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

dupes wrote:

*Warning! Group-build cross-pollination alert!* Uhhh...for those of you that DO happen to have hankering for something snow-related after you've banged out at least one of your WitD builds...there IS a "Winter Warriors" GB starting on the 1st of January...or so I hear.

I'm chomping at the bit for that one too! 

Dupes, You are a Building Machine .  Looks great.

I made a little progress on mine yesterday.

Still a lot to do, but she's starting to look kinda sorta like a tank .

Regards,  Rick

Rick - definitely looking tankish from my end.

Are you and Darson getting together to do sequentially numbered tanks from the same unit? Same squad, maybe?  

Thanks Dupes.  Hadn't thought of teeming up with Darren.  Not sure I could as the only markings I have are from the kit.

Regards,  Rick

I know what you mean Rick, it's definitely looking more tank like now.

Dupes I was going down the same path as Rick in using the kit supplied markings.  Looks like we'll just have two interpretations of the same vehicle.

This is a really fun build so far btw.

Cheers 

Oops I almost forgot, Dupes the 222 looks excellent.  I can't wait to see it with some paint on.

Cheers 

Darson - I couldn't wait either.

First pic is after the basecoat of straight Panzer Gray, followed a few hours later by another shot of Panzer Gray, this time mixed with some...lighter gray. Forgetting which one I used. Hit only the centers of the panels to start breaking up the monotone look. Tonight, going to mix up some PG with a bit of white to really fade all of the upward-facing panels, going for a "sunbleached" effect. After that, I'll re-attach the wheels and turret, then fire some future!

Darson - do you always paint your tracks in place? Haven't tried that yet...but I want to. Heh. 

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.

Dupes... Looking better all the time.  Nice paint work.

Regards,  Rick

Darren, your Pz.Kpfw. III is looking great!  Hard to believe its only 1/48!  Tamiya is doing great work with that scale line!  Looks like you're only second to dupes in getting it done! 

dupes you are a speedfreak!!  Its only been 3 days and the main painting is almost done! Its looking really great so far, keep it up!  With so much time left are you going to build another kit for this GB?

With work and the holidays coming up I probably won't even finish the assy of my Sherman until sometime in January!!  Yep, I'm the tortoise and you guys are the hares!!  Doesn't matter though, because we ALL win!!

Oh you better believe I'll be doing more.

Already signed up for a 1/32 Macchi for the Italian portion (aircraft, I know....), and I'm mulling over my options for U.S. and Brit builds. Thinking of maybe doing a pair of M3 Stuart/Honeys? Some more aircraft? Not sure yet...lots of stash to sift through.

Holy smokes, everyone is flying!  Dupes, you're a machine!  Nice progress for all who've started.

Myself, I've shot the interior green for the cockpit.

Is it too late to get into this?

Dale 

Got a few more pieces assembled on my Pz.III N.  Getting closer to the painting stage .

I have a question for the Armor Guys.  AT the front, where the plastic upper hull mates to the diecast lower hull, there is a seam.  I've seen some builds where that seam is filled & others where it was not.  I don't have many good photo references, so I can't tell what was there on the real vehicle.  I assume it was not all one piece, as a filled seam would portray, but I suspect there might have been a weld in that area.  It's not real important on this build as most of it will be covered by a spare length of track, but if any one has a definitive answer I'd sure appreciate it.

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

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

Regards,  Rick

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

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

Jack 

Are those last two PZ III Ausf E's?

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

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.

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

Regards,  Rick

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-

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!

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!

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! 

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.

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.

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

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!!!

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.

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-

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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