm not so sure. To me the 2nd pic looks like an Ausf F ...(upgraded E). I'm going by the old style copola and the lack of pivoting driver's visor. Looks like the upgunned Ausf F on page #62 in the Encylopedia German Tanks of WW II.

Not sure about the 3rd pic either...Being an Ausf H it should have the pivoting driver's visor and it also retain's the older style copola as well which should have been replaced in the mid production run on the Ausf G. Maybe they are both Ausf F's?

I'm no expert either. Just curious.

Just wondering because I have an Ausf E in my stash that I've long considered upgrading/upgunning  to an Ausf F and I really haven't seen that many photos of the Ausf F in the field...much less north Afrika.

Wow, quiet day on the African front today...

Forgot to bring my work-in-progress pics with me this morning - ran home at lunch to grab them.

Last night's stuff: 

Put the second highlight coat on all the upward facing panels, then finished the assembly, putting all the wheels back on, removed all masks and attached the turret. Sprayed the first "shadowing" highlights, went to work on the tools. Took the pics, then finally sprayed a coat of future which should be dry tonight - time for decals! 

Hey SMJ! Glad to see you made it over here! There's already some good work coming out, and a LOT more on the way...

My vote is for 1)  U.S. 2 1/2 ton Cargo truck. The dio idea already sounds good!

9 Toe Tanker wrote:

Are those last two PZ III Ausf E's? I think someone put the tracks on backwards in that last pic.

Joe, I'm no expert, but my resources at home seem to indicate that the 1st photo is an Ausf L (long 50mm gun, spaced armor, headlights on glacis), the 2nd an Ausf G (external gun mantlet, no bolt on armor, old drive sprocket) and the 3rd photo an Ausf H (short 50mm gun, bolt on armor, 40 cm tracks, appears to have the new drive sprocket).  Anyone please correct me if I'm wrong.  Hope this helps!

Yeah, the tracks are on backwards!

Group Builders,

Thinking of throwing my hat in the ring on this one...as if the T34 (barely started) and my GB "Winter Warriors" Panther aren't enough.  I'm an armor guy, and there are three kits on my "have to get to list" (I have amazingly disciplined mysely not to buy them...yet) that might fit this GB.  Unfortunately I'm a builder, not a historian, and I need to know for sure if they all qualify. 

If they all qualify I will let my fellow modelers decide for me...HOW ABOUT YOU GUYS VOTE ON THIS FOR ME!!! First kit to 5 votes wins!  (1 vote per person, please) Nobody care what I build?  I'll flip a coin...whoops, no three-sided coins.  I'll draw longest paintbush then. Here they are, drumroll please...

1)  U.S. 2 1/2 ton Cargo truck:  Saw this bad boy in "Saving Private Ryan"...wrong beach though.  I know this was a workhorse vehicle, probably saw action everywhere. I want to load this baby up with barrels, gear, the works.  Plan to have it stuck it a big mud hole pulling itself out with a winch (trouble here...kinda dry in North Africa...must of rained sometime though, huh? not to many trees in a desert to tie a winch to....hmmmm, have to figure something out on that one).  Got the dark glass for the puddle, photo-ed my local rain soaked construction site to get the right look. A strong opening contender.

2)  German Sturmgeschutz III Ausf G Early Version:  Loved my Stug III Ausf B so much I wanted to try this version (go check the pics of my Stug III in my armor post if you get the chance).  This kit gets the "Daily Double" award if it's chosen, I could sit it on the back of my FAMO & Sd.Ah116 (un-built, wanted to give the Grand Daddy of alll kits the proper homage...could this be it's passenger?...Trifecta!...dark grey on the FAMO would be out!, O.K. you got me...that's one of the reasons it's not built yet...couldn't decide...Love that dark grey, even more with whitewash)  A fine choice, German Armor...need I say more?

3)Chevrolet CMP 15 CWT Truck:  Would go great as vehicle #2 next to the Quad Gun Tractor in my trio of North African Theater Trucks Display. (again, if interested go see my Quad on the same post in armor) Truck three not decided, any suggestions?  HEY!!!, epiphany...can I build two new trucks for this GB and put all together like I planned?.  Quad is done, is that O.K.?...JUDGES please...Another good choice, everyone likes a threesome, right?

Sorry, if I offended any of you hard-core WWII knowledgable, build-true-to historical-accurac types with my lack of WWII knowledge  You guys have been a tremendous resource.  Every new kit I start I do get in and do some research though, and I'm learning more daily.  Hey, I watch The History Channel regularly, O.K.

PLEASE POST A VOTE, thought this might be fun.

-SMJmodeler-

Thanks for the reply Jack.  The seam will remain unfilled.  Makes my life a little easier .

Regards,  Rick

9 Toe Tanker wrote:

I think someone put the tracks on backwards in that last pic.

I'm hoping I don't embarrass myself here but I think you're right Joe, it looks like the tracks are on backwards in that last shot.

Are those last two PZ III Ausf E's?

I think someone put the tracks on backwards in that last pic.

Hi everyone ... great starts to all that have posted.

Regarding the question about the seam on the panzer III - do not fill.

Jack 

Thanks for the clarification Darren, you had me scratching my head.  That's essentially how I do it as well.

Regards,  Rick

I wouldn't mind knowing the answer to that one either

rjkplasticmod wrote:

Darren... Great progress, really coming along well.  We take a different approach to building these, as I build in modules & paint before assembly.  How do you paint the tracks & road wheels with the tracks installed ?  I haven't figured out how to do that. Regards,  Rick

Thanks for that Rick and it's actually all done with smoke and mirrors.  The upper and lower halves of the hull are not yet attached, the tracks are made in two separate lengths and are held together by tape and none of the road wheels are glued on to the hull. 

Once I'm ready for painting I'll disassemble the entire thing into its sub-assemblies and paint as per normal.

Cheers